You might think it’s easy to name a wine brand. I know many people right now who are wrestling with what to call their new wine. Some have common last names already in use, and therefore can't use them. Others are seeking a deeper, more meaningful expression or extension of their ego, passion or mission, and that makes finding the perfect name a challenge.
Some of the names that are used on labels are head scratchers (and I’m hoping you’ll share some of your favorites in the comments). They make you wonder, "How on earth did they decide on that name?" I wondered about the choice of Orogeny, when it was recently introduced as a Pinot Noir label. Opus One seemed to come out of nowhere years ago, but it works. Some are more awkward to pronounce (at least for me), such as Phifer Pavitt (a new Napa Cabernet, which I like, named after the owners, Suzanne Phifer Pavitt and her husband Shane Pavitt). And I always wanted to pronounce "Plam" as "Palm." But with time the names grow on you.
One reason choosing the ideal name can be a headache is that so many names are already owned and registered.
The other day I ran across a list of new fictitious business names listed in the local newspaper: What do Azin, Candelaria, Kaleidoscope, Salamander, Baco, Dancing River, Osprey Glen, Stallion Cellars, Broken Barrel, Foggy Ridge and Red Bird have in common? They are all owned by one wine company (I suspect it might be Fred Franzia), based in Napa, Calif., and we can expect to see these names on labels sooner if not later.
Larry Schaffer
Central Coast — July 17, 2008 6:26pm ETIt's certainly not an easy decision to come up with a namer - that's for sure! It's kind of like coming up with names for your kids . . . but like coming up with a name for your third born, not your first (which, in my case, was chosen 10 years prior to having her!).
The challenge for me was to come up with a name that not only I was happy with, but that my wife was as well . . . not always an easy task! Luckily, we finally agreed on something that really seems to work for us!
Curious to hear what others have to say.
Cheers and happy tasting!
Larry Schaffer
tercero wines
J J Gallagher
Near Napa, Ca — July 17, 2008 7:21pm ETJordan Harris
Niagara, Ontario — July 17, 2008 8:17pm ETMary Constant
Calistoga — July 17, 2008 10:17pm ETPhil Telgenhoff
El Dorado Hills, CA — July 17, 2008 11:56pm ETHugh L Sutherland Jr-m
miramar beach, fl — July 18, 2008 11:42am ETRandy Sloan
St. Helena, CA — July 18, 2008 1:14pm ETRandy Sloan
Match Vineyards
James Laube
Napa, CA — July 18, 2008 2:42pm ETTom Keith
Sonoma, CA — July 18, 2008 2:43pm ETMatthew Slywka
Seymour, CT — July 18, 2008 4:51pm ETJames Laube
Napa, CA — July 18, 2008 5:05pm ETRyan Leeman
Lodi, CA — July 18, 2008 6:04pm ETSuzanne Phifer Pavitt
Calistoga, CA — July 18, 2008 7:50pm ETMatthew Slywka
Seymour, CT — July 18, 2008 9:49pm ETAngela Bortugno
Napa, CA — July 21, 2008 8:10pm ETRoy Piper
July 22, 2008 6:26pm ET