Using humor to express one's brand personality can be an effective way to stand out and be remembered. This afternoon, when we visited Carpinteria Wine, we discovered the "A Proper Claret" brand of wine.
The British coined the word "Claret" when referring to French Bordeaux wines. The use of word "proper" in this form definitely give it an British allure. We were surprised to see this wine made by Bonny Doon Vineyards as they have long referred to themselves as "a strictly cabernet free zone", and not a producer of Bordeaux wines. The last "Claret" made by the winery was in 1985.
The website humorously explains: "Randall Grahm, owner and winemaker, has expressed indifference, occasionally bordering on amused disdain, for this popular grape variety. We are not really at liberty to say how Bonny Doon Vineyard has come to be entrusted with the distribution of a wine made from such improbably alien grape varieties, but suffice to say that the deal was doon (intentional misspelling) grudgingly and harumphingly."
Here at the tasting notes: " the sentiment at Bonny Doon Vineyard is that if we ever were to drink a cabernet-based blend, this would be one that would serve quite well. It is lean, neither overly alcoholic (weighing in at 13.2%) nor overly extracted, nor overly oakèd; it is precisely what one would imagine A Proper Claret to be. "
Last, but not least, Bonny Doon Vineyards poked fun at its own label, "Now, as to the label. We are just scandalized, sputteringly unable to countenance the opportunistic wine marketeers who would stoop to using lurid imagery merely to sell a bottle of wine. Has it really come to this? It is only because we enjoyed the wine so much that we are willing to put up with the tasteless monstrosity that is this label. “Proper” (!?!) Claret? Indeed."
We think this was a great way to re-introduce "Claret", as one of the wines Bonny Doon makes. In 2016, this wine won Gold Award at the Critic's Challenge. At $16 a bottle, we are looking forward to tasting it.
Cheers!
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