Novelty Wines

Even wine makers know how to have a little fun with packaging and marketing.  Appealing to a younger crowd and bringing in new wine lovers is a fantastic way to improve sales and revitalize a product often seen as stuffy or snobbish.  New novelty wines are taking advantage of the latest trends to appeal to a new market of wine drinkers.

Vampire Wines

The recent craze for all things vampire has a counterpart in the wine world.  Vampire wines are packaged in appropriately eerie bottles, complete with a drop of blood in the logo.  The winery offers Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon, White Zinfandel, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and a Syrah and Zinfandel in their Dracula line.  They also offer the Chateau du Vampire line, which produces a complex Cabernet with notes of cherry, chocolate, and spice.  The Merlot in particular has gotten surprisingly good reviews from sources like Wine of the Week and most bottles sell for $20.

True Blood Syrah

This one capitalizes on the popularity of the Charlaine Harris books and the HBO series, True Blood.  Cherry, plum smoke, and spice are tempered by toasty oak and soft tannins for a $30 bottle of wine with character and heft.

Sasquatch Cellars

Complete with a charming tale of the wine makers stumbling across a cave where the Sasquatch made his wines, this line offers character and fun.  Their Chardonnay, White Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Merlot sell for $10.

Kama Sutra Wines

These “premium Australian novelty” wines include Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Durif.  Each bottle features a rather indiscreet illustration of a sexual position.  Bottles are currently sold out, but the website offers the chance to sign up for their newsletter to be notified when new bottles are available.

Bitch Wine

Produced by the elusive R Winery, Bitch wines feature a pink label with a delicate script.  Offering a Grenache and a sparkling wine, these wines tend to sell in the $15 range and are generally rated well among drinkers with a fruity aroma and a delicate mouth feel.

Ed Hardy Wines

The popular clothing maker has branched out into an amazing number of product lines including energy drinks, vodka, and beer.  The wines include Sangria, sparkling white and rose, Chardonnay, Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a new Pinot Grigio.  All bottles are decorated with the characteristic Ed Hardy graffiti/tattoo artwork.  Though not yet reviewed by experts, casual drinkers seem less than impressed by the heavy alcohol taste and aroma.

These novelty wines are a fun way to enjoy an inexpensive, and sometimes surprisingly good, bottle of wine.