Picture this... they say you should never judge a book by its cover, but does the same go for a wine label?
Creative labels designed to sell a bottle can either invite a myriad of beguiling flavours to the table, or induce the grapes of wrath for having spent more pounds than sense on a dud bottle.
So for vino lovers thirsty for a wine that speaks to them, here are eight jazzy wines with an imaginative label that pass the tipple test.
The cat’s whiskers A Languedoc lovely from Boutinot’s cellars in the South of France, Chat-en-Oeuf Blanc 2010 Pays d’Oc, South of France (£5.99, Waitrose) is a simple design with a feline sitting on an egg, and a clever play on words.
A perfect patio wine made from a blend of grenache blanc, marsanne and roussanne, this fresh and zesty bright white should inspire some lively tales.
A class act Winemaker Paul Mas has gone to town here and used his head with the Elegant Frog Viognier 2010, France (£8.49, Sainsbury’s).
Not only does his fashion-forward frog donning a trilby, bow tie and natty brown suit deserve a kiss, but this south of France viognier is quite delightful.
Refreshing and aromatic with apricot flavours and honeysuckle on the nose, it’s a prince charming waiting to be uncorked.
The enigma A tribute to Morse telegraphy and the first signals sent across Australia’s great telephone line, the minimalist label of Morse Code Padthaway Chardonnay 2010, Australia (£8.99, Tesco) with dots and dashes is a great code breaker if you want to win over an ally who may not normally drink chardonnay.
It’s nicely restrained with flavours of melon and lemon on a nutty finish.
Vintage model One of the earliest vehicles to work in the vineyards, the Ford Model T on the bottle of Harvey Nichols Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand (£12.75, Harvey Nichols nationwide) would have carried the grapes to produce this racy style, and signals the winemaker’s ancestry.
Auntsfield Estate has a history dating back to 1873 and this lively glass of passion fruit, white peach, lime and citrus is a top drop.
A dog’s life This naughty pup has wide appeal, and it’s another good offering from Boutinot winemaker Eric Monnin.
Longue-Dog, Languedoc 2010, France (£5.49, Sainsbury’s) is a superlicious ruby red that’s brimming with blackberry fruit flavours with a subtle twist of warming spice and soft tannins – it’s certain to get tails wagging at the barking mad price.
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