Left to right, back row: CT Robertson, Beverlee Deardorff, Millie Aramanda, Mike Aramanda, Cheri Snowden, Charlie Snowden, Jere Bone and Charlene Cottingham; middle row: Kathy Perry, Vickie Bone, Nancy Toppan, Vivian Wright and Brenda McKenzie; front row: Pete Toppan
Bernadette Fideli
“Nothing beats a haunted moonlit night on All Hallows Eve, and on this fatal night, at this witching time, the starless sky laments black and unmoving.” (Kim Elizabeth)
Al and Vivian Wright invited the Wine Stewards to experience this frightful night while sipping the wicked good wines of fall. In the dark of night on Halloween, greeted by a glowing pumpkin carved in the shape of a wine glass, the Wine Stewards arrived. Huddled together for protection with glass in hand, the members enjoyed offerings produced only once a year. Recas Castle Riesling from Transylvania jolted the guests with visions of Dracula, a perfect image for the night. Transylvania is the central region of Romania, and the Banat region of Romania was where Bacchus, the god of wine, spent his childhood or so the legend goes. Certainly the first records of viticulture date back to the Roman Empire when it invaded and annexed the central part in 106 AD. Hob Nob Wicked Red Blend from France, available only around Halloween, calmed the nerves. It is a fruit-forward, opulent red blend with hints of oak, blackberries, mocha and an eerily smooth finish, definitely an appropriate antidote to jitters and things that go bump in the night. Phantom, Bogle’s mysterious apparition of ripe berry and relentless spice, returned to haunt wine lovers. Wild berries, black pepper and hints of juniper are framed by spices with a hint of toasty vanilla. The Wine Stewards welcomed this winery ghost before it vanished again. The evening proved to be a delightful and warmly appreciated alternative to the traditional trick or treat. After all, this is Halloween Robson style.