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"What do we expect from the label on a bottle of wine? Obviously it must communicate. A label that doesn't tell us what's in the bottle fails the functionality test and inspires no confidence in the consumer. "But is it enough simply to impart necessary information about the wine? Once a label has done its duty by telling us who made the wine, where it's from and, in most cases, what grapes it contains, is there any need for more? "Some wine enthusiasts would say no ... But in an age when even middle-size wine shops offer the consumer a choice of hundreds or even thousands of selections, it's hard to blame the folks who market wine for coming up with tricks to make their offering stand out." I'm quoting myself today, having penned that mini-essay on the wine label as the foreword for my online pal Peter F. May's new book, "Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape," which just arrived for review and will soon be available for sale.
I'm delighted to report that he has brought all this - and more - to print in his new book. Whether you're a committed wine enthusiast or a novice with a sense of humor, I think you'll find it as refreshing as a chilled glass of Mosel Riesling and as sprightly as a chilled glass of sparkly Prosecco. I want a copy for my wine cellar, another for the coffee table, and perhaps a third for reading during those quiet moments in the ... well, you know. Now that I've had the opportunity to enjoy the book in its finished form, I'm even more impressed. It's compact in format (about 6 inches square), but admirably fully packed, with 256 slick pages containing full-color reproductions of more than 100 offbeat wine labels, each facing Peter's thoughtful and witty comments on the label and, as a bonus, his brief tasting reports on the wines. It's full of chuckles, but with the laughter comes a healthy dose of serious wine education.
BUY THE BOOK ONLINE: Now, to suit today's tasting to the topic, here's my report on the current vintage of Charles Back's "Goat-Roti," a South African Rhone-style blend that affectionately mocks the French "Côte-Rotie." This wine, and Back's popular, more modestly priced "Goats Do Roam" ("Côtes-du-Rhône"), drew more jeers than cheers from the French wine industry, which sought unsuccessfully to bar the South African wines' names from trade, providing Back the kind of publicity that money can't buy. (Back's Fairview Wines also makes a "Goat Door" and "Bored Doe." I'll leave it to you to puzzle out the puns.)
This is an inky dark blackish-purple wine with a garnet edge. Ripe, spicy raspberry aromas add just a whiff of cocoa. Warm and full in flavor, ripe berry fruit is shaped by tart acidity and husky tannins; 14.5% alcohol adds body and warmth. The blend changes annually; the importer's spec sheet indicates that the '03 is a blend of 85% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre and 3% Viognier. U.S. importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, Ala. (April 27, 2006) FOOD MATCH: Like its real Rhone cousins, this earthy red blend would go well with all manner of grilled or roast meats and poultry; it was fine with a rather offbeat combination of leftover duck-leg confit and smoked pork ribs, shredded and converted into a pasta topping with a bit of fresh tomato sauce. VALUE: Goat-Roti sells for about one-fifth the price of a good Côte-Rotie, and in fairness, a similar disparity separates the wines in quality. But it's earthy, robust and even a little "Rhone-like," and certainly competitive at its mid-teens price point. WHEN TO DRINK: Like the Côtes-du-Rhône that it somewhat resembles, this wine is meant for drinking now, but certainly won't be harmed by a year - or several - in the wine rack or cellar.
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For more advanced wine-enthusiast discussions on this or any wine-related subject, you're welcome in our non-commercial WineLovers Discussion Group, where today's article is featured at this link: To contact me by E-mail, write wine@wineloverspage.com. I'll respond personally to the extent that time and volume permit.
PRINT OUT TODAY'S ARTICLE  California Wine Club: Save up to 60% on Sonoma County Gold! This month's Special Edition shipment from The California Wine Club features two Gold Medal-winning wines from Lambert Bridge Winery in Sonoma County. Thirty years of excellent winemaking shine through every bottle of the 10,000 cases Lambert Bridge produces each year. Lambert Bridge's 2002 Merlot is round and smooth, with a typical retail price of $26. Rich and buttery, Lambert Bridge's 2002 Chardonnay normally sells for $24. To sample a two-pack for just $32.95 plus shipping, call The California Wine Club at 800-777-4443 or email info@cawineclub.com. Both of these wines can also be purchased by the half or full case for just $10.50 per bottle. Big savings, on two really great wines.
Get ready for Memorial Day with fantastic wines from Lambert Bridge in Sonoma County! Visit the online Wine Store at This week on WineLoversPage.com Some highlights of recent articles on WineLoversPage.com that I hope you'll enjoy:
• WebWineMan: Merlot gets up off the mat!
• Hot topics in our WineLovers' Community
What the heck is Grüner Veltliner?
Yuck! Ten grossest foods
Chappellet's Chenin Blanc - gone? Last Week's Wine Advisor Index The Wine Advisor's daily edition is usually distributed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (and, for those who subscribe, the FoodLetter on Thursdays). Here's the index to last week's columns:
• Sincerest form of flattery (April 28, 2006)
• Boundary-crossing Barbera (April 26, 2006)
• That's Gneiss! (April 24, 2006)
• Complete 30 Second Wine Advisor archive:
• Wine Advisor FoodLetter: Veggies in disguise (April 27, 2006)
• Wine Advisor Foodletter archive:
SUBSCRIBE: Administrivia To subscribe or unsubscribe from The 30 Second Wine Advisor, change your E-mail address, or for any other administrative matters, please use the individualized hotlink found at the end of your E-mail edition. If this is not practical, contact me by E-mail at wine@wineloverspage.com, including the exact E-mail address that you used when you subscribed, so I can find your record. We do not use our E-mail list for any other purpose and will never give or sell your name or E-mail address to anyone. I welcome feedback, suggestions, and ideas for future columns. To contact me, please send E-mail to wine@wineloverspage.com All the wine-tasting reports posted here are consumer-oriented. In order to maintain objectivity and avoid conflicts of interest, I purchase all the wines I rate at my own expense in retail stores and accept no samples, gifts or other gratuities from the wine industry.
Monday, May 1, 2006
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Goats Do Roam 2003 Western Cape "Goat-Roti" ($16.99)
