Halloween Gifts – Try the Vampire Vineyards Wine Collection and stop in at The Vampire Lounge and Tasting Room

Halloween gifts – what’s a girl to do?

Vampire Lounge, Beverly Hills, CA

SHE says:  You can show up with some standard tiny candies, or be the Halloween gift bearer who brings something healthy ~ or be a Halloween gift giving star.  I suggest you be the Halloween gift giving star this year.

Here’s my secret to a great Halloween gift:  Vampire Vineyards wines, Vampyre Vodka, Vampire Coffee and Vampire Chocolate ~ WHAT?!?

My love affair with Vampire Vineyards continues.  I loved it more when the wine was actually from Transylvania, but my therapist says I’m almost over that shock.

HE says: Yes, the Vampire Vineyards marketing machine has expanded the brand to include all things decadent and SHE’s so happy, SHE might just bite you.

SHE says: Yes, they’ve expanded their brand AND get this ~ Vampire Vineyards has opened VAMPIRE LOUNGE in Beverly Hills. Seriously?  Seriously.  I am finally satisfied.  Their brand just might be complete.

HE says: Do they “complete” you?

SHE says: La, la, la… I can’t hear you… la, la, la…

SHE also says:  Let’s start with Vampire Lounge.  It’s a store, it’s a bar, it’s a real lounge with gorgeous sofas, library books and even Vampire Tarot cards. Downstairs small tables, tall seats at the very beautiful, perfect sized bar.  Upstairs is comfy (the entryway to

Chandelier at the Vampire Lounge in Beverly Hills

upstairs reads Vampire Lyre) and what can I say… I love it when people understand what a lounge really is.

Vampire Lounge is cozy, and gorgeous which is how I like my lounges.   Upsatirs two sofas (one purple, one black), library books, Vampire Tarot cards, mirrors, small lamps, some chachtkas, the ever gorgeous  Haute Living magazine (vampires being about 500 years old live very Haute on the hog  ~ I can confirm this from personal experience) and I won’t tell you everything because you want to be a little surprised when you visit the Vampire Lounge.

With the right companions, it’s a blast.  HE could so totally help them with their food menu as it still needs some work, but vampires are so busy drinking blood that they just don’t eat very much.  (also confirmed from personal experience.)

Halloween gift options at Vampire Lounge? OMIGOSH! So many!

1) The Vampire Vineyards wines – reds and whites

2) The Trueblood wine label (not related to the television show)

3) The Chateau du Vampire label

4) Dracula wine label

5) J’ Taime sparkling wine

6) Vampyre Vodka (red and white)

7) Vampire coffee (so THATS how they stay up all night)

8) Vampire chocolate bars (good, but my guess is even better in the future)

9) Some beers called Witches Brew…

10) Vampire wine glasses

Lots of dark fun.  The only thing missing? A selection of vampire fangs.

Vampire Wine

Do be aware that the bottled wine prices at the lounge might seem a little steep, but they have discounts, so just ask for the details.   If you’re a last minute shopper, just stoppping in- it’s worth it. Consider joining their Vampire Wine Club and you’ll get some really nice perks.

If you’re doing your Halloween gift shopping a bit in advance, you can also find Vampire Wines at TotalWine.com stores near you for $8.99 a bottle.  A quick phone call revealed  the store where I discovered Vampire Wines ~ Robert Burns Wines on Robertson Blvd. in Beverly Hills continues to carry the wines and they will be in stock very soon! Shahe did not yet know their price.

Do you love Halloween?  Leave a comment below and tell us your Halloween traditions!

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Happy Halloween!!

2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir, Verna’s

HE and SHE both say: This is a very special wine that we share with you.    Melville Winery is a favorite spot of ours.  Melville Winery is located in the Santa Rita Hills of Lompoc, California, in the Santa Ynez Valley.  Got all that?   Hills, Valley, Saints, California, Mediterranean architecture . . . traces of heaven, right?   We’ve had a bottle of 2005 Melville every August  for the last three years and every year it gets better.  Find some if you can.

Melville Winery

Do we have an ulterior motive?  Indeed we do.  We are sharing our joy with you.  2005 Melville wines were in the oak barrels Aug.  2006  when we celebrated our marriage with a wedding reception in the barrel room at Melville Winery.  There were only 30 of us, but it felt like 300 and  there was a ton of  love, joy, dancing, good karma and laughter seeping into the barrels and  “terroir” of Melville that day.  When the 2005 wines were released, we bought a case — half pinot noir, half syrah — with the idea that we’d drink a bottle each year to celebrate our anniversary.  When we decided we wanted to be married longer than 12 years, we went shopping for more.  Uh, oh.

Now, back to the 2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir, Verna’s

SHE drank her 2005 Melville Pinot with perfectly grilled lamb chops (medium rare, thank you), mashed potatoes, roasted heirloom tomatoes with eggplant, and Parma ham with melon and figs.   HE drank his 2005 Melville Pinot with that same tremendous Parma ham, melon and fig appetizer — a pairing made in heaven — and veal saltimbocca topped with more Parma ham.  Simply delicious.

HE SAYS: This wine was unbelievably good. From the very first smell to the glory of that first taste, all the way to the last swallow, this wine was outstanding.  Beautiful color, with a lovely rose petal and violet scented nose, with a touch of mustiness.  In the mouth, a most delicious bowl of strawberries and cherries. Very soft and well balanced, a real treat.  We tasted this wine at Melville in May ’07 and my notes say “tasty, nice body, good balance” — a respectable 14+ in my ratings.  No doubt the occasion and symbolism of the wine played a part, but this wine has grown up and developed into a seriously terrific wine.  It was truly one of the finest California or Oregon pinot noirs I have ever tasted.  It could be peaking now — gonna have to wait another year and see.  A thundering 18+!
SHE SAYS: Wow.  An 18+  Melville, are you reading?  I hope he describes me like that someday.  So to this lovely Pinot Noir, I say, “Mmmmmm. You are so sexy the way you sneak in and light my fire.  Thank you!”

HE SAYS: One more note on Melville wines — I generally prefer their main line from Verna’s for pinot and syrah versus their Santa Rita Hills and other single vineyard designations.  I find the fruit more forward and approachable in the Verna’s, which comes from their ranch in Los Alamos.  Regardless, they consistently make very nice wines and their winery setting is just gorgeous.  And if you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to check out Babcock right next door.  SHE SAYS: That is way too much information for me.  I just drink it.

HE and SHE both say: If you can find any 2005 Melville wines that were in the barrels that summer, we say pay whatever they want, just buy it!