Primitivo Di Manduria - Part Five

Manduria is a town in the region of Apulia - Puglia - the heel of Italy's "boot."  The warm climate brings the best out of the Primitivo grape, known in the province of Taranto as Primitivo di Manduria.  In the U.S., particularly California, the grape grows under the name of Zinfandel.  In Manduria, they like to think of the Puglia Primitivos as a pyramid, with the Primitivo di Manduria DOC at the top.

Apollonio Vini Primitivo di Manduria Mani del Sud 2015

The Apollonio winery dates back to 1870 when Noè Apollonio planted grapes and made wine from them.  Wine was in his blood, as his father and grandfather - Tommaso and Giuseppe - had both been wine producers.  The generations rolled on, with Salvatore upgrading the winery in 1975, which his sons inherited.  Marcello and Massimiliano now run the place, with Massimiliano handling the winemaking duties while Marcello heads up marketing and exporting. 

Their estate is in Lecce, the capital of Salento, which is mid-way between the two coasts of the Italian boot heel.  The 2015 Mani del Sud Primitivo di Manduria saw 18 months of aging in all - six in American oak barriques, six in large Slavonian oak barrels and six in the bottle.  Fermentation was in large Slavonian oak vats.  Alcohol is at the standard for the style, 15% abv, and the wine sells for around $20.

This very dark wine has a nose which I would call massive.  Tremendous tar notes blend with the blackest fruit imaginable, pulling along aromas of black olives, leather, forest floor and smoke.  The palate is just as savory, with black plum and berry flavors joined by black pepper, black cherry cola and a hint of cardamom.  The tannins are fairly smooth.  Pair this wine with any kind of meat or game dish.

Cantine Erario Primitivo di Manduria L'Unico Riserva 2015

The Erario family have been growing vines and olive trees since the middle of the 19th century.  Primitivo di Manduria accounts for 65% of the winery's product, with much smaller amounts of Negroamaro, Fiano, Aleatico, Chardonnay and Moscato rounding out their wines.  

The grapes for Erario's 2015 L'Unico Riserva Primitivo di Manduria came from vines that are at least 70 years old.  The wine aged for 12 months in steel tanks, then 12 months in oak barriques and finally six months in the bottle.  In addition pairing with meat and game dishes, the winery says L'Unico Riserva is also a good "meditation wine," which can be fully enjoyed when sipped slowly to appreciate its complexity.  Alcohol is a rich 16% abv and the wine sells on average for around $24.

This medium-dark wine offers a nose of dark fruit and a bit of tar.  There is smoke, a touch of clove and a hint of mint, too.  The palate is drenched in blackberry, cassis and plum, with a noticeable level of tannins.  The finish is long and juicy, with that dark fruit flavor lasting the longest.  Pair with steak or a Bolognese dish. 

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Primitivo Di Manduria - Part Four

Manduria is a town in the region of Apulia - Puglia - the heel of Italy's "boot."  The warm climate brings the best out of the Primitivo grape, known in the province of Taranto as Primitivo di Manduria.  In the U.S., particularly California, the grape grows under the name of Zinfandel.  In Manduria, they like to think of the Puglia Primitivos as a pyramid, with the Primitivo di Manduria DOC at the top.

Antica Masseria Jorche Primitivo di Manduria Riserva 2016

The Antica Masseria Jorche - ancient, fortified farm, dating back to the 17th century - came into the hands of Antonio and Mariella Gianfreda in 1990.  They restored - in some places, rebuilt - the abandoned structures and created a winery, restaurant, hotel and apartments.  Emanuela Gianfreda is the winemaker, and she and her sister Dalila spoke during the virtual tasting event staged by international wine guide Gambero Rosso.  They are the fifth generation of the winemaking family.

Jorche's 2016 Riserva Primitivo Di Manduria is made from Salento vines which average about 40 years old.  The aging process took 12 months, in barriques and capasuni - amphoras popular in Puglia.  The wine's alcohol level is a lofty 16% abv and the retail price is around $30.

