Wine snobs are being urged to look beyond their prejudices against ‘animal wines’ – bottles with cute animal images on the label.
A deep dive into the world of wine with animal mascots from the Wall Street Journal has discovered a treasure trove of affordable, high-quality bottles that ‘oenophiles’ might dismiss as cheap.
The rise of the infamous ‘Yellow Tail’ wine, with its cheerful wallaby logo, twenty years ago led to a surge in sales of so-called ‘critter wines’: budget wines aimed at the occasional drinker rather than the serious wine lover.
“Animals make consumers feel cheap,” Jeffrey Wolfe, owner of Wolfe’s Wine Shoppe in Coral Gables, Florida, told the Wall Street Journal.
Last summer, a British wine expert was criticised for his criticism of the iconic Australian wine, with many calling him a ‘snob’ for his intellectual tastes.
A deep dive into the world of animal mascot wines by the Wall Street Journal has revealed a treasure trove of high-quality, affordable bottles that “oenophiles” might dismiss as cheap.
The rise of the infamous ‘Yellow Tail’ wine, with its cheery wallaby logo, two decades ago led to a rise in so-called ‘critter wines’ – budget bottles aimed more at the occasional drinker than the serious wine lover.
Luke Flunder, who has worked in the wine industry for more than a decade and is an independent wine merchant, tasted the Australian Yellow Tail Shiraz ($8), which is claimed to be “the world’s most loved wine brand” and has won “over 550 wine awards,” according to the label.
“It tastes like it was grown in a lab. It’s like leaving a pack of Skittles in your car on a hot day and it’s a hot, sticky mess,” he said of the popular wine last year.
The wine expert was also adamant that it was ‘not a representation of the Shiraz grape’ – but that it was drinkable nonetheless.
Luke gave the Yellow Tail Shiraz a low 3.8 out of ten.
But a study by wine columnist Lettie Teague has found many impressive wines with animal-themed labels—from a $10 Malbec featuring a black goat to a $20 Chilean País featuring wild pumas.
But a wine enthusiast’s investigation has turned up many impressive wines with animal-themed labels — from a $10 Malbec featuring a black goat to a $20 Chilean País featuring wild pumas
Other ‘quality bottles’ also feature images of horses, sheep and even a jumping frog. Many of these images reflect the strong connection to the land and heritage of the winemakers, as well as the landscapes where the wine is produced.
Other ‘quality bottles’ also feature images of horses, sheep and even a jumping frog. Many of these images reflect the strong connection to the land and heritage of the winemakers, as well as the landscapes where the wine is produced.
The 2022 Black Cabra Malbec, a $10 red wine that pays tribute to the black goats that roam the Argentine Andes where it is produced, the article said.
According to the author, winemaker Fabian Valenzuela has created a delicious red wine with soft tannins that offers great value for money.
And the author found some excellent horse-themed rosés and reds, including bottles from vineyards on Long Island and a Malbec from Argentina that pays homage to the ‘Padrillo’ – a ‘strong but playful’ creature.
Surprisingly, the only animal the author had trouble with was man’s best friend. They found only a single, disappointing bottle with a dog label.