Since Halloween is right around the corner, the thought crossed my mind that a column on the “scary stuff” in the wine world might be in order. I could instead of course write about what wines could pair well with bat, or what might a vampire pair with their prey. I’m just not sure how well these would pan out, simply due to a lack of experience in the pairings of the underworld. I have heard though that Chateauneuf du Pape pairs beautifully with roasted gargoyle.

There are three things that winemakers are most scared of, specifically when it comes to what happens in the bottle after their wine leaves the winery. They include the wine being “corked”, maderized, or oxidized. It is important to be able to notice these flaws when present in a bottle of wine. If not, you may unfortunately endure an unpleasant experience from a potentially great wine that has been misrepresented. Wine is a living substance, and is subject to the environment that surrounds it. Winemakers cannot always control what happens to their wine once the bottles leave the winery. With a bit of knowledge, you can rest easy that the wines you are purchasing and consuming are sound. It would be terrible to spend hard-earned money on a tainted bottle of wine, and consume it without knowing. It’s almost a disservice to oneself, and frankly, not too much fun being unable to decipher whether or not the wine is spoiled.