This dark wine has a fruity nose of blackberry and plum, but there are some more savory notes as well.  Black pepper, cigar box and black olive also come through.  On the palate, licorice and plums are in the forefront of one of the fruitier flavor profiles I have tasted in Apulian Primitivos.  The 16% alcohol is not as overpowering as I imagined it would be.  The tannins are fairly forceful and the acidity is refreshing.  This wine drinks really well and will pair nicely with a marbled rib eye steak.

Cantolio Primitivo di Manduria Tema Riserva 2016

The Cantolio collective was founded in the early 1960s and now includes more than 700 growers.  Company President Francesco Della Grottaglie is quite proud of his corner of Salento, and winemaker Salvatore Dell'Aquila loves the grapes with which he gets to work.

In the coastal area, the vines grow in sand and rock outcroppings, benefiting from their proximity to the Ionian Sea.  Inland, the soil is either red - loaded with potassium and iron - or black with humus and clay.

Tema Riserva is a Primitivo Di Manduria DOP wine which the winery says represents the marriage of the mother land and the father sea.  It was aged in both steel tanks and French oak barrels.  Alcohol is up there at 15% abv, common for the wine's of Manduria.  The retail price is about $30.

This wine has a medium-dark tint and a complex nose.  Earthiness is the overriding feel from the aroma package.  There is plum, blackberry and raspberry in there, all colored by savory minerals, tobacco, tar, leather and sweet oak spice.  The palate shows black cherry, cassis, licorice and a beautiful oak effect.  The tannins are firm without getting in the way, and pairing the wine with a meaty pasta dish springs to mind first.  The finish is of medium length and reminds me of sweet fruit, odd perhaps, for a wine that brought the savory so early.

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Primitivo Di Manduria - Part Three

Manduria is a town in the region of Apulia - Puglia - the heel of Italy's "boot."  The warm climate brings the best out of the Primitivo grape, known in the province of Taranto as Primitivo di Manduria.  In the U.S., particularly California, the grape grows under the name of Zinfandel.  In Manduria, they like to think of the Puglia Primitivos as a pyramid, with the Primitivo di Manduria DOC at the top.

Cantine Lizzano Primitivo di Manduria Manonera 2017

The Lizzano winery was formed in 1959, when Luigi Ruggieri brought a group of a hundred or so local winemakers together as a collective.  They are now more than 400 strong.  The winery boasts that their red earth is "kissed by the sun and caressed by winds that taste of the sea."

During a recent virtual tasting event, Luca Circelli spoke for the cooperative.  He pointed out that the wine's name, Manonera - black hand - signifies that the grapes are harvested through manual labor, not machinery.  He says the Primitivo di Manduria DOP wine is a little bit jammy, a little bit spicy.  Aging took place over six months in new French oak barrels and another six in the somewhat larger tonnaux.  Alcohol comes in at 15.5% abv and the wine retails for about $48.  The bottle, by the way, is very heavy.  More on that later.

This wine is medium dark in its ruby color and has a nose featuring black cherry, raspberry, vanilla and some baking spices.  The palate is bursting with fruit flavor - jammy cherry, currant, blackberry - and a hint of anise.  The tannins are firm but not too firm and the wine's acidity offers a refreshing feel in the mouth.  The lengthy finish brings a little savory play into the mix, with a note of coffee and licorice.

Claudio Quarta Vignaiolo Primitivo di Manduria Oro di Eméra 2017

Owner Alessandra Quarta spoke at the recent online tasting session of how her dad, Claudio, left his career in biotech to be a winemaker.  They now work in the vineyards and the cellar as a team at their wineries in Puglia and Campania.  She says the winery is run in as sustainable a manner as possible, less than a mile from the beautiful Ionian Coast.  The land was once covered in water and it now shows the result of that sea influence in the soil.  

She also said that they are not yet distributed in the U.S., and she would appreciate it if customers would ask for her wine where they shop.  The topic of the sometimes extremely heavy bottles from Manduria was broached, but she didn't have a very conclusive answer.

The Primitivo di Manduria Oro di Eméra 2017 comes from the Eméra Estate in the Primitivo lands of Marina di Lizzano, in the province of Taranto.  The name was derived from Hemera, the Greek goddess of the day, because of the way the sun hits the calcium-rich soil.  Other wines come from Moros Winery in the Negroamaro lands of Guagnano and Sanpaolo Winery in the Irpinia del Vino.  The wine was aged at least a year in small oak barrels.  Alcohol is listed as 15% abv and the retail price is around $25.

