About The Wine
With a wine that is said to have a ghostly origin, it is no wonder that Bogle’s Phantom red pairs well with a horror film. The back of the bottle gives a fun little descriptive image to begin your drinking journey.
In the dark recesses of the cellar you sense a presence, hear footsteps. Why is it these things only happen when you are alone? In the shadows, a glimpse of muddy boots and old blue jeans… the lurking legacies of hard work and determination left by those who have come before you. We are proud to carry on the traditions of our founders with this unique red wine. A deep ruby apparition that personifies the true spirit of the Bogle.
If that wasn’t enough, the bottle comes with a label that prompts the drinker to download its augmented realty app that brings to life the phantom itself around the bottle you hold in your hand.
According to the vineyard in Clarksburg, California, a ghost haunts the winery. Over the years, there is said to be frequent and unexplained sightings of an apparition dressed in muddy boots and blue jeans. This ghostly resident of the vineyard is the inspiration behind Bogle’s Phantom red and white wines.
With stories within creaky cellars and old farm lands, I knew this wine would pair well with a haunted house film. But it couldn’t be just any film. Based on the wine’s notes and appeal, I knew the film needed to be classy and demonstrate an excellence that supported the taste of this wine. This is why I chose The Shining to pair with the wine.
The Pairing
At the start of the film, we experience a canvas of traveling mountain shots to help establish the isolation of the Overlook hotel. Director Stanley Kubrick paired the eerie music of Wendy Carlos & Rachel Elkind, who created a slowed down version of Hector Berlioz’s classical piece, Dies Irae.
Opening the wine and taking the first sip at this moment in the film will shock the taste buds with a sense of tart that helps create a deadening sourness in your mouth that pairs with this opening score. With the mood set by both the film and the wine collectively, we’re set up for wanting more from this experience of the senses.
As we continue to drink and discover Phantom, it’s taste and aroma go hand in hand as it brings out flavors of plum like jam and blackberries spiced with anise, fig, and black pepper, with a hint of bitterness and toasty vanilla. The wine is slightly dry, but provides a sharp but smooth tart with a grip from the tannins. It’s finish lingers with a long lasting satisfaction that leaves the drinker wanting more.
The wine is a ruby red color, fairly dark with some light able to shine through. This seems to reflect in the film during Danny’s vision of a blood river leaving the elevators inside the Overlook hotel. If you’ve been away from your glass for too long at this point, it will evoke a sense of thirst for this fantastic wine that reminds the viewer to drink subconsciously.
As the film gets into the winter, you’ll notice the blackberries reminding you of a sense of frost within the snow. You begin to understand the winter chill and experience it with the characters.
Throughout the film, the wine is enhanced by the classical music choices used to terrify the viewer. Both work to enhance the viewing of the film and create an immersive experience.
Film Breakdown
The Shining is one of the great classics in horror cinema. The fear is mostly psychological, enhanced by the eerie score. Fans had adored the film for years and will most likely continue to do so as a stamp on film history.
The plot is about Jack Torrance, played by Jack Nicholson, who becomes the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel during the winter when the property becomes a secluded mountain of snow. Jack, being a family man, takes his wife, played by Shelley Duvall, and son Danny, played by Danny Lloyd, to the hotel to keep him company through the winter. Strange things occur that cause Jack to be heavily affected by sinister spirits that drive him to the edge of insanity. Jack Nicholson’s powerful performance made this film what it is.
As much as audiences loved this movie, the author of the source material hated it. The Shining was a defining book for Stephen King and a story he still cherishes today. Unfortunately, the so called “best” Stephen King film adaptation falls shot of the book and most fans of the novel would probably agree.
That’s what’s wrong with Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, basically… the movie has no heart; there’s no center to the picture. I wrote the book as a tragedy, and if it was a tragedy, it was because all the people loved each other. Here, it seems there’s no tragedy because there’s nothing to be lost.”
– Stephen King
He especially hated Kubrick’s rendition of Wendy calling her, “one of the most misogynistic characters ever put on film.” Unfortunately, Kubrick was so set in his ways that he didn’t care to even read Stephen King’s version of the script. He was quoted with saying King’s writing was, “weak.” They both understood each other to be talented in their own fields, but they clearly didn’t like each other’s adaptations.
I think ‘The Shining’ is a beautiful film and it looks terrific and as I’ve said before, it’s like a big, beautiful Cadillac with no engine inside it. In that sense, when it opened, a lot of the reviews weren’t very favorable and I was one of those reviewers. I kept my mouth shut at the time, but I didn’t care for it much.”
– Stephen King
While some key scenes or aspects of the book were better, something can be said for Kubrick’s genius mind for visuals. The maze in particular was a smart addition that added to the horror of Jack’s rampant chase of Danny. Additionally, I thought the use on an ax made more sense than a croquet mallet. While a blunt object has a more gruesome presence, I always wondered why the mallet didn’t break against the door in the book.
The greatest addition to the film has to be Jack Nicholson’s monologue at the moment he starts to lose it. In the book he simply gets drunk off of “ghost booze” and is quickly knocked out by Wendy after attacking her. The film draws this scene out in one of the most iconic moments in cinema history. We see Jack on the edge as he slowly begins to tip over into insanity. This is paired with John Alcott’s beautiful cinematography and his use of the stairs for unique angles.
Paired With Food
This is more for the wine than the film, but the Bogle’s Phantom is said to pair well with Steak, ribs, or even ham. Personally, my wife made me a decadent Shepard’s Pie that I felt paired brilliantly with the wine. The potatoes and Parmesan cheese on top were enhanced by the tart and fruit in the wine, while the ground beef was made increasingly more flavorful by the spices of anise and black pepper.