The Highly Unsophisticated Wine Buyer

When it comes to buying wine, I make no pretenses: I don't know what I'm doing. My number one priority is a cool label or a catchy name. Trailer Trash R Us, pretty much. 

 

I got so much mileage out of the little black dress I wore the other day, and this label says something on the back to the effect of "classic; goes with everything," just like the kind of LBD you wear, and it says it's from France, you know. So what could be bad? 

And the one about the goats... well. We're fiber people, right? And the name is a word play on Côtes du Rhône. That company also has a wine called Bored Doe. 

Don't judge me.

 

Comments

[Mary]

I love punny wine names. My trick is to ask the guy in the wine asile to pick something that tastes similar to a Primitivo, but doesn't cost as much.

And/or go for the wines (syrrahs and cabs) that are on sale for at least $4 less than the original price and whose original price was in the $12-14 range.

But if all else fails, the cool labels always win me over.

[CindyCindy]

I buy my wine the same way!

[Diane]

Smoking Loon....because when you pull out the plastic cork, they've written "cough, cough" on the cork. /clever

[Carol]

Goats du Roam is actually quite good! Most South African wine will be fine. Can't say the same about the French. But that could just be our English heritage...

[gayle]

The wine aisle always makes me uneasy. I understand 'red' and 'white' - after that, I'm baffled...
But since I usually just cook with it anyway, it doesn't matter as much that I can't tell one wine from another.

[Carole]

I do the same thing. When I want to splurge and want something really good I know I can ask Laurie. I also read the recommendations that they post below the wines and I have found those to be helpful.

[kathy]

Bored doe -- that cracks me up for some reason. Love it!I don't drink wine anymore but when did, my favorite was Yellow Tail Shiraz.

[Lynn]

I, too, love a good label!

[Elizabeth]

I bought Cat's Pee On a Gooseberry Bush for the same reason.

[Anne]

Channeling Our Cookie, are we? LOL!

I do know a little something about wine, but still often choose every day stuff based on names and label appearance. Nothin' wrong with that at all. Current personal fav? Pinot Evil. It comes in a BOX and you can choose between Noir or Grigio.

http://cache.wine.com/labels/103412d.jpg

[Donna]

Are there criteria besides a catchy name and/or an eyecatching label? I didn't know....

[gale (she shoots sheep shots)]

Confessing that I've gone for Goats Do Roam solely by label. More than once.

[margene]

There's a problem buying wine by it's name? You're pretty smart, in my book.

[Becky in VT]

From the comments it's clear this is how many of us buy our wine! My personal favorite is also a goat wine: Love my Goat red to be exact. I love it because it's fruity, like grapes, as opposed to wine-y which I suppose it also like grapes... Their white is also pretty good.

If I want "expensive" wine I go with Big Barn Red from Boyden Valley though ($15 a bottle). You should try their wine because it's local!

[Ally]

YES! I often choose alcohol based on which one is in the coolest bottle.

[Sandra]

I've bought the Goats Do Roam for the same reason.
then there's Fat Bastard - also bought solely on name... annoys my husband to no end...

[marylou]

I do the same thing. I also often buy perennials based on the name. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

[Seanna Lea]

I don't drink wine, but when I buy wine for cooking I do the same thing. Is the name funny or entertaining? Does the label make me smile? Then that's mine!

[Cheryl S.]

I've had Goats do Roam before - it's a good value. Haven't seen/tried LBD, but will look for it. We recently had some Plungerhead Lodi Zinfandel, just for the label amusement. And of course, Seven Deadly Zins.

[imjustlori]

I'm also find of Mommy's Time Out...a nice table red (they have a table white as well). However, after reading that review of LBD, I think I need to go hunt that one down.

[Beth Walsh]

The new favorite in our house is Chocovine...red wine with chocolate...from Holland, with a pretty label...chocolate, tulips and wine...what's not to love!?!

[Joannah]

My favorite wine pun comes from friends, when their kids were little--they would invite friends over for whining and dining. Me myslef, all I know is that I like wine that is v. dry, and marked down.

[Stacy]

I buy the same way too,and what's wrong with that? Only one time did I take one sip and then toss the entire bottle out. Don't remember which one but it was NOT a keeper.

[Pamela]

I've belonged to a wine tasting group for 30 years, and I also buy wine the same way! I like the Goats do Roam, and will have to look for the LBD; sounds classic!

[Lucia]

I took some Goats Do Roam to Rhinebeck a couple of years ago; reviews were mixed at best. (Since I don't drink I can't offer an opinion.) I still like the name.

[Vicki]

That's awesome. I love that I can buy cute wines at Target, too.
; )

[Renee]

we bought "Hair of the Dog" wine just because of it's kooky name.

[Cookie]

I think they've hit on quite a viable market. I'm not a wine drinker, but those cute labels to appeal to me all the same.

[Barbara M.]

My husband's theory is that knowing anything about wine will only cost him money. So, ignorance is bliss, and I'm currently a fan of a nice unpretentious red called "3 Blind Moose." Makes me laugh, and laughter makes anything taste better!

[Ruth]

check out K&L wines. Not affiliated in any way. Just a satisfied member of their superior selections wine club. That is, check it out if you are interested in some tasty wines, with or without catchy names.

[viagra online]

On the service side, I do think they'll manage the kinks on the kitchen side and get that down, but I'm not sure how they'll adjust the intangibles. How the wait is managed if the kitchen gets slammed; refilling the wine/water glasses promptly; not replacing wine glasses when a new bottle is opened (last two are my pet peeves).
The bar is someplace that one can drop in for good bites and a scotch at the bar--in your beach attire, I'm told.
I think this has the potential to be really successful and I'm so rooting for her to be.

[Teresa C]

Heh, I got a bottle of the Goats wine yesterday. Haven't tried it yet.....

[kmkat]

Wait. That first wine comes from Brown-Forman? Is that the same as BFI, the waste management company? Couldn't be. Could it?

[noonie]

big tip for reds.. stick to young ones like California or Australian... French reds are seriously over rated these days... then again lots of people love them...

wish they called wines using pun names over here...

[Suzanne]

Hee, I was up in Stowe with my Aunt once on our way to my cousin's house in Bakersfield and we stopped at a package store and she bought some wine with Cat's Pee or Sheep something in the name. I won some at Knitting camp this summer called Dyed in the Wool.

[Beth]

You might also like Dyed in the Wool Savignon Blanc. Tasty, inexpensive and with an adorable label.

[Kitten]

I so need the goat wine.

[Lisa]

Those are pretty much the same criteria I use for picking wine, too. Those, as well as mockable wine notes. Some of those are pretty darned funny to read. And to think people get paid to write those descriptions.

[Beth]

Just thought of another great label, especially appropriate for a ladies book group (got rave reviews from my group when I brought this) or knit night. The label is great, and the wine is actually very nice too!

http://www.winex.com/wine-14239-.aspx?utm_source=Vinquire&utm_medium=WineFeed&utm_content=2008+R+Wines+Bitch+Grenache&utm_campaign=base&v_traceback=c0901_2157_f0901_2223

[marianne]

I tend to choose wines in much the same way, I love a pretty/clever label! The merlot of LBD sounds really good. I see you bought the pinot noir, he didn't review that one.