Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I'm a Sucker for Cute Labels

So...I'm a little tipsy as I sit down to write this post. I just downed three glasses from a bottle of Barking Sheep Malbec. I had some family in town from Cali, and put together some last minute apps and went on a wine run...yes, to Target. They have some decent wines, actually! I paced up and down the aisle, debating what to choose - hoping to keep it cheap as I was carting around 100 bucks worth of apps already (oops), but also wanting to try something nice for myself. My internal debate came to a halt when I saw Barking Sheep. I have no idea about this wine - never heard of it...it was about 10 bucks...I generally like Malbec....and who doesn't like a Barking Sheep? I wish I knew more about this, but I have heard once that there is a debate in the wine community about wine labeling - that traditional, classic, essentially non-descript labeling is a sign of a quality wine, and in the same vein people believe that wines with flashy, trendy labels use them as a cop-out. I hear that these wines suffer in quality because the quote-on-quote "uneducated public" that doesn't know about wine will gravitate toward an eye-catching label over other important qualities. Is there some truth to this? I have no idea. I like to think if I were a winemaker, I would make a an absolutely delectable wine, with a kick ass label to match. Right? Anyways, I thought Barking Sheep was effing hilarious. Here's what the back of the bottle says:

The barking sheep are a bit miffed. Once they grazed alone on land of wind-swept sheep stations until the Malbec, Bondara, and Tempranillo arrived. Today Argentina produces some of the most beautiful wines in the world and no amount of barking can change that.

Anyways, the Barking Sheep is fine. I'm slugging it back right now, in fact. It's nice and dry, not too fruity (but some subtle berry flavors), and a little bitter like coffee. It's good.

Here I am clutching a glass in my kitchen with my cute hubs:


Anyways, for 10 bucks a bottle, it's definitely worth it. Malbec is yummy, and this one is pretty decent if you ask me. Which cute label will I fall for next?

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