This wine is dark, and carries a deep purple color in the glass.  The nose has plum and blackberry fruit, but they are hiding behind a more savory curtain of aromas: pepper, violets, leather and a box of cigars. The palate shows youthful black fruit and a double handful of tannins.  Give the wine some time to relax after opening.  

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Primitivo di Manduria - Part One

Manduria is a town in the region of Apulia - or, Puglia - the heel of Italy's "boot."  The warm climate brings the best out of the Primitivo grape, known in the province of Taranto as Primitivo di Manduria.  In the U.S., particularly California, the grape grows under the name of Zinfandel.  In Manduria, they like to think of the Puglia Primitivos as a pyramid, with the Primitivo di Manduria DOC at the top.

Terracalò Primitivo di Manduria 816  2019

The Terracalò 816 wine was made from Primitivo di Manduria grapes which were left drying on the vine for a short time before being harvested.  Once vinified, the wine was aged in a combination of French oak barriques and stainless steel tanks.  The wine then aged further in the bottle for five months.  

Owner Alberto Calò spoke on a recent Zoom visit for wine writers, and he called 816 rustic and powerful.  I doubt that I can improve on that description, but I will try.  I didn't catch any explanation for why the bottle seemed to weigh 816 pounds.  It was still heavy when empty.  Alcohol chimes in at 15.5% abv and it retails for about $30.

This wine is medium-dark in the glass and initially smells like eucalyptus.  There is also some black currant and black pepper in the mix, but the smoky/minty aspect of the nose is inescapable.  The palate is dark and delicious - blackberry and licorice flavors join with elements which are more earthy than spicy.  There is a sweetness that comes through as well - there's a lot going on here.  The tannins are firm enough for a meat sauce dish and the finish is lengthy.  

Masseria Cicella Primitivo di Manduria Pepe Nero 2018

A masseria, on Italy's Apulian peninsula, is a fortified farmhouse.  The style dates back to the 16th century, when there was a need for an estate to have a fortress to protect its inhabitants.  Nowadays, a masseria is more likely to be luxury accommodations… or a winery.

Cicella Owners Michele and Cosimo Schifone are continuing a family tradition in the vineyards.  Michela spoke to the viewers on the virtual tour.  

The 2018 Pepe Nero was named for the "Pepe" district in the area.  The wine sees some stainless steel aging, plus some time in the bottle - no oak aging was reported.  It is classified as a Primitivo di Manduria DOP wine.  Alcohol sits at a lofty 16% abv and it sells in the $20 range.

This is a dark wine, in color, aroma and taste.  The nose is extremely savory, with tar paving the way for anise, blackberry and currant.  The freshness is amazing, with a lively acidity and firm tannins.  Pair it with game if you've got it, Bolognese if you don't.  It's actually so good you may not even think to have food with it. 

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Primitivo Di Manduria - Part Two

Manduria is a town in the region of Apulia - Puglia - the heel of Italy's "boot."  The warm climate brings the best out of the Primitivo grape, known in the province of Taranto as Primitivo di Manduria.  In the U.S., particularly California, the grape grows under the name of Zinfandel.  In Manduria, they like to think of the Puglia Primitivos as a pyramid, with the Primitivo di Manduria DOC at the top.

PaoloLeo Primitivo di Manduria Passo del Cardinale 2018

Paolo Leo's family is five generations deep into winemaking, with a sixth being groomed to step into their father's shoes.  Young winemaker Nicola Leo believes that he brings out the best of what the vineyards offer each vintage.  His comments are dotted with phrases like, "respect for nature" and "passion for noble work."

Primitivo vines, when properly pruned, will grow a secondary bunch of grapes which are taken in a "second harvest" nearly a month after the first collection.  These grapes from both harvests were fermented in steel tanks, then the wine was aged, three months in oak barriques and six months in steel.   Alcohol sits at 14% abv and the wine usually sells for $20 or less.

