Now, where do you think I read this bit of prose:

Finn. Max’s sister.
Sleeps in the running position
First throught the door
And good to party.
Complex fast and fine
Up for a touch of luxury
Day job chief of security
Night shift, loves the leather !
Finn…slide into it.

Was it:
a) On a Channel Four press release, describing one of this years Big Brother contestants?
b) On a dating website, one that caters for leather fetishists?
c) On the back of a wine bottle?

Its the latter actually. An odd label and name for an Australian white wine, Finn Off the Leash, sold by Oddbins for a hefty £11.49 a bottle and recommended in my recent Ten Best New World White Wines in the Independent. Here's the link: http://independent.net-genie.co.uk/Food_Drink/59883/the_ten_best_white_wines_from_the_new_world.html.

I recommended it because of the fact that, despite the slighty off putting, some would say pretentious, labelling, its actually a very good wine, made without oak, from a blend of Chardonnay, Semillion, Pinot Gris and Viognier. Its light and refreshing, but sufficiently complex and sophisticated to make it interesting and satisfying on the palate, although its a little overpriced for everyday drinking. I'd buy it to accompany a fine white fish like brill or turbot, or some simply cooked shellfish, for a decent weekend meal. The vineyard that makes it, The Lane, situated in the Adelaide Hills, produces a range of apparently quite serious, modern wines (although I've yet to try any others) and this wine is clearly attempt at even more 'fun' branding, designed to appeal to younger consumers. Finn, described as a 'contemporary drinking experience' is, as the label says, brother to Max, a shiraz/viognier blend.
While its part of a trend of wacky wine labels from Australia winemakers, all part of being fresh and different to distinguish them from their fusty old world rivals, in many ways its a more traditionally minded wine, very different from the oaked, tropical fruit flavours of the typical Aussie chardonnay. As I said in an earlier post, the Aussie winemakers, or at least the people that sell their wines over here, are moving away from the 'it's got to be either chardonnay or sauvignon' axis into more complex wines, using blends involving interesting grapes like viognier. Paradoxically, the French, of course, having embraced Aussie winemakers and single grape labels are now getting in on the act by now marketing their budget red wines with ironic names like Chat-en-Ouef. Compris?