The Vine Guy: Silly names for serious wines

I like words. I like puns and double entendres. I like to play with words, twisting and spinning them into a tangle of silly missives and significant pontifications. Scrabble is my Chinese checkers, and the crossword puzzle is my chessboard. Yes, indeedy-do. I like words. Most of all, I like to take creative license with words. That’s why I am in awe of winemakers who like to turn a playful phrase when it comes to naming their wines.

For example, I recently wrote about a series of wines by Kim Longbottom, the producer of Henry’s Drive, who names all of the wines in her portfolio based on a postal theme. My favorite name of that particular series — which, unfortunately, is not currently available in our area — is the Postmistress Blanc de Blanc, a sparkling chardonnay that is just a bit “saucy.” Another is the Trial of John Montford, named for the man who robbed the mail coach (Henry’s Drive) and made off with a bag of loot.