It is a medium dark wine with a savory nose, showing violets, licorice, forest floor and a touch of cardamom.  The palate is spicy, with black pepper and herbs joining the black berry profile.  The tannins are quite firm and the acidity is fresh.  It is a youthful wine which will pair nicely with a pork roast.

Agricola Pliniana Primitivo di Manduria Juvenis 2017

Agricola Pliniana is a collective of grape growers, farmers who provide the Primitivo di Manduria grapes that went into Juvenis.  A winery rep said on a recent virtual tasting that it is the oak treatment sets them apart.  The alcohol content is 14% abv and the retail price is around $11, a very nice value.

This wine is medium-dark with a ruby hue.  The nose is subtle, but shows off blackberry and raspberry aromas along with notes of black olive, cigars and spices.  The palate is nice and fruity with a minty essence to go with the oak effect.  Acidity is fresh, even youthful, and the tannins are medium firm.  I liked it with my rib eye steak, but it also sat well with crackers and cheddar/pimento cheese.  

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The Mandurian Candidate - Primitivo

Manduria is a town in the region of Apulia, the heel of Italy's "boot." The warm climate brings the best out of the Primitivo grape, known in the province of Taranto as Primitivo di Manduria. In the US, particularly California, the grape grows under the name of Zinfandel. In Manduria, they like to think of the Puglia Primitivos as a pyramid, with the Primitivo di Manduria DOC at the top.
  

Mottura Vini Primitivo di Manduria Stilio 2019

This wine was made from grapes that were partially dried, reducing the water content by a quarter or so and leaving a much more concentrated flavor. Winemaker Teodosio D'Apolito works the magic with the fruit from the Mottura family vineyards. Aging took place over six months in French oak barrels, with another three months in the bottle. Alcohol hits 14.5% abv

This medium-dark wine has a nose of smoke, earth and pepper, on top of brambly red fruit. The palate is savory and supple, with red currant, coffee notes and a raspberry tartness. There is also a mocha sense which comes through after a bit of time in the glass. The finish is quite lengthy, and quite a joy to savor.  

Tenuta Giustini Primitivo di Manduria Acinorè 2019

The vineyards of 50-year-old bush vines were passed down through generations, and in 2006 the Giustini family started making wine from their grapes.  That's an extremely short duration, especially by European standards, but their decision to make wine has shown to be a good one.  The winemaking is done by Giuseppe and Salvatore Papadopoli.  Aging happened over six months time in small French oak barrels with another couple of months in the bottle.  Alcohol is quite high, normal for the wines of the region, at 15% abv.  

This wine's nose is a perfumed dream, all dark red fruit with a gorgeous layer of spice and herbs. After being open for awhile, smoke really takes over. The palate brings black cherry to the forefront on a wave of sage and a refreshing acidity. Pair it with some meatballs, now.  

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Two Special Primitivo Wines From Puglia

Today we go back to Manduria, in Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot.  The Gambero Rosso virtual tasting event has already covered a number of Primitivo di Manduria wines, but these two are special.

Felline Primitivo di Manduria Zinfandel Sinfarosa Terra Nera 2017

Feline's Gregory Perrucci spoke during the online event about how Ridge is one of his favorite California producers of Zinfandel.  He said "now it can be told" that he visited the winery and brought back a cutting from the Geyserville vineyard.  He grafted it to one of his Primitivo di Manduria vines, and so he uses both the Italian and American names for the grape on the Sinfarosa label.

The Felline website refers to this particular grape as "Zinfandel Californiano," but it is properly identified on the label as Primitivo di Manduria.  even the label art recalls a poster from the old American west.  The label also bears the name of the production area, Terra Nera.  The Felline "hybrid" was aged for six months in French and American oak.  It carries a walloping 15% abv in alcohol and sells for less than $20.

This wine is medium-dark in the glass, and full-blown dark on the nose.  Aromas of black fruit leap out first, but the tar notes follow quickly.  It has a peppery smell to it and a healthy amount of chocolate and cigar box.  The palate is full and lush.  Blackberry notes, anise, mocha and bramble all join together with firm tannins and a lengthy finish.  I want a steak with this one, but a sausage and pasta dish would be nice, too.  You can also enjoy it by itself as it is quite sip-worthy.

