AdFreak conducts a wine tasting

A new French wine appeared on the U.S. market this month that is intended to make Americans less intimidated by French wines (not to mention add another revenue stream for the parent company). The launch of Red Bicyclette is being supported by an outdoor ad campaign by WPP Group's Grey, which also designed the colorful label (a visual from the Web site is pictured here) and came up with the brand name. Two bottles of the new vintage (one Syrah, one Chardonnay, 2003) found their way to the AdFreak offices, where our hard-working staff dutifully sampled them during a lunch of pizza and salad. One noted that the label seemed inspired by the French film The Triplets of Belleville. One lapsed Catholic thought the Syrah tasted like "communion wine," but then for the purposes of publication noted its "ecclesiastical bouquet." Most thought the red was "clean," "easy-going," and "subtle." Said one, "It doesn't overpower the pizza. It goes well with the grease and pepperoni." The Chardonnay fared less well. "A perfect wine when you're slumming it," said one. Others called it "serviceable," "good," and one simply said, "Yuck!" Oh well. Wine, 'tis the subjective science.

—Posted by Kathleen Sampey, with reporting from team AdFreak

September 12, 2005 | Permalink