fall halloween california wine stock

31 Scary-Good California Wines

There are plenty of tricks out there this time of year but never enough treats. In advance of Halloween, here are 31 California wines – one for each day – that scream October.

Nickel & Nickel

2019 Nickel & Nickel Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga

Remember the oddly satisfying smell of the shavings right after sharpening one’s pencil in elementary school? It sounds crazy, but this wine offers slight notes of those shavings along with cigar box. To the taste, however, black cherry and chocolate completely – and deliciously – take over in this big Calistoga red. $160.

Darioush 2020 Signature Merlot

Grown atop Mount Veeder, every grape that goes into making a glass of this inky, brooding beauty is ultra concentrated with flavors of chocolate, tobacco, espresso and fig. There is also a hint of Rainier cherry. $74

Longboard Vineyards 2021 Estate Pinot Noir Meant To Bee

This varietal, the first of its kind for the long-time winemaker, is made from estate grapes on Westside Road, which is the corridor between Healdsburg and River Road. The vineyard is home to two large walnut trees, one of which houses a bee colony, hence the name. It is a well-balanced celebration of the best of Russian River Valley’s cherry, black fruit and silky spice notes for sure. $64

2014 Carter Estate Sangiovese

Expect some killer acidity here, notably fresh and dried cranberry as well as sour cherry candy. The acid is cut perfectly by notes of baking spice and robust leather. The tannins in this California wine are also delightfully chewy by design. $38.99

Truett Hurst Winery 2019 Darkhorse GPS

Grenache, Petite Sirah and Syrah come together in perfect harmony in this beauty, sourced from the prized Darkhorse Vineyards. Tobacco leaves and violet flowers are faintly present on the nose and to the taste, as are big blackberry notes. $52

2021 J Vineyards & Winery Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

J is regarded as among the best Pinot Noir producers in the country, and this bottle is a prime example of why. Smooth as silk, it is a perfect reflection of the famed Russian River Valley region with notes of blackberry, black cherry and spice. $47

Stags’ Leap 2020 Limited Edition Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Can a bottle of wine taste chic? We say yes. This sophisticated and chic offering has texture and layers of flavor to spare. There are juicy berries and cherries, but also tea and chocolate. Maybe even a little rose as well? Every sip of this California wine unveils what seems like something new to savor. $120

La Crema 2021 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

A deal for the cost, this Pinot is perfect for those who love boysenberry, cherry, raspberry and cocoa nibs on the palate with a nice touch of acid for balance. The aromatics – leather, cherry and tobacco for sure – are also superb. $28

Clif Family Winery x Reyna Noriega

Reyna Noriega Napa Valley 2021 Red Wine Blend

A truly inspired limited-edition collaboration between the Clif Family Winery and award-winning visual artist Reyna Noriega, this California wine is a beautiful blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah, all from the organically farmed Valle di Sotto vineyard in Napa Valley. It is a celebration of sustainability, inclusivity, creativity and the celebration of diverse cultures, not to mention mouthwateringly tasty. $50

Ehlers Estate 2019 Merlot

A glassy ruby to the eye, this Merlot color offers the promise of red berry on the palate, and it delivers. Of course, the big fruit is tempered with notes of herbs, vanilla and just the right amount of earth. $69

Capo Creek Winery & Wine Cave Open Mic Rhone Red Blend 2021

While called Open Mic, there is nothing amateur about this winemaker’s skill and technique. This bottle is a master class in blending Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre with creative bits of Cinsault and Counoise. It bursts with plum and fig, but also chocolate, sage and even a bit of olive. $85

Avensole Winery 2019 Lytton Cabernet Sauvignon

This bottle honors one of the vineyards founders, Cabernet enthusiast Sheldon Lytton. A 100 percent estate-grown offering, expect cassis, plum, vanilla bean and even a little dark chocolate with this special sipper. $85

2019 Louis M. Martini Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Is that candied fennel on the nose? Why yes, yes, it is, and it is paired with ripe black plum. Those notes melt on the palate, however, giving way to cassis, black licorice and black plum. $55

2020 Amulet Estate Platt Vineyard Chardonnay

This vineyard is just miles from the Pacific Ocean, resulting in unique soil and some chilly overnight temperatures (relatively speaking). As a result, this white wine not only has citrus and pineapple notes but the very autumnal essences of almond candy and dried pear. The finish is a delicate, clean delight as well. $125

South Coast Winery 2014 WHP Meritage Library

A Bordeaux blend from the iconic Temecula vineyard, this Meritage is 67 percent Petit Verdot, 30 percent Cabernet Franc and 3 percent Merlot, giving it layered body and complex notes of red and dark fruit with cocoa and a kiss of vanilla. $40

