For those who like their wine with shadows and style
Peter Christen, Panacea Estate, Tarrangower Times
There’s something undeniably gothic about wine. Its colour, its history, its slow transformation in the dark. At Panacea Estate, we often say wine tells stories—but sometimes, it tells ghost stories.
If you’re gathering for Maldon’s Gothic Festival, hosting a mysterious dinner, or simply enjoying a glass beneath candlelight, this guide will help you create a gothic wine experience that’s immersive, indulgent, and just a little bit wicked.
Wines worth whispering about
Gothic wine isn’t about sweetness—it’s about soul. Look for wines with mood, texture, and presence, that their presence can be felt long after they leave your mouth. Here are our favourite styles we offer:
- Long Plan Estate Shiraz: With inky colour, deep spice, and a long, smoky finish, our Shiraz feels like an old tale retold by firelight.
- Sparkling Shiraz: For a little mischief between the melancholy while still pairing well with meats and hard cheeses.
- Other great options we don’t offer but recommended are a Durif to pair with strong heavy meats or a Zinfandel great with spicier foods and rich red tomato sauces.
Serve them slightly cooler than usual, in wide glasses or dark-stemmed goblets to complete the effect.
Set the scene like a story
Atmosphere matters. A gothic wine night is about immersion. Here’s how to set the tone:
- Drinkware: Ditch the delicate glassware. Choose goblets with weight, maybe even pewter or dark crystal. Etched glass or antique finds add a theatrical edge.
- Decanters: Think elaborate—cut glass, raven shapes, or even skull motifs. A decanter isn’t just functional—it becomes a centrepiece.
- Edible decorations: to set the scene and are delicious – Dark chocolate, blood oranges, aged cheese
- Lighting: Candles. Always candles. Clustered, dripping, and flickering against stone or brick.
- Music: Gregorian chants, darkwave playlists, or even cinematic scores. Anything with atmosphere.
Want to go deeper? Invite your guests to wear black, bring a poem, or offer a toast before the first pour.
One of the most powerful gothic settings isn’t a haunted castle—it’s a cellar.
Beneath the house at Panacea Estate, the cellar rests cool and quiet. The scent of oak and earth lingers in the air. It’s the perfect location for a candlelit meal. While only a small cellar and available for special occasions or private tours, we imagine a long table surrounded by slumbering wine, like dining in the catacombs but with better wine and far fewer skeletons.
But if you’re truly in the mood for mystery, step outside.
Our other thoughts would be amongst the dormant vines—bare, twisting, and yet to be pruned—you’ll find another kind of magic. On a still winter evening, with mist rolling through the vineyard and frost crisping underfoot, even the quietest glass of red takes on new meaning. It’s hauntingly beautiful. A gothic table set between the rows, wrapped in coats and blankets, candles glowing against the fog—it’s the sort of scene that lives in memory long after the bottle’s been emptied.
Food, pairings, and a little theatricality
Gothic pairings favour rich, gamey dishes and decadent textures. Think:
- Slow-roasted lamb with rosemary and black garlic
- Aged cheese boards with figs, walnuts, and blood plums
- Bitter chocolate tarts or mulled wine poached pears
Serve in heavy plates, on dark linens. Even a humble stew feels decadent when lit by candelabra and served in stoneware bowls.
And if you’re feeling bold—saber open a bottle to begin the meal. It adds a burst of spectacle to an otherwise quiet ritual.
For final thoughts, the gothic spirit is more than velvet and verse. It’s about depth—in feeling, in flavour, and in the rituals that bring people together. Wine, with its centuries of history and shadowy beauty, belongs at the centre of it.
So raise your goblet. Honour the dark. And toast to the mystery in every bottle.
Panacea Estate is an advertiser with the Tarrangower Times.
This article appeared in Tarrangower Times, 1 August 2025.
