Perfect Popcorn Pairings

Filed in archive Holiday Wine on October 29, 2007

One of my favorite things about this time of year is all the horror and suspense films on TV. I love being spooked and what better time for it than Halloween? Last week I wrote about some fun Halloween wines. The names or labels evoke the spirit of the holiday and are sure to get a chuckle from the friends with whom you share the wine. But not everyone want to go for the obvious. What if you want to take a more subtle approach to enjoying some wine on Halloween?

Well, maybe you could think about pairing wines with frightening flicks. This is a great idea that I never really thought about before reading Christopher Sawyer's article.. Lavalife, a dating Web site, asked the "Film Sommelier" to put together wines and films that were meant to be together.

Here's one example:

Film: Rosemary's Baby (1968)
In director Roman Polanski's heady horror flick, Mia Farrow is the titular Rosemary, a pregnant and naïve young woman married to an actor on the rise. But while her husband is busy following his path to stardom, lonely Rosemary is battling some serious demonic stuff and a bunch of pesky neighbors including Minnie Castevet - a haunting role that won Ruth Gordon the 1968 Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Pairing: Couly-Dutheil 2005 Gravières, Chinon AOC, France, $18
A great pairing with this film is a wine able to complement the popular and aromatic herb, rosemary. In countries along the Mediterranean, the spiky leaves and delicate blue flowers of rosemary are typically used to accent the flavors of specialty dishes This is especially true in Chinon, a legendary winegrowing region located in France's Loire Valley, where the taste-tempting herb is commonly used to enhance lamb, pork, stews and other types of cuisine paired with Cabernet Franc-based wines. Made with grapes grown on clay-limestone soils and aged in naturally formed caves in the region, the Couly-Dutheil 2005 Les Gravieres is a delightful wine featuring fresh fruity flavors, earthy spices, soft tannins, and a long elegant finish. The underlying beauty of this wine will calm the horror and lingering tension in the film.

Such a clever idea. Be sure to check out the rest of his article. You might even be inspired to put together an entire food, wine, and film night based around your favorite horror movie!