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WINE TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Answer will be revealed in next week’s episode!
Once upon a time I know I tried watching this movie, waaaaay back in my 20-somethings. But I was a 20-something and so I sucked and so this film failed to hold my attention. Yeah, this film.
But DEMONI aka DEMONS, produced by the great Dario Argento and directed by Lamberto Bava, son of Italian horror legend, Mario Bava, is considered a classic for a reason - it earns its rep.
Essentially Italy’s answer to the American “monster” movies of the time, like John Carpenter’s THE THING and Sam Raimi’s EVIL DEAD, the film follows an ensemble cast who show up for a free screening of a secret movie…only to have the events in the movie slowly bleed into the real world! The crowd find themselves trapped within the theater with a growing number of them transforming into demons.
Currently streaming on Tubi - the effects in this film still hold up, some of the visuals and sequences are autehntically scary, even if the plot goes gloriously off the rails in the second half. It’s pure entertainment all the way through.
The lady playing the demon above is Geretta Geretta, who has gone on to be a director in her own right! (Though none of her films seem to be available at the moment, alas.) A friend of mine attended “Weird Worcester” convention last week and took this video of director Lamberto Bava and Geretta sitting down to reflect on the legacy of DEMONS. Bonus video! Enjoy!
The Wines
FAILED PAIRING
I posted this on Notes earlier this week. But sometimes, you have to strike out a few times before you get a wine pairing right:
But then get it right I did with…
Ghostnote Wines Super Santa Cruz
Get it? Super Tuscan, but from Sata Cruz, California?
Primarily Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, and Sangiovese, with a mixed lot of Merlot, Nebbiolo, and Negro Amaro tossed in. All grown in the Ascona Vineyard in Santa Cruz, Organically Farmed, 2000ft in elevation, abundant sunshine during the day, and consistent overnight fog and cool ocean breezes. The soils are weathered marine sedimentary sandstone, shale and siltstone. The small 4.5 acre vineyard was planted in 2000 on the site of an old Christmas tree farm, and has been meticulously farmed by Ken and Abbey Swegles since 2016.
This has the tannins, that rustic, dry as demonic hell mouthfeel I was looking for - Cab Sauv and Franc with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese tossed in? Black and red fruit, an ooze of earth and cocoa powder with a nice bay leaf herbaceousness at the end. Yes, please.
Dallas: Failed Pairing
I initially thought I’d be a bit on the nose and pair this with something bloody and fleshy like a Sirah or Malbec as this film is an absolute gorefest. But wines like Syrah and Malbec are just too well structured for this film.
Not to say the film lacks structure but it does feel as if the director and crew had free rein to kill and bleed and cause mayhem to as many actors as possible. And the full Syrah and Malbec seem a bit too serious.
So those failed pairings were the Ocaso Reserve Malbec or Tinto Negro Malbec.
They were just a bit too damn serious.
Final Girl Piquette of Syrah
“Final Girl” is the term for the trope in horror movies of a literal final girl being the one who is still standing at the end and defeats the monster.
Final Girl Winery was founded by Anna and Peter Lancucki.
Anna and Peter met randomly in New Zealand in 2016 and instantly connected over their mutual love of horror and wine. Their first ever conversation happened in a kitchen at a party where they discussed what skills they would bring to the zombie apocalypse. Final Girl Wines is a blend of their two shared passions.
Dave and myself had their Petite Verdot at a local wine bar, V Wine Room, and were blown away. And I was intrigued by thier Piquette of Syrah.
Piquette, a low-alcohol wine made from the second pressings of pulp, stems, and seeds from those grapes, also known as the "pomace”. It ends up with a touch of fizz that makes them reminiscent of wine spritzers.
From the French word for “prick” or “prickle,” which describes the drink’s fine fizziness, piquette dates to ancient Greek and Roman times, when it was known as “Lora”.
Nearly all European winemaking countries have their own version of piquette, usually made and consumed by field workers and their families.
Hudson Valley's Wild Arc Farm offers a rainbow of piquettes ranging from riesling, cabernet franc, and teroldego grapes.
It’s mildly ironic that I’m pairing this with DEMONS as the movie does not, in fact, have a “final girl”, but more like Raimi’s EVIL DEAD movies, has a Bruce Campbell / Ash-style “final boy”.
(DAVE steps in to add:)
just wrote a wonderful piece regarding piquette, for those curious to read more!
She even included a piquette of Chardonel - one of my all-time fave hybrid grapes (it’s better than it’s momma, Chardonnay, I’m not kidding) and it’s from North Carolina! So super on-point since above I mention my own, very first North Carolina wine! (It was a failed pairing, but the wine was still very tasty.)
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