With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, any one of these wines would make an awesome gift to present to that special geek in your life:
Wines for Gamers
Player 1 by 8-bit Vintners
“Player 1” was created by an actual gamer, and comes from the winemaking region of Walla Walla, Washington. Owner/gamer Mike James says, “My wine is for anyone who spent time trying to save a princess or fit odd shaped blocks together. We may have never met, but we have more in common than we ever knew. So blow out that old Contra cartridge, give the NES a good dust off, and pour yourself a glass.” Sadly, 8-bit Vintners has closed up shop, but you can still purchase the wine on Ebay and other places (if you know where to look).
Boss Monster by Woot Cellars
This 2007 zinfandel from Woot Cellars is representative of every terrible boss you’ve ever encountered in a video game (though I think he looks vaguely reminiscent of Phantoon from Super Metroid). “Boss Monster” is a limited edition wine that is only sometimes available via Wine.Woot. If you like wine and enjoy getting a good deal, you might want to sign up for Wine.Woot’s deal-a-day style offers.
Stunlock, nOOb, & Gamer Window by GamerWine
GamerWine is available in three varieties with relatable names: Stunlock, a rich red; nOOB, a full-bodied Merlot; and Gamer Window, a smooth Pinot Grigio. Suggested pairings: Hot Pockets, Pizza Rolls and Cheetos.
Wines for Fantasy Film Buffs
The Bottle of Wits by Alamo Drafthouse
“The Bottle of Wits” is a new line of signature wines by Alamo Drafthouse inspired by everyone’s favorite 80’s fantasy film, The Princess Bride, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The line includes both red and white varieties: “As You Wish White,” a light, golden medium-bodied California blend, and “Inconceivable Cab,” a 2009 vintage California Cabernet. The wine will go for sale online starting February 14, 2012.
Wines for Horror Fans
Zombie Zin by Chateau Diana Winery
From Chateau Diana Winery in Healdsburg, California comes “Zombie Zinfandel” that is blood-red in color and described as “horridly rich in concentrated fruit flavors with a finish that never dies!” Clever. And here I thought the only zombies with mohawks were from Tirisfal Glades.
Return of the Living Red by Redheads Studio
“Return of the Living Red” is a red wine from Redheads Studio (I see what they did there), which is a small winery in South Australia. The wine is dark garnet in color, full-bodied, with flavors of currants and blackberries. The gruesome (but awesome) packaging was designed by Mash.
Killibinbin by Brothers in Arms
This collection of “killer” wines is by Brothers in Arms of the Metalia vineyard, also in South Australia (side note: why does Australia have all the cool wines?). The labels were designed after vintage horror movie posters to play up the “kill” part of the wine’s name.
Vampire, Dracula & Trueblood by Vampire Vineyards
When it comes to vampire-themed wines, Vampire Vineyards pretty much has the market cornered. The vineyard’s full line includes Vampire, Dracula, Trueblood, and Chateau du Vammpire. There’s even red Vampire Vodka, and the company is also branching out into other vampire-themed beverages like soda, coffee and energy drinks. Thanks to the popularity of Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, etc, it’s no surprise that this type of blatant pandering has also been very successful for the company (just read their nauseating About Us page).
Wines for Techies
USB Port by Peltier Station
A zinfandel dessert wine, “USB Port” (get it?) has a rich, sweet flavor that balances chocolate with ruby cherry and spice. Sounds delicious. Just don’t try to plug it into your laptop.
Educated Guess by Roots Run Deep
This Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship wine of Roots Run Deep winery, who would like you to make an “educated guess” about which wine to choose. The very technical, smart-looking label depicts actual winemaking formula strings that chemists would use.
