Woman on Wine

sexy labels, sumptuous wines part deux

by Amy Reiley

Last month’s column, “sexy labels, sumptuous wines,” received a surprising amount of feedback. Most of it concerned sexy wines worth noting that were missing from my list. The point was valid and worth a response. So this month, I bring you wines with sexy names and/or slick marketing tricks that, well, to put it bluntly, definitely don’t suck!

2006 Virgin Vines Chardonnay

As untraditional as the man behind the brand, (that’s right, Virgin Vines is part of the Branson empire), this wine is a sure winner among Chard fanatics and haters alike. At a glance, it looks like your typical Californian, but it offers a more light, juicy, easy-going style than we’ve come to expect from the land of “butter and oak.”

2005 Horse Play Rollicking Red

From package to price point, this is a wine that gets it all right. A sexy blend of Cab, Merlot and Syrah, Rollicking Red’s one flaw may be less than exciting aromas. But it more than makes up for it with hearty, savory flavors tinged with berry sweetness.

2006 Little Black Dress Syrah Rose

With aromas like a pint of perfect May strawberries, this is a great wine for a spring fling. Pair with espadrilles and good company.

Quady Deviation

A fascinating departure from traditional dessert wines, Deviation blends aromatic rose geranium and Mexican aphrodisiac herb damiana with Orange Muscat. The result is a delicious digestive with one very sexy label and an air of utter romance.

Quady Elysium

One of America’s sexiest dessert wines, Elysium is a rich, ruby-tinged black muscat. Many praise this full-bodied, ballsy wine’s liqueur-like texture. But in my opinion, Elysium’s finest quality is its ability to pair perfectly with dark chocolate - you can’t get more aphrodisiac than that.