Wine Brands

Wine, like some of the oldest professions in the world, has been around a long time. In fact, wine complemented one of the more notable oldest professions in the world, but that’s another blog for another day.

The origin of wine is hotly contested. Wild grapes flourished in southeastern Turkey, northern Iran, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Archeological evidence of wine dates back to 6,000 BC and the altered consciousness that we know all too well was considered sacred and special in ancient cultures. The Romans and Greeks worshiped Bacchus and Dionysus with a flask of what they dubbed “nectar from the heavens.” Alchemists experimented with a host of distillation measures to arrive at medicinal products and later the production of perfume.

The mainstream production and subsequent consumption of wine exploded in the 15th century. European expansion spurred this forward, and as grapes made their way around the world to later be planted and harvested where climates permitted, savvy producers capitalized on the popularity of the spirit and major industries blossomed.

Yellow Tail is a brand we have surely seen and enjoyed. Exceptionally affordable (Trader Joes acolytes will attest to this), this Australian powerhouse boasts a production capacity of roughly 300 million liters. Everything from Pinot Noir to Pink Bubbles, Moscato to Sauvignon Blanc, down to some frisky ones like Jammy Red Roo. The latter will take your Uncle Larry to new heights next Thanksgiving.

Sutter Home is the largest producer in the States. Established in 1970, this winery is worth visiting if you find yourself ambling about St. Helena, California. A vast estate, Sutter churns out 20 million cases per year and has consolidated all their winemaking, packaging, shipping and warehousing all in picturesque St. Helena.

Moving down south to South America, a natural wine stop is Chile. The longest country in the world, a fun fact for your next cocktail chatter – if you placed Chile on the east coast of the US, it would stretch from Maine to Puerto Rico. Peculiar comments like this aren’t going to necessarily impress anyone (a big win by the way if they do and you’ve successfully navigated your way into a third marriage). Rather, it’s a way to awkwardly barrel into a pre-existing conversation and if it generates some interest, pour one out to this blog.

Chile produces some extraordinary wine. Traditionally known for its reds, major brands such as Concha Y Toro are present in roughly 140 countries worldwide and have a fantastic collection of premium wines such as Amelia, Terrunyo, Carmin de Peumo, and the most famous of them all, Casillero Del Diablo.

Lastly we’re going to return to Northern California, kick off our shoes, and tell you about Barefoot. Way back in 1965, a man with an aversion to footwear created the Barefoot Bynum Burgundy in his garage. This man was Davis Bynum and by 1986 he and a handful of wine connoisseurs scaled this blend into Barefoot Cellars and the iconic footprint label known around the globe. Barefoot is a quirky label, but perhaps that is why it’s so beloved. Now owned by E&J Gallo, Barefoot is best known for their white wines and summer flavors like berry, citrus and red cherry.

If this post has encouraged you to drink, that wasn’t the intent. But if you’re doing it responsibly, good on you.