Marilyn Merlot and the Naked Grape: Odd Wines from Around the World

I bought this book for all of the really funny or bizarre wine labels, but it is not just a picture book, I tried a few of the wines and their descriptions are right on.

Peter May chose this collection of wine labels with humor and with deep knowledge of wines from different parts of the world. Peter's website "Unusual Wine Labels" is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the subject. He is constantly adding to the collection, and has a number of references to other collections of wine labels. His introduction to the website gives an excellent sense of both website and book: "This site celebrates unusual wines. Unusual varieties, wines from unusual places, and wines with distinctive, weird and funny labels. Everyone loves Chardonnay, but do you want to drink it every day? There are hundreds of wines made from grapes that are not everyday names. This site features some of the more interesting ones. "And talking of Chardonnay, would you buy one called Fat Bastard, or a Sauvignon Blanc called Cats Pee on a Gooseberry Bush? No? These two wines are best sellers and are two of the amusing names you might come across in your local store that remind that wine should - above all - be fun. "Did you know there are vineyards and wineries in Muslim countries, in battlezones, and even on patios? "There are more than 230 unusual labels on this site. China, Thailand, and thirty-two other countries are represented, there are vintages dating from 1972 through to 2541 and many labels with weird and funny names." This is a fun book to spice up those quiet moments when you are away from the computer. Robert C. Ross 2007 2008

This is an amusing book which should bring smiles to winelovers, graphic designers and those with a taste for the unusual and quirky. Many of the labels are striking in their originality, others recall sixth-grade humor and bad puns and some actually relate to the wine inside the bottle. The text is informative.

Peter May has been writing about wine - and collecting wine labels - for many years. He's put his prodigious talent to good use by compiling this book, which includes over 100 fantastically funny labels from around the world. Now, we all know that we should buy wine based on its merits, on its quality and cost effectiveness. However - admit it. You've bought a wine based on the label, at least once. I know I have! "Fat Bastard" springs to mind. The name was just too funny to walk past. How about Goats do Roam from South Africa, which is a clever play on the Cotes du Rhone wines of France? Each label is shown in full page high color, so you really feel like you have your own "label collection" without going through the mess and hassle of having scraped them off by yourself. It also makes it incredibly easy to identify these wines the next time you walk into the wine store. Peter gives a full description of each wine including what makes it special. He even provides tasting notes should you actually want to drink what's inside the bottle. Many of the labels are quite inspiring. There is Rasteau, a Cotes du Rhone that has braille markings on its label. This allows those with vision problems to easily identify and organize their wine bottles. Why don't all manufacturers do this? Rude Boy and Rude Girl have color changing labels where the cover models actually "lose their clothes" when the bottle is at the right serving temperature. A number of the bottles are great for collectors who adore certain movie stars. There's the Marilyn Merlot as well as the Presley Pinot. Sometimes the best wine to bring as a present for someone isn't the most expensive on the shelf - sometimes it's the bottle that is tasty and has a label that will be talked about all evening. Peter rounds those up for us, and makes the journey quite enjoyable.

From the very beginning: Peter May's, and Robin Garr's, introductions to this book are a piece of great work in broadening the horizon to a really enjoyable world of wine. The looks of the book show that Peter's May's remarkable collection of unusual wine labels has been in the hands of very good people. And, I want to tell you what my wife said when I handed the book to her to see: "It feels like one wants to touch it!" - I believe that says everything on behalf of purchasing a copy of your own. It's great to see things in the web, but the same on real paper just gives you the best vibes. The info Peter May gives about each label, and the wine behind it, is great reading. I truly believe that the world of wine lovers needs his kind of angles to make wine the fun it should be! This book is an excellent gift to a wine lover with an open, dionysian mind! In a way I consider this little book to be a classic already now. - Hannu Lehmusvuori