Funny Wine Label Etiquette

Filed in archive Wine News on January 23, 2008

I think we'd all agree that there is a time and a place for gag gifts. Your co-worker/poker buddy that you go out with every Thursday night might find the bottle of Fat Bastard hysterical. But would you dare to give that same bottle to your manager? An Ohio councilman, Anthony Capretta, decided to get creative with the wines he chose to give co-workers over the holidays. Let's just say his choices didn't go over very well.

From WKYC:

He allegedly gave a bottle of "Il Bastardo" to Vice Mayor, Gary Werner.

He gave a bottle of "Joe Blow" to Councilman Joe Delsanter.

But it was a bottle of "Big Ass Chard" that was given to Councilwoman Susan Hambley that caused the most controversy.

The label features a woman's large derrier hanging over the seat of a bicycle.

Susan Hambley suffers from muscular dystrophy, uses a wheelchair and a breathing tube. She told Channel 3's Mike O'Mara that she was outraged by the bottle.

"I was actually physically shaking," said Hambley. "I took it home to show my husband and I said perhaps I'm over-reacting. But he was furious, too."

There has been no comment from Councilman Capretta. I'm all for a good joke under the right circumstances, but seriously - what was this guy thinking?