Wine humour

Label humour

Numerous wines have been given names which are deliberately amusing. These form categories:

Puns

The South African Goats do Roam Wine Company, owned by Charles Back, produces labels with names such as Goats do Roam, Bored Doe and Goat-Roti. The Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO) has protested at the similarity of these names to the French appellation Côtes du Rhône but owner Charles Back's defence is that the names are based upon the goats which roam about his Fairview winery and has made counter-protests with a herd of goats outside the French embassy.

Self-deprecation

The New Zealand producer Cooper's Creek produces a Sauvignon blanc called Cat's Pee on a Gooseberry Bush which has sold well throughout the world.

Sexual innuendo

Wolf Blass created a sparkling Australian red wine called René Pogel. When people inquired who this person was, Blass advised them to read the name backwards (leg opener). This innuendo caused offence and so the wine was withdrawn from sale.

Fantasy names

The Bonny Doon vineyard in California is famous for its amusing labels which include Le Cigare Volant. This recalls the resolution passed by the village council of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 1954, forbidding the landing of flying saucers in the region's vineyards.

Critters

Critter brands feature animals on their labels - a style which started with the Yellow Tail brand in 2004. These have a light-hearted, whimsical style which appeals to consumers who might be repelled by a more traditional style, which might seem too intimidating, pretentious or stuffy. Sales figures in 2006 indicated that about 18% of new wine brands were styled in this way and that annual sales in the USA were about $600 million. The d'Arenberg company in Australia is famous for the amusing names of its wines and one such is called The Hermit Crab.

Anecdotes and jokes

Anecdotes and jokes may be told about wine. An old chestnut which has appeared in many contexts concerns a vineyard which sent its wine to a lab for analysis. The report which was returned warned that "Your horse has diabetes!". He also produced a collection of cartoons which satirised the art of wine-tasting — The Illustrated Winespeak.

References

References

1. Richard Paul Hinkle. (2005). "Good Wine: The New Basics". Silverback Books.
2. Prial, Frank J.. (22 April 1978). "Wine Humor: Saucy But Understated". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
3. Husted, Bill. (14 June 1997). "There's something for every appetite at the Internet table". Toledo Blade.
4. Tim Atkin. (12 August 2010). ["Can I tempt you with a cool glass of Cat's Pee"](http://www.thetimesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-152-694632,00.html }}{{Dead link). [[The Times]].
5. Oliver Styles. (17 February 2004). "Goats continue to Roam despite Rhône objections". [[Decanter (magazine).
6. (28 May 2015). "Bottle Oh!".
7. (April 15, 2007). "Are Critter Labels Becoming Passé?". Wine Business Monthly.
8. (2003). "Wine Lore and Laughter". State Library of South Australia.
9. Ronald Searle. (2004). "Something in the Cellar". Souvenir Press.
10. (2006). "Ronald Searle". [[Decanter (magazine).
11. Ronald Searle. (1994). "The Illustrated Winespeak". Souvenir Press.