The Tasting Panel magazine

July 2014

Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/343109

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 106 of 134

96  /  the tasting panel  /  july 2014 While-Worthy Wines From the girly to the griy, today's wine produce know that an aractive label can go a long way in grabbing a consumer's aention on the shelf. But while wolf-while worthy lks are fine and dandy, we like it even beer when the juice is ju as aractive. Here's a rundown of a few wines that are as darling as they are drinkable. by Rachel Burkons Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… Makeout Sure, there are lots of uses for wine bottles when you're done drinking the goods—vases, bath oil containers and candle holders come to mind. But here's an idea you probably haven't thought about since middle school: Play Spin the Bottle! Thanks to Spin the Bottle wine, with its spinning bottle hologram label, this classic makeout game just got a lot more fun. While everyone likes a good canoodling, the best news is that this vino is darn good: We're ready to get up close and personal with the deep cherry/cocoa notes in their Cab anytime. www.spinthebottlecellars.com Siing Sier The Ravenswood ravens are winging their way to new life with Besieged, the latest release from the classic California vintners that shows the iconic birds in full flight on its label. This limited-release red blend from Sonoma County offers deep, red fruit, inky berries and a hint of spice. Top to bottom, this is one wine that's defi- nitely in the Ravenswood family, but we're willing to bet more than one Halloween-loving enophile will be calling for these birds this fall when the 2013 vintage will hit shelves. www.ravenswoodwinery.com Take Me Somewhere Beautiful We all know that a well-crafted wine can whisk us to far-away wine regions with a mere sip, but one look at the Belle Ambiance label, and you know you're going somewhere downright pretty. Sustainably produced in California, Belle Ambiance offers a Pinot Noir, Chard and Cab, but we were particularly enticed by the red blend, a surprisingly complex value wine offering deep cocoa and ripe fruit notes that live up to this wine's name—and very pretty packaging. www.Dfvwines.com Bite, Sip, Repeat Although we're pleased to not be asked if we're "Team Jacob" or "Team Edward" now that the Twilight fervor has died down, Marketplace still holds a soft spot in our heart for all things vampiric. So when Fangria's vibrant bottle crossed our paths, we were intrigued, and once we bit into this Spanish sangria, we were greeted by bright, juicy fruit notes to round out this Tempranillo/ Garnacha blend. Fun and funky, this is one product we think your customers will want to suck dry. www.fangria.com Sma Lot, Big Peonality As today's consumer becomes increasingly educated about the world of wine, they're looking for new varietals, new regions and new producers—at a pocket-friendly price. Enter Porter & Plot, a fantastic line of small-production vino from all over the world designed to make terroir-driven wines accessible to burgeoning enophiles. With hip, less-is- more packaging, this label encourages discovery and innovation, and would make a welcome addition to many restaurant wine lists looking to offer wines with a story at a value price. www.porterandplot.com Peonality As today's consumer becomes increasingly educated about the world of wine, they're looking for new varietals, new regions and new producers—at a pocket-friendly price. Enter

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Tasting Panel magazine - July 2014