Coppi Gioia del Colle Primitivo Senatore 2017

The Coppi Winery started in Puglia in 1882 and has passed through several hands over the years.  Antonio Coppi entered the cellar in the late 1960s, producing wines grown in the stony soil of the hills of the "Murgia dei Trulli."  The winery proudly declares that they are "in the cradle of the Primitivo DOC Gioia del Colle."  Coppi would go on to become a senator, with the Senatore wine named in honor of that achievement.  His daughters and son are involved in the business today.

The Coppi family still carries a chip on their shoulder about how Apulian wines have been "mistreated and snubbed" by the mainstream Italian wine industry.  It is the company's aim to restore "dignity and prestige" to the region through their wines.  In addition to Primitivo, the Coppi vineyards also hold grape varieties like Aleatico, Verdeca, Malvasia, Negroamaro, and Falanghina.

The 2017 Senatore was fermented in steel tanks, then aged for a year in Slavonian oak barrels.  Alcohol is restrained at 13.5% abv and the wine typically sells for around $25.

The wine is quite dark in the glass but is also very closed off on the nose.  There is some black plum and some tar, but it is surprisingly faint.  The palate isn't shy about showing its dark fruit with a layer of savory spice and anise over it.  The tannins are not forceful, so pairing with pasta is a cinch, or just sip it.  It is very tasty and smooth, and has a lengthy finish.

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FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO PRIMITIVO AT IL FORNAIO

Judging by the many simply wonderful wines I encounter at Los Angeles Italian restaurants, I would be tempted to guess that's it's really easy to find simply wonderful Italian wines.  Those who procure those wines for restaurants would argue that point, I'm sure.  I will let it stand as a testimony to the skill and knowledge of the various wine directors that I rarely encounter an Italian wine in an Italian restaurant with which I find fault.

I had the Feudi di San Gregorio Primitivo recently at Il Fornaio in Beverly Hills.

Feudi di San Gregorio is an old and wealthy winery in Italy's Campania region.  This 2008 wine is classified as Primitivo di Manduria DOC.  The grapes come from seaside vineyards in Manduria, in the province of Taranto in the Puglia region.  It is fermented in stainless steel, which allows the beautiful fruit to shine in its unadulterated state.  The vino ages 12 months in the tanks and another six in bottles.

The wine is a beautiful dark purple in the glass, and shows dark fruit on the nose.  A spearmint note mingles with black cherry aromas, while flavors of cherry and blackberry dominate the palate.  Gentle tannins make for a luxuriously smooth drink, while the finish is refreshingly dry.


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Blood Of The Vines - Ryan O'Neal Week

Pairing‌ ‌wine‌ ‌with‌ ‌movies!‌  ‌See‌ ‌the‌ ‌trailers‌ ‌and‌ ‌hear‌ ‌the‌ ‌fascinating‌ ‌commentary‌ ‌for‌ ‌these‌ ‌movies‌ ‌and‌ ‌many‌ ‌more‌ ‌at‌ ‌Trailers‌ ‌From‌ ‌Hell.‌ This week, we remember another star who has left our galaxy. We will also pair some wines with his movies.

In the early 1970s, the National Lampoon Radio Hour skewered Ryan O'Neal with a bit about showtimes for the fictitious "The Ryan O’Neal Story." The Movie Phone voice rattled off the showtimes: "2:47, 2:49, 2:51, 2:53…" Of course, Mr. O'Neal was soon to add enough to his story to fill out a feature-length picture. 

I will stay away from taking cheap shots while making wine pairing suggestions for the films of a man who struggled with addiction. It is always a tough spot for me, especially when the actor had so much else to offer the world. 

O'Neal shot to stardom in 1970's Love Story, and he was a bona fide movie star by the time 1973's Paper Moon rolled around. As the song says, "It's only a paper moon…but it wouldn't be make-believe if you believed in me." That sentiment sits at the heart of the father-daughter buddy film. Tatum grabbed an Oscar for her portrayal of Addie, a feat which would elude her dad for the length of his career.

