Novelty names started simply because it gave the wine a "look at me! look at me!" presense in the store display. D'Arenberg are the innovator for these names.
Having said that there is a usually is secondary line in title in which the varietal is stated.
Most wine stores sort wines by a) Country, then b) Varietal Some wine stores only sort wine by varietal.
It was my Uncle George who discovered that alcohol was a food well in advance of modern medical thought. - P. G. Wodehouse
Posts: 3386 | Location: Brisbane, Qld, Australia | Registered: Jan 06, 2003
You're not drinking the label, you're drinking what's inside the bottle. The cheesy name thing is just a fad that will fade in time as the marketers find the next big thing.
It was my Uncle George who discovered that alcohol was a food well in advance of modern medical thought. - P. G. Wodehouse
Posts: 3386 | Location: Brisbane, Qld, Australia | Registered: Jan 06, 2003
I don't expect to find profound wines in bottles with cheesy labels. Chances are the marketing people responcible for slapping a drawing of some fancy critter on the bottle also took care of what's inside the bottle. Critters appeal to certain types of people; habitual drunkards and depressed housewifes are among them. Wine enthusiasts are not the targeted audience... thank God.
Posts: 6972 | Location: ]0^0[ | Registered: Aug 21, 2002
yikes. i'll grant that yellow tail is less than tasty. but beware the beast of snobbery. perhaps sometimes people just get tired of the stuffiness and wish to enjoy life and wine with tongue in cheek.
Posts: 1 | Location: Northern CA, East Bay | Registered: Mar 14, 2006
There is nothing stuffy about properly and tastefully designed labels. Wine connoisseurs serious about their hobby realize that all these fuzzy wombats and pinguins really belong in children's books, not wine labels. But there is more to that than a cute kangaroo in an awkward pose on the bottle. World class wine is not cute, it's beautiful and deserves proper packaging.
Posts: 6972 | Location: ]0^0[ | Registered: Aug 21, 2002
Rock music groups frequently have weird names that really don't have anything to do with music. Rolling Stones? Why not "Jagger and co"? Led Zeppelin? The Beatles?
The names have never made sense to me.....unlike, let's say, Beethoven, which was the guy's name. He wrote 9 symphonies, so we call the 1st one, Beethoven's First Symphony, and so forth (although sometimes they get nicknames, like Eroica).
Lets not forget names like Stags Leap, and Larkmead. are these names that much different than Yellow Tail or Black Swan? I don't know how much more pretentious a person can get than to judge a wine by it's name.
After all is said and done it's still only grape juice.
Posts: 18 | Location: Illinois | Registered: Mar 25, 2005
I thought that the odd names were an effort by the winemakers to make wine more approachable for people who were too intimidated by wine in the past. If they make it unpretentious then more people will partake. It's a win-win. It's sort of like opera houses now not caring if people wear jeans to matinees anymore. It brings people in and lets them enjoy a bit of culture without having them feel intimidated. It's nice.
Posts: 10 | Location: Northern Virginia | Registered: Mar 27, 2006
I agree 100% BW. I think it's great that companies are creating approachable, affordable wines so people can get a start learning what the wine culture is about and have fun doing it. Besides why not have fun with a label wine is suppose to be about having fun.
After all is said and done it's still only grape juice.
Posts: 18 | Location: Illinois | Registered: Mar 25, 2005
remember that most wines are priced under $12 a bottle and that more than 90% of wines are meant to be drunk as soon as they hit the store shelves. in addition, these wines are the cash cows; they are for the majority of folks who simply want an accessible, yummy wine.
as for the animal names, i really enjoyed the movie, "ice age," and am looking forward to "the meltdown."
cheers! gloria
Gloria Maroti Frazee director of education -- and video Wine Spectator
Posts: 194 | Location: NYC | Registered: Nov 14, 2001
I was wondering what these styles of wines are called in the "wine world".
Generally they are referred to as "plonk".
Sorry teacher......
-------------------- "One may dislike carrots, spinach, beetroot, or the skin on hot milk. But not wine. It is like hating the air that one breathes, since each is equally indispensable."
Marcel Ayme`
Posts: 6187 | Location: The Left Coast | Registered: Dec 01, 2001
Originally posted by irwin: It is all about advertising.
Rock music groups frequently have weird names that really don't have anything to do with music. Rolling Stones? Why not "Jagger and co"? Led Zeppelin? The Beatles?
The names have never made sense to me.....unlike, let's say, Beethoven, which was the guy's name. He wrote 9 symphonies, so we call the 1st one, Beethoven's First Symphony, and so forth (although sometimes they get nicknames, like Eroica).
this is way to random to make any sense.
...................................... When I think of a bad taco, I think of you - Tannic Bastard
Originally posted by STEVE S: Lets not forget names like Stags Leap, and Larkmead. are these names that much different than Yellow Tail or Black Swan? I don't know how much more pretentious a person can get than to judge a wine by it's name.
I wouldn’t call Stag’s Leap a novelty name. The winery, established in the 1890’s, is actually in the Stag’s Leap District and the name is a reference to this. Other wineries in the Stag’s Leap District include Shafer, Chimney Rock, Pine Ridge, Sinskey, and others.
__________________________ Alta is for skiers!
Posts: 1868 | Location: o-HIGH-o | Registered: May 05, 2005
As is stated in the latest edition of 'Wine Spectator', the trendy labels are to attract the young adult wine drinker which, apparently, are turning on to wine in droves.
Another one with a funny name is CAT'S PEE ON A GOOSEBERRY BUSH SAUV. BLANC. However this wine is actually very good. To bad the price of this wine keeps going up, I guess that means it is becoming popular.
By the way my girl friend and myself just joined this message board, nice to meet everyone.
Wayne
Posts: 46 | Location: Toronto | Registered: Jul 09, 2006
Darlene I know it seems like a crazy name but it's actually a very fun wine. Heave on the gooseberry taste, so it may not be for everyone but a lot of people are talking about it. I think it's aimed at more of a young crowd. But the prices keeps going up so it must be selling well. I started off around 10.95(CAN) a year ago and now it's 14(CAN).
Posts: 46 | Location: Toronto | Registered: Jul 09, 2006
