When I saw a headline saying "Wine tasting: it's junk science", it jumped out of a page and hit me. The Guardian has reported on some wine tastings in America (note NOT Canada) and cites numerous opinions about the tastes of wine. I have to say, it all seems very subjective to me. But then, wine tasting is. If you are interested, you can find the complete article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/23/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis
Probably the paragraph that I found to be the most interesting was regarding research done in Edinburgh in 2008 claiming different music went well with different wines! Apparently Jimi Hendrix goes well with a Cabernet Sauvignon and Kylie sits well with a Chardonnay - [wonder what else may have influenced the choice]. The BBC reported on the findings here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7400109.stm and you will find some recommendations there as well.
So now when buying wine, we can ponder on what best suits the music we will be listening to and take account of the label! Are we really that susceptible?
We all know that we shouldn't buy wine because we like the label, or the brand name come to that, BUT ..... we all do things we aren't meant to do! I think everyone must have been tempted at some time or another, by a nice name or label (if not, producers are wasting a considerable amount of money having labels designed!).
I confess I have had many bottles of not so good wine because the label tempted me. And to be fair, I've had many bottles where the label led me to a very good wine.
Brand names are something else and the whole idea of a corporate identity for wine is something that leaves me feeling a little uncomfortable. Don't know why, maybe I still think of vines, sunshine and bare feet crushing grapes!!! And of course, things have moved on significantly - wine is now BIG business. One of my favourite Canadian wineries has the most fantastic identity. Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery. They have co-ordinated everything from their tasting room decor of red and black through to the wine names "Into the Light White", "Resurection Rose", "Back from the Dead Red". Could have been a disaster with a name like that but it isn't - it's great fun!
Another winery, Pillitteri, that actually gave me the idea for this post, is running a 'competition' at the moment for their labels. You upload a photo that you think will make a good label (within their specifications, no nudity, nothing nasty, nothing that could be perceived to be against responsible drinking, only your own photos). So far the images they have used are quite interesting, not everso 'winey', but I'm off now to trawl through my photo collection to see if I can find some to send in - and yes, you'll find me in the local LCBO looking for my photo!
And I've never been able to forget 20 Bees from the first time I saw it - just as well I enjoyed the wine!
And a wine I haven't tasted, yet - has the most intriguing identity -
The Organized Crime Winery. Their website states that their production volumes are deliberately small as they lean to the passion side of the business rather than the commercial. Perhaps, I should visit, I may find my mental image of vines, grapes and feet; somehow, I think not - those days are long gone but it's good to hear people committed to the passion.