Director Peter Bogdanovich came up with the title for the movie, which was seen as a big improvement over the title of the novel from which the script was adapted, Addie Pray. Orson Welles reportedly liked the name so much that he advised Bogdanovich to release just the title, not the movie. That suggestion was said either in jest or after downing a couple of jugs of Paul Masson wine.

Paper Moon Vineyards is located near the shores of beautiful Lake Erie, in Vermilion, Ohio. Plan a visit there the next time you're in Cleveland. They do a Riesling if you're not in the mood for a North American grape variety. They also do mead and cider if you're not in the mood for wine. Surely, I jest. If Ohio grapes, apples or honey don't turn your crank, try a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir from Sonoma County's Valley of the Moon Winery.

Flash forward to 1987's Tough Guys Don't Dance for a look at over-description. It is billed these days as a crime mystery comedy-drama, which is a few too many moving parts for me. In the same way a clock-radio is usually a good clock or a good radio but not both, a movie title benefits from the fewest descriptors as to its style. For me, comedy-drama always conjures up the choice of inappropriate laughing or jokes that are not funny. 

My wife feels that O'Neal had the good fortune to be catapulted to fame in a big hit movie, Love Story, but the misfortune to have been saddled with one of the worst lines in the history of movies, "Love means never having to say you're sorry." As we all know, love means constantly having to say you're sorry. It is both literary and cinematic drivel, since the line was in the book and the movie. But O'Neal’s read of "Oh man, oh God" in Tough Guys will give that line a run for its money.

Washington winery Efesté produces Tough Guy wine, named for one of the younger family members who fought off leukemia. They intended for it to be a couple of barrels per vintage, but things, you know, got out of hand.

There was once a nice little restaurant on La Brea called What's Up D.O.C., which is one of the better wine puns to make it onto the top of a building. I doubt that Peter Bogdanovich or Bugs Bunny had Denominazione di Origine Controllata in mind when they used the phrase, but here we go.

What's Up Doc brightened movie screens in 1972 with O'Neal playing alongside Barbara Streisand. Bogdanovich went back to the O'Neal well for this screwball comedy which emulates the great comedy films of the 1930s and '40s. Aside from a sparkling script, co-written by Buck Henry, the film gives O'Neal the chance to say what he really thought about "Love means never having to say you’re sorry."

D.O.C. in Italian wine is a classification which endeavors to combine the region of production with a guarantee of quality. I like the great wines in the Primitivo di Manduria D.O.C. I especially like Felline's Sinfarosa. The label calls it a Zinfandel as well as a Primitivo because the vines grew from a cutting taken out of Ridge's Geyserville vineyard. 

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Locations Wine: I Is For Italy

Locations is an experiment of place for winemaker Dave Phinney, of Orin Swift fame. It's his attempt at making wine a country-wide effort, although I don't really agree with the philosophy of blending wine across a nation. Specific locations are important because of what they are, where they are, why they are. Can't deny.

These wines are labeled only with a big letter or two, depicting the place of origin - F for France, P for Portugal, I for Italy, TX for Texas. Yes, he sources grapes from Texas. Locations I is an Italian red wine bottled at the company’s headquarters in Spain.

Phinney notes that he had 2,000 indigenous grapes from which to choose in Italy, but he whittled it down to four. The non-vintage wine is made from Nero D'Avola and Negroamaro grapes from Puglia, Barbera from Piedmont, and a bit of Tuscan Sangiovese. Alcohol sits at a big 14.5% abv and it retails for about $18.

He describes what each of those varieties does. "Powerful and rich fruit from Puglia (Torricella and Manduria) serves as the base with a lively vein of acidity from Barbera (Alba) that stabilizes things in just the right way." Aging takes ten months in a barrel before bottling.

This dark Italian has black cherry and raspberry on the nose, with a solid grounding in soil. Spices and herbs decorate the aroma profile, with allspice and anise predominant. On the palate, it's a bold showing of dark fruit and currant accompanied by a savory, black olive edge. Those savory notes last long into the generous finish.


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Big Enjoyment From Cheap Lambrusco

Notte Rosso is likely found on the bottom shelf of your grocer's wine aisle. It's an inexpensive wine, but is it a bargain wine? We'll find out here and now. 

