As Halloween approaches, we wanted to share a few stories of wine and witch folklore around Europe's famous winemaking regions. From Switzerland’s Valais to southern Italy’s Benevento in Campania. It’s a history that blends the richness of wine-making traditions with the macabre, where curses, witch trials, and mystical powers intertwined with the very vines that produce the famous liquid grown in these regions. Let’s dive into three eerie stories from across Europe, where witches and wine have crossed paths in haunting and unforgettable ways.

The Valais Witch Trials: Wine and the Supernatural in Switzerland

In the 15th century, the picturesque vineyards of Valais, Switzerland, were far from serene. Between 1428 and 1447, the Valais region was the site of one of Europe’s first and deadliest witch hunts, with more than 200 people executed in what became one of the darkest periods of Swiss history. At the heart of many accusations lay something the region was—and still is—famous for: wine.

Wine wasn’t just a drink in Valais; it was an essential part of the economy, tied to the survival of local communities. In a time when a bad harvest could spell disaster, any misfortune in the vineyards could potentially be attributed to supernatural forces. It wasn’t long before whispers of witchcraft began to swirl, with women, in particular, accused of hexing vineyards, spoiling barrels of wines, or ruining the harvest with their dark magic.

The fear of witches tampering with the wine was so intense that it led to widespread panic. Women, especially those who were involved in agriculture or herbal medicine, were frequently accused of using their knowledge for malevolent purposes, believed to be “bewitching” the wine-making process. This blend of superstition and economic anxiety led to brutal trials and executions, forever marking the Valais region as a place where wine and witchcraft tragically intersected.

The Benandanti of Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Protectors of the Harvest

Let's move across the border to the north of Italy, we arrive in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a region renowned for its exquisite wines, where another strange chapter in the history of wine and witchcraft unfolds. Unlike the fearsome witches of Valais, the Benandanti—a mysterious group from Friuli—claimed to be protectors, not practitioners, of witchcraft.

The Benandanti, whose name translates to “good walkers,” believed they were born with the power to leave their bodies and engage in spiritual battles against witches. These nocturnal confrontations were meant to protect the region’s crops, particularly the vineyards, from malevolent forces. According to folklore, if the Benandanti triumphed, the harvest would be plentiful; if they lost, the vines would wither and die.

However, despite their role as protectors, the Benandanti were not immune to suspicion. As the Inquisition gained power in the 16th and 17th centuries, many Benandanti were persecuted and tried as witches themselves. Their mystical connection to the land, fertility, and agriculture made them targets in a time when any deviation from religious norms was met with fear and violence.

The Witches of Benevento: Southern Italy’s Wine-Fueled Sabbats

Travel further south to Campania to a town called Benevento, and you’ll find another infamous tale where wine and witchcraft meet. Benevento has long been considered the “city of witches". According to folklore, witches would gather beneath a walnut tree just outside the town to perform sabbats—wild rituals involving spells, dancing, and banquets. And at the heart of these rituals? Wine.

The witches of Benevento were said to fight not only over power and magic but also over the finest wine. The wine served at their sabbats was believed to enhance their powers, turning ordinary feasts into mystical ceremonies. Some legends even claim that witches would steal wine from local cellars or cast curses that caused barrels to spoil, reinforcing the belief that wine was deeply connected to the supernatural.

Wine has always held a special place in European culture, but in certain regions, it took on an even darker role. In Valais, Benevento, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, the history of wine-making is inseparable from the fear of witchcraft and supernatural forces.