Blood of the Vines, Vampire Vineyards an October pick

By April MacIntyre Oct 1, 2011, 15:02 GMT

October is here, and the perfect libation to accompany holiday meals and seductive chilly nights are spirits and wines from Vampire Vineyards.

October is here, and the perfect libation to accompany holiday meals and seductive chilly nights are spirits and wines from Vampire Vineyards.

The company is owned by Michael Machat, an entertainment attorney from New York.

The first Vampire Wine product was introduced in the mid nineties.  It was a Syrah, of Algerian origin, that was bottled in France.  In 1988, his company sold the first five hundred bottles of this cuvee to Alice Cooper and MCA Records in London, England, and began offering the wine in high-end London wine shops, including Selfridges.

The Vampire Board of Directors voted to move production to Verona, Italy – home of Romeo and Juliet.  Their familiars began planting Sangiovese  (Italian for blood of Jove),  and in 1989 Mr. Machat arranged for the sale of some 672 bottles of this Vampire Sangiovese to be shipped from Europe to the Anne Rice Fan club in New Orleans.

At the beginning of the 1990’s, when raves and house music were the rage in London, Mr. Machat - who managed the careers of Adamski and Seal, and who wed UK’s No. 1 Rock and Roll Lady, Lisa Dominique, who would soon become his wife, took the wine production to Transylvania. 

By 1995, the blood of the Transylvanian vine began to stealthily trickle through New York and small pockets of America, becoming a prized possession for those in the know.   The wine was coveted by those “in the know”, who hoarded it as quickly as it was produced.  At the turn of the millennium, Faith Popcorn, the leading futurist and Nostradamus of marketing prophesized that Vampire Wine would spread and become a trend.  Her prophecy came true.

Soon thereafter, the blood of the vine appeared in Maxim, Elle, and In Style magazines,   and was broadcast on CNN Headline News, Food TV and MTV.   Sales grew to 600,000 bottles per year.

In 2006 the Machats took their vineyard to California wine country in Paso Robles – half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco.  Not far from the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by hills full of intricate winding caves, this area is known for the best pinot noir grapes.

At Creston, where the Vampire wine is bottled, Machat went out and recruited two well recognized wine makers to create the perfect blends for his discerning clientele. 

Suffice it to say however, that the lead winemaker recently received a rating of 96 from the Wine Spectator – a grade almost unheard of.  

We recommend these wines for your October feasts:

BLOOD OF THE VINES
Vampire Vineyards also provides premium vodkas and beer that parallel a vampire’s pursuit of the exotic – and the supernatural.

Trueblood PINOT NOIR (2007): This full-bodied artisanal wine was made from 100% pinot noir grapes that were carefully hand-picked and sorted in the Santa Maria Valley. Aged in French oak barrels for 23 months, the result is an elegant, rich and concentrated wine with blackberry, plum and dark cherry flavors. The wine recently won a gold medal and best of class award, earning 93 points. Produced and bottled by Vampire Vineyards. ($29.95 USD, 750 ml.)

Witches’ Brew: With pleasant hoppiness and softly rounded flavors, Witches’ Brew is a bottle-conditioned, living blond ale. It has an alcohol content of 9.3% and is brewed by Br. Van Steenberge, a world-renowned brewer, and bottled in Belgium with a natural champagne style cork. ($12.99 USD, 750 ml.)

VAMPYRE RED VODKA: Triple-distilled and succulent, Vampyre Red launched as America’s first red vodka. Its color—a vivid, ruby red—and remarkable viscosity means its “legs” appear in the glass like so many drops of blood. Serve straight up or on ice for a blood-chilling experience. This vodka is 80 proof, triple-distilled wheat made in England), and a very smooth finish. Amazing to sip, and is the perfect mixer for holiday drinks. ($23 USD, 750 ml.)

Established in 1995, TI Beverage Group is a virtual beverage company that directly sources its products from premier wineries, breweries and distilleries to produce high-quality products under the brand names of Vampire Vineyards, Vampyre Vodka, Witches Brew Belgium Golden Ale, Je T'aime Brut Rose, Dracula and Trueblood wines. The TI Beverage Group capitalizes on popular culture’s fascination with vampire lore and mythical creatures by applying those concepts to its line of spirited offerings. To learn more or purchase online, please visit www.vampire.com.