What sauce pairs best with the Sanderson sisters…?

Spooky season is fast approaching and, as uninspired as you may find my deeply held opinion to be, I think Hocus Pocus is the best Halloween movie ever: hands down, period, end of sentence. Though I will date myself with this admission, I still recall seeing it in theaters when I was young and being terrified. I’ve never been one for scary movies and, for a young me, Hocus Pocus was far too scary. It took many years of rewatching seasonal Disney Channel reruns for this film to grow on me and for me to gain enough comfort to actually see past the scary bits and enjoy the boundless humor of this film. But, once it had me under its spell, I was hooked – like so many others from my generation and those to follow. I’ve been waiting impatiently since July for Disney+ to release the highly anticipated Hocus Pocus sequel. Now that the time is finally upon us, only one question remains: what sauce pairs best with the Sanderson sisters? 

In 2020, there was a limited release of canned Hocus Pocus wine. I was not someone who was fortunate enough to snag any. While you can still easily do a Google search for images of the packaging, to my knowledge, this product is no longer available in circulation. If you have a personal stash of it, bully for you, I think we all know what you’ll be drinking this spooky season. As for the rest of us, we’ll simply have to get slightly more creative with our pairings. 

My gut reaction is to suggest red wine; and not just for the dramatic, blood red color, though the hue certainly feels fitting. (After all, one of the first incantations we hear in the film includes the line, “Mix blood of owl with the herb that’s red.”) There’s just something about the poetry of a red wine bouquet that parallels the poetic spells recited in Hocus Pocus. The spells were seldom simple or single ingredient, so I would suggest that a perfect wine pairing mirrors that complexity. This makes a red wine ideal, as you can start with sensual and playful flavors like red fruit and black fruit, but with the right wine, those flavors can be balanced by earth, leather, vanilla, smoke, clove, black pepper, or something herbaceous.

Ideally, as the movie is set in Salem, Massachusetts, I think it would be brilliant to pair this film with wine sourced locally to the setting. That sort of thing is often easier said than done, of course. If you can, I’d recommend a bottle of Marquette from Mill Rivers Wine or the Farmhouse Red from Alfalfa Farm Winery. But, for those of us not in the New England area, there’s still hope. (There’s always hope!) 

For the connoisseur who’s not concerned at all about kitsch or price point, you might consider a Bordeaux for that quintessential black fruit and earthiness, like wet soil, that I mentioned earlier. While there are certainly Bordeaux available at most price points; most of us won’t be cracking open a Château Mouton Rothschild Le Petit Mouton this Halloween. So, what about those of us who’d like something more playful and might actually prefer a little kitsch to help set the mood? If you’re someone who might say, “I like the wine and the label,” an ideal candidate for you might be Witches Brew from Leelanau Cellars (Omena, MI). This is a red blend that’s been enhanced with spices (think mulled wine in a bottle) and can be served hot or chilled; dealers’ choice. At roughly $6 a bottle, this is probably the most economical choice and ideal for those who like their wine on the sweeter side. As for me, I want something economical, kitschy without being too on-the-nose, tending more dry than sweet, and something with a little complexity while still being highly drinkable. Afterall, I intend to consume this while focusing on a movie, so I don’t want a wine that will require all of my focus to fully appreciate its nuanced subtleties. It’s about balance: right place, right time, and right wine. For me, that’s going to be a Spellbound wine. Bottles are roughly $15. If you can get your hands on the Cabernet Sauvignon, that’s my number one pick. If you can’t source it, or if you’re needing something with lower tannins, the Spellbound Pinot Noir would be an excellent pairing with Hocus Pocus! 

I know not everyone enjoys red wine as much as I do. So, while a Spellbound Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir might be the best Hocus Pocus wine pairing for me, maybe it’s not your ideal pairing: and that’s totally cool! Spellbound does offer a Chardonnay, if you’d prefer a white wine. For me, the appropriateness of the pairing stops at the label here, because it’s more-so a warm climate Chardonnay with some tropical fruit aromas and that just doesn’t scream, “Happy Halloween!” to me. Still, for the price, I find Spellbound wines to be enjoyable. So, if you want a white wine, and notes of tropical fruit (like pineapple) don’t put you out of a Spooky Season mentality, Spellbound Chardonnay could be a good choice. For those who fall into the camp of wanting a white wine but also spending every waking moment from September through November screaming the phrase “pumpkin spice everything,” I’d like to suggest Potion X from Franklin Hill vineyard. This is a sweet, pumpkin spiced, white wine with a label perfect for the Spooky Season aesthetic. 

Whether you’ll be enjoying red or white, oaked or unoaked, fine vintage or screw-cap, I hope these suggested pairings serve as useful guidance for your annual watching of Hocus Pocus and your inaugural watching of Hocus Pocus 2! Remember, taste is very personal. While I personally love the idea of a somewhat complex, fuller bodied, higher tannin, oaked red wine to serve as a companion for this Halloween classic, you might have your own ideas: and that’s okay! Ultimately, the perfect wine pairing for you is the one that you enjoy the most. If that means you’re drinking a sweet rosé in Spooky Season, so be it. And if anybody tries to tell you that you’re wrong, please remember: it’s just a bunch of hocus pocus!