The Notte Rosso winery is located in In Salento, in Italy's Puglia region, in the area known as Primitivo di Manduria. The Notte Rosso Lambrusco, however, is from the Emilia region, in Italy's north. The wine has a very low alcohol content of 7.5% abv and generally sells for less than $10.

This wine colors up a medium garnet in the glass. The nose is rather muted, but offers a blackberry aroma draped in an earthy note. It's a slightly fizzy wine with a palate that shows dark blue fruit and a hint of coffee. It is not a particularly complex sip, but it is rather pleasant. The label has a meter pointing to "sweet," but it does not come off that way to me. I would call it off-dry, if anyone were to ask me. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Magic And Madness

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week we call on the magical properties of the grapevine for wine pairings to go with a trio of films that dabble madly in the mystical.

Wine is its own kind of magic. Through a process known only to shamans we call "winemakers," actual fruit is transformed into something that is much more than a simple beverage. It is similar to cinema, an art form which also produces magic from recording devices, scripts and people who like to pretend for a while that they are someone else. Here's to movie magic and the wines that go with them.

The Shout is from 1978, a year that really needed a horror movie. Let's see, the Jonestown massacre, the Pacific Southwest Airlines crash in San Diego, a terrible Iranian earthquake… nothin' to see here. Let's put some horror on celluloid. 

The bad guy in The Shout learned a trick from an old Aborigine, and it was something more substantial than how to make his boomerang come back. It was a shout that, delivered properly, would kill. I have fantasized about having a shout that would make drivers hit the gas when the light turned green. I have yet to make that work, but I'm still trying.

Location shots were done along the incredible Devon coastline, which added a bit of the spectacular to a film that didn't need much help in that department. 

For a movie set in beautiful Devon, UK, let's grab a sparkling wine from Heron Farms, a bubbly made from the Seyval Blanc grape. Great, another horror. Just kidding, Devonians. Seyval Blanc is a perfectly good wine grape, although it is a French hybrid. If you can't nab a $40 bottle from Devon, you can probably find one from an East Coast winery in the US. 

1973's The Wicker Man tells the tale of a detective who goes to a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides in search of a missing child. Scotland, huh? I'm already feeling that this wine pairing will be another tough one. However, if anyone should know about the taste of the blood of the vines, it should be Christopher Lee. He was tailor made to play The Wicker Man’s cult leader. 

On the island, the cop finds a culture that has given up on Christianity and opted for Paganism, complete with sacrifices made by way of fire. The unlucky offerings are placed in a giant titular wicker man, then set ablaze. That's how the Druids dispensed with their prisoners of war, back before there was a Geneva Convention. This movie is horror times ten. 

Since The Wicker Man was set in Scotland, it makes perfect sense to pair a Scottish wine with it. There must be some wineries in Scotland, somewhere amid the distilleries and golf courses. But after wearing out my Google finger, I have it on good authority that there are only a handful. Dr. Liz Thatch, a Master of Wine, scoured the countryside there when she went to play a few rounds and drink a few fingers. 

If your wine allowance is gone on that sparkler from Devon, or just want something a bit easier, try a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa's Wicker Vineyards. Or, grab an old school Chianti that comes in a wicker basket.

If you like your horror with a dash of dark humor, take in a viewing of Cemetery Man, a 1994 Italian film. Don't try to make heads or tails of it, just watch as our hero fails to get an investigation of zombie appearances because the paperwork is too dense. He is advised to simply shoot the zombies, so that's what he does. Over and over. You know, once you start shooting zombies it becomes second nature. And all my life I have believed that you couldn't stop a zombie by shooting it. Well, you learn something new in every Italian horror comedy. 

Woodbury Winery of Fredonia, NY makes something called Zombie Red, which is a sweet, cherry flavored wine. First off, I won't insult your wine intelligence by recommending it. Second, it is sold out. There must be a shortage of White Zinfandel in Fredonia.

While searching for an Italian Zombie Zin, it occurred to me that Primitivo is the Italian name for Zinfandel. The Apollonio Primitivo di Manduria is as dark as Cemetery Man's humor. And it's a damn good wine, maybe good enough to justify shooting corpses that rise from the grave. 

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