Landmark 2021 Overlook Pinot Noir

Perfectly purple, the nose here is exceptionally long and luscious with strawberry, vanilla and oaky spice. To the taste, enjoy red licorice, violet flowers, red berries, vanilla and maybe even a touch of toasted cinnamon. $27

Wilson Creek Winery

Wilson Creek Winery VS Cabernet Sauvignon

Temecula wine at its finest, this series of Cabernets beg to be opened and enjoyed. It offers spiced blackberries on the nose, but to the taste there are clear notes of vanilla, black cherry, a touch of black fig or plum, and a bit more spice that join in the fun. $44.99

2018 Sterling Vineyards Iridium Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Named for one of the rarest elements on earth, this Napa treasure makes a statement visually, on the nose, and certainly on the palate. On the fruit side, there are blueberries, black cherry and black currants. However, there are also dizzyingly delicious notes of caramel, oak and a touch of dark chocolate. $175

2021 Orin Swift Cellars 8 Years in the Desert

The work of winemaker David Swift Phinney (he created Prisoner) is becoming that of legend. This California wine is a brilliant example of why. Somehow, he manages to elicit notes of wild blackberry, pepper and oatmeal raisin cookie in this bottle along with forest floor and spices. His talent is rare, and this bottle is a must throughout the fall. $50

2020 DAOU Soul of a Lion

While every vintage of this powerful flagship Cabernet is mighty, the 2020 vintage – the 10th anniversary of the wine, which itself is Georges and Daniel Daou’s tribute to their father – is special. Not just elegant but exquisite, it is one of the best Cabernets in California. $150

2019 Coppola Director’s Cut Cinema

What a fun offering from the one-and-only Francis Ford Coppola. The varietal gets its name from the film business, as a Director’s Cut is the version of a film in the exact way the creator meant it to be experienced. The cherry and cola here are phenomenal, and the notes of red current sneak up in the best way possible. $46

Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2020

Upon opening this bottle of California wine, expect a bouquet of rye bread and olallieberries, which are a bit like blackberries. The flavor is even more powerful with notes of a well-used cigar box as well as black cherries and star anise. $170

Tolosa Stone Lion Pinot Noir 2019

Here, there is cherry on the nose, but almost to the point of a cherry jam or yummy cherry pie versus the fruit on its own. As it is brought to the nose, white pepper sneaks in as well, but then to the taste, the cherry elements give way to lovely notes of persimmon, tea and ripe pomegranate. $74

Beaulieu Vineyard 2020 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The name is a mouthful, but it pales in comparison to the laundry list of epic flavors that emote from this bottle. First, there are aromatics of black raspberry and red currant. But then, out of nowhere, lavender, blooming roses, thyme and sage come out to play. Not to be outdone, the full-bodied wine titillates with flavors of red and black fruits, especially cherry and more of those fantastic black raspberries, on the palate. $150

Rodney Strong

2018 Rodney Strong Symmetry Red Blend

Given the name means balance, it is no wonder that this is an exceptionally balanced blend. This California wine is made strictly from Alexander Valley vineyards and tastes of plum, dried red fruits and an array of zippy baking spices. $70

2021 Post & Beam Cabernet Sauvignon

Fabulously fragrant, every bottle is a bouquet of raspberry jam and crushed cloves, a curious blend that feels warm and a bit sexy on the nose. To the taste, there is more red fruit, but also a touch of coffee bean and rustic leather that round out every sip. $55

2019 Rabble Zinfandel

It is never too soon in the season for a big, bad, bold Zinfandel. This one is always a crowd pleaser with its jammy notes of berry and cherry tempered by more woody notes. $25

LangeTwins 2019 Thirty-Eight Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Sweet tobacco perfumes the air when this bottle is uncorked. The rich fragrance eventually gives way to cocoa and black cherry on the nose, but then to the taste there is spiced dark fruit, which feels so very fall. $32

Broken Earth Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

While it is called broken, this bottle will cure what ails most. Somehow, there are notes of sweet maraschino cherries on the nose, a rarity, and to the taste the flavor deepens with bits of tobacco leaves and cedar. $30

Faust 2021 The Hour Syrah, Coombsville

When it comes to enjoying this high-end red, the hour is now. The nose and flavors here are extremely concentrated with gorgeous notes of herbs, pepper, ripe blueberries and plum. $90

Bricoleur 2021 Founder’s Block Pinot Noir

Bing cherries and oak dominate the palate with this pleasing Pinot. Not to be outdone, there is lovely spice that gives depth and balance as well as subtle notes of other red fruits that play quite well off the bold Bings. $60

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