Red wine a Boo-delicious addition to Halloween

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This article was published 31/10/2014 (4212 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s scary. Really, really scary.

Somewhat like a penance.

A scarlet letter, in a sense.

But it’s apparently the price many of us must pay for indulging in that most heinous of crimes: the consumption of red wine.

Several years ago, I wrote a column on the completely embarrassing tinge my teeth take on after I drink red wine. They turn not red, but black. Black as night.

“Not uncommon,” said my dentist, Dr. Randy Yahiro, when I complained to him of the problem. Turns out the more porous the teeth, the more they stain.

So I must have extra-porous teeth, because when I’ve been sipping red, particularly the deep, dark, full-bodied reds that I love, my teeth and the inside of my lips turn black. I look like I have the plague!

And it’s especially disheartening when I’m out at an event in the presence of other people. And even brushing my teeth doesn’t immediately or completely solve the problem.

The tongue can also change colour when a person drinks red wine, and while I know several people who cope with the black teeth/lips/tongue problem, I have the dubious distinction of having my tongue turn blacker than anyone else’s in my circle, as you’ll see in the accompanying photos.

Not, mind you, that I’m in the habit of sticking my tongue out in public, but it’s still mortifying. And while the tooth stains go away after a couple of brushings, the tongue — despite whitening mouthwash and vigorous brushing of said body part — remains stubbornly, disgustingly black, often for a couple of days.

So if you want to add some extra oomph to your creepy Halloween look this year, here are some delicious red wines that get the black tongue job done.

The one that does it best (or worst, depending on your perspective), at least for me, is the 19 Crimes Shiraz/Durif ($18.99) from New Zealand. It packs a dark fruit punch — it’s impossible to ignore the intensity of this wine.

And for the same price, the 19 Crimes SGM (Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro) also provides the benefit/curse of darkened teeth and tongue (although not quite as extreme as does of the Shiraz/Durif), along with wonderful smoothness and depth of black and red fruit flavours, smoke and a little spice.

The Penfold’s Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia ($24.99) is 100 per cent Cabernet grapes, and provides luscious flavours of fruit and preserves in addition to the tinge of eucalyptus that’s typical of Australian Cabs. This is a big, ballsy red that should satisfy the taste buds of those who enjoy intensity that’s also smooth and delicious.

Another Aussie product, the Wolf Blass Gold Label 2012 (which was awarded 91 points by Wine Spectator) is a classic Coonawarra Cab, with even more mint and eucalyptus. Again, a big, gutsy wine that is at the same time elegant and inviting. The Gold Label sells for $28.99 a bottle.

The Trapiche Gran Medalla Cabernet from Chile ($25.95) from Argentina is full of concentrated, ripe fruit, most notably red currant, and this one received a 92 from Wine Spectator. Another wine with 100 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, you can tell how much colour it will impart to your mouth by looking at it in the glass. It appears so red/purple/blue, it’s almost black.

Since we’re focusing on red wines here — and it should be noted all of these were sampled during a private tasting I was privy to in conjunction with the Westman Wine Festival — there are a couple of other noteworthy ones that, while they won’t inflict the same colour damage as the aforementioned products, are certainly worth some attention.

Frescobaldi’s Nipozzano Chianti Rufina 2010 from Italy ($19.99) is twiggy and full of spice and tobacco, and finishes with a delightful pepperiness. It’s classic Chianti, and goes beautifully with any traditional Italian dish.

As well, Joel Gott’s 2011 Shatter, which is 100 per cent Grenache and from France, is a beauty of a wine packed with jammy fruit, black pepper and, with 15.9 per cent alcohol, creates a fair bit of heat in the mouth. It’s an amazing wine both to smell and to drink — it’s so layered that every sniff, every sip, is different. It’s an indulgence for $37.99 a bottle, but a real treat.

So, if your Halloween costume is along the vampire/witch/zombie line, and you want to make the look even more grotesque, have a glass of a big, hefty red wine before you head out for the night’s festivities.

Call it a trick or call it a treat, but blackened teeth and tongues are likely to be the result.

Diane Nelson is a longtime journalist and former Sun staffer who really likes wine. A lot.

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