I have nothing against celebrity wines.
I mean, rich people looking to spread their money around could do worse than buy up some land in Napa or take a few tax write-off trips to Italy in order to get into the wine biz.
And while there are numerous examples of wines that bear a famous name, sadly the only one I’ve ever had was created by the adult film star, Savanna Samson (it was really good, BTW).
(Note: I could not find any links directly to a wine site but did find one devoted to her film career – 18+ only please)
But I read with some skepticism today about a wine collection named after the “Iron Chef” TV series. Lorraine Bracco or Ernie Els making wine makes a little sense. But will we now have to endure TV show wine brands?
Is anyone out there clamoring for something called, “Desperate Housewines”, or “The New Adventures of Old Vine Zindandel?” I’m going to venture out on the plank and say no.
I guess what’s even more disconcerting (because in fairness I’ve not tasted these wines) are the simple – almost comical – labels you see to the left. It’s as though the makers (nay: marketers) behind this new venture are so positive that:
a. the wine is so good
b. the Iron Chef brand is so powerful
That barely any thought needs to go into the look of the bottle. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those for whom a label will get me to buy a wine (okay, full disclosure it has happened once. Check these bottles out…
The ones above though are so generic, so uninspiring, that I cannot imagine the wines being anything but the same. Perhaps I’m wrong.
I guess at the end of the day, I’m not a gimmick guy. The wine industry is filled with great people who work really hard to eke out a living while doing something we love.
So the thought that some of my calls won’t/don’t get returned because the person I’m calling is already being pitched on a new wine label based on each host of “The View” well, just makes me want to turn off my computer, stop working and go watch TV…
