Are there good wines with weird/unusual names?

WINE TALK
1

I received the following communication from an acquaintance (former coworker), and thought I’d tap into the collective knowledge of the board to help her find something that fits the stated criteria.

I want to find a bottle of wine for XXXXX for Christmas. It needs to be something he wouldn’t buy himself. Maybe a little strange or different? Something with an unusual name but still good wine. Any suggestions???

I asked about budget, and she said “let’s keep it under $100.” When pressed about what was more important — the unusual name or it being good wine — she said good wine is more important.


Before asking about budget and name vs. quality, I suggested the “Sofa King Bueno” wine and Joe Davis’s COQ Wines Cabernet and Chardonnay, but I’d like to go up the price (and quality?) scale from there, if possible.

The guy she is buying for is my former boss and her current boss. He does like fine wine, but he doesn’t geek-out about it — he used to come to me for wine advice, fwiw, and I still really like the guy, so don’t make us look bad please! TIA for any suggestions you may have! [cheers.gif]

2

Martinelli’s Jackass Hill Zinfandel?

3

All the Mollydooker wines starting with Gigglepot Cabernet.

4

A Dönnhoff Schlossböckelheimer Felsenberg “Felsentürmchen,” perhaps?

If she doesn’t like that idea, I’d suggest something with a cutesy animal on the label or a bad pun in the name.

5

Really, a high percentage of Australian names for things (not just limited to wine) are pretty funny sounding. Woop Woop, Wendouree, Kilikanoon, Godolphin, and hundreds of others.

6

Any SQN wines available for less than $100?
I got to share an excellent Bionic Frog the other day, but those have rocketed in price.
God Only Knows?, No Girls?.
Clos de Mouche?

P Hickner

7

Something from Scholium would definitely fit the bill.

8

Maybe Old Telegram? I haven’t had it in years so I can’t comment on current quality.

9

If they’re religiously inclined, perhaps a Lacryma Christi, which I always find a bit weird.

10

How about the Eugen (not Egon) Muller Forster Ungeheuer Riesling Spatlese.

Ungeheuer means monster in German!

11

Pretty much any German wine, really. Each name is 5 or 6 or 7 words long, and each is unpronounceable. I bet even the producers can’t pronounce them. They just make up something different each time

12

Thank you, everybody! Keep 'em coming! I’ll probably just send my former coworker a link to this thread, and let that be the starting point of any further assistance I (we) can give her. :slight_smile:

13

A classic is Le Cigare Volante but there are really good and bad vintages. Big 2nd for Scholium Project.

How about Dirty & Rowdy?

14

For something unusual which maybe isn’t label-related, how about a Travaglini or Piedrasassi or something else with a funky bottle shape?

15

Gramercy’s Tempranillo is called Inigo Montoya. You have to enjoy the movie to appreciate that though.

16

I think the Travaglini is a great suggestion. Really good wine and a wonderful bottle shape… until you try to stack it!
I’m told that they have a new wine out later this year, made from nebbiolo but without skin contact, yet kept on the lees for (IIRC) 48 months. Apparently a very traditional style. I like their brave approach in making wines like this and Il Sogno.

17

If he is a Jimi Hendrix fan, you could try the 2010 World’s End “If Six were Nine” Cabernet!

http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/if+six+were+nine/2010

Thanks,
Ed

18

2009 Weingut Robert König Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Spätburgunder Auslese trocken
Hell Hill Assman’s house?

definite keeper!

19

Fantastic recs., everybody! Thank you thank you thank you!!! [cheers.gif]

20

SQN wines have weird/unusual names. Whether they’re good or not is an entirely different matter.