their grapes, and therefore their wine. But of course, this is about much, much more than climate change. Read the tasting note below; it’s a particularly strong statement and I fucking love it. IS THE WINE ANY GOOD? Yes, absolutely. It’s a stellar drop, and it deserves the $55 price tag. It’s a cracking Chardonnay that will get tongues wagging for reasons other than just the label. It’s not just a political statement, but a wine statement, and it’s a bottle you’ll keep around long after you’ve drunk it. Get in quickly, as the 2016 has already sold out, and there’s only a bit of the 2015 left. But look at their other wines too. Try their Chenin Blanc, or the Jerusalem’s Grace Chardonnay. The Pirate Blend is interesting, featuring a mix of 2014 and 2015 wines. And look at the Mystery Wines (the range that the ‘FUCK HIM’ Chardonnay comes from); you’ll find a Cab Franc, a Nebbiolo, and a Syrah there.
Making wine great again.
L.A.S. VINO ‘FUCK HIM’ CHARDONNAY Words and Picture Alex Russell Twitter @ozwineguy
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lot of work is put into wine labels. Some have famous aspects (think d’Arenberg’s red stripe), some have a long history behind them and change very little from vintage to vintage (Penfolds, Wynns), some change every year (Leeuwin Estate Art Series), some are abstract, some are beautiful, and some are downright boring, but functional. And, occasionally one is so out-there it gets its own article. Meet L.A.S. Vino ‘FUCK HIM’ Chardonnay. POLITICS AND WINE In case you’re wondering who “him” is, just take a look at the
78 The Beast | November 2017
label. The tasting notes have been made into a side-on silhouette of Donald Trump. Not many wine producers venture into politics so publicly. Many have strong views, but they don’t put them on the label. This one has certainly inspired a lot of debate. Some are saying that wine producers should not mix politics with wine, whereas others are applauding the move. One of the arguments in support of the wine world having a say about politics has to do with Trump’s not exactly scientific stance on climate change. Climate change has a direct impact on wine producers as it changes
THE LABEL SAYS: This 2015 Chardonnay was made in Margaret River, Australia, from vines imported from France under Israeli irrigation, tended to by an Italian tractor, with grapes picked by a group of Irish, Germans, Estonians, and Koreans, under the supervision of a South African. We pressed the grapes using a Swiss press, and a Mexican winemaker and Dutch girl transferred the wine into French oak. It was then sealed with a cork from Portugal, with wax from the Czech Republic. The wine was bottled with the help of a lesbian, and put into boxes made in Indonesia. This was written using a program downloaded from India with a label designed by a legend in the U.S.A., proofread by a Eurasian Australian woman in New York, and is exported to Singapore, Tokyo, China, and the U.K., and drank by those wanting to bring friends together from all countries, ethnicities, sexes, sexualities, and religions. FUCK HIM!