Alcohol and mystery on Halloween. That’s the best way to describe the xtraWine #hallowineweek that launched on Halloween. With the code Hallowine22, all our subscribers and wine aficionados will have a crazy discount on all products not on promo. But let’s talk about Hallowe’en and esotericism.
Halloween is all about fear and the paranormal. We proposed Michale Myers’ recipes, legends of wandering spirits in wine estates. We could not stop there. For this reason, xtraWine brings you to Turin for this Hallowineweek.
Turin is, in fact, the Italian city that is most related to esotericism. In fact, Turin has two souls: it joins London and San Francisco to create the triangle of Black Magic, and it also sits in the middle of the triangle of White Magic, alongside Lyon and Prague.
Legend has it that Turin is the centre of a constant struggle between good and evil. And this struggle, dear reader, happens every day in every street, alley, and monument of this astonishing city.
The forces of good are concentrated near the Tritons fountain, right behind Piazza Castello. The heart of black magic is in Piazza Statuto instead.
However, before we continue, let’s explain a bit of the history of why Turin is such an important city in Western esotericism.
Turin always had a supernatural disposition. In fact, legend has it that the Egyptian goddess Isis asked Fetone to lay the foundations of a new city right where the Po river, personification of the sun, met the river Dora, which was the symbol of the moon. A piece of land where ancient powers were joined and were also mixed together, cut in two by the 45th parallel.
The places of Black Magic
Being Halloween, we will only talk about Turin’s five places of Black Magic.
The gates of the underworld in Piazza Statuto
Piazza Statuto is a square near Porta Decumana, which was once thought to be the entrance to the underworld. Additionally, in the past, Piazza Statuto was Val Occisorum, Latin for “Valley of the Murdered,” and it is located right above a necropolis.
As such, the piazza features two significant black magic symbols: the Frejus monument and the geodesic obelisk.
The Frejus monument was built as a memorial to the miners who died while working on the famous railroad tunnel in 1871. Many believe that the angel that towers over the monument is, in fact, Lucifer.
The geodesic obelisk, also known as the “Giulio Beccaria”, has an astrolabe on its summit, which is believed to indicate the doors to Hell. However, this belief dates back to Roman times, and it was further reinforced in the early 1800s, when this very same spot became the scene of bloody revolts.
There’s never light in Via Bonelli
Via Bonelli is a tiny road, resembling an alleyway near Piazza Statuto. On this tiny street, the sun never shines. Most importantly, the executioner of Turin resided in Via Bonelli. A dodgy and scary character that used to only wear black. Darkness and cold are almost palpable in this tiny street.
The Devil’s Door
In Turin, we can also find the Devil’s Door. It is located in Palazzo Trucchi di Levaldigi, the building that hosts a bank. In the centre, one can see the devil. A legend has it that the door appeared one night out of nowhere when a young apprentice summoned the Devil during a black magic ritual. As a consequence, the Devil emerged through the door to imprison him because he was enraged by his arrogance.
The Secrets of the Egyptian Museum
Lest not forget the Egyptian Museum of Turin, that also contributes significantly to the city’s esotericism myth. In fact, the museum holds many secrets and mysteries and has many black magic symbols.
For example, Tutankhamon’s objects but also Seth’s mummified head, god of disorder and murderer of his brother Osiris, the god of order.
The Devil sees you in Turin
Via Lascaris is another important place of black magic and it is possible to find a building that was, once, inhabited by the masons. The building, in fact, has an unsettling architecture, with two small openings that resemble two eyes watching over the road. Those are the Devil’s eyes.
Rondò della Forca
Last but not least, the last place and symbol of black magic in Turin is Rondò della Forca, where men were brought to the gallows until the second half of the nineteenth century.
Turin: not only magic…the Vermouth
This article is about alcohol and esotericism. Why alcohol? Well, this is because Turin is also the city that produces the best Vermouth in the world. Vermouth is an aromatized fortified wine, flavoured with various botanicals and sometimes coloured. in fact, The Vermouth was invented Tin Turin by Antonio Benedetto Carpano in 1786. The drink reportedly quickly became popular with the House of Savoy.
Fun fact: the name has German origins: Wermut for wormwood, which has been used as an ingredient in the drink over its history.
Three Vermouth to drink for Halloween
Our xtraWine #hallowineweek proposes three Vermouth to drink. Most of which are on promo.
Berto Vermuth di Torino Rosso Superiore 0.75L
Berto Vermouth di Torino Rosso Superiore is produced using Barbera d’Asti DOCG e Cortese DOC and it shines with a splendid brown colour.
As a prime Vertmouth, the Berto expresses the typical olfactory notes of artemisia, elegantly accompanied by the balsamic hints of juniper, rhubarb, and mint, and the soft nuances of liquorice and vanilla. It is ideal mixed in cocktails or on its own with ice and orange peel.
Franco Cavallero Nonis Februariis Vermouth Superiore di Torino 0.75L
Franco Cavallero Nonis Februariis Vermouth Superiore di Torino. Notes of rosemary on the nose, accompanied by notes of sandalwood, musk, myrrh and nutmeg characterise this decisive Vermouth, vibrant notes of bitter orange and cocoa to the palate.
Pio Cesare Vermouth Di Torino
Pio Cesare Vermouth Di Torino is a mixture of 26 aromatic plants. Among these we find, first and foremost wormwood, marjoram leaves, gentian root, sweet and bitter orange peel and many others. As a consequence, these 26 aromatic plants make up our ‘historic’ recipe and all is macerated for around 40 days in an infusion of alcohol and very little white Pio Cesare wine.
Don’t miss xtraWine #hallowineweek.
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