In the old days…

In the old days, wine was called ‘claret’, ‘Châteauneuf du Pape’ or ‘Gewürztraminer’.

In the old days, wine was called ‘claret’, ‘Châteauneuf du Pape’ or ‘Gewürztraminer’. Then, in the Seventies, branding poked its nose in and foisted Blue Nun on an unsuspecting public. These days, benighted drinkers can quaff Old Git, French Connection and the latest addition to this unholy canon, Jack Rabbit. A range of Californian wines comprising a merlot, a white zinfandel and a chardonnay, it represents a welcome departure in a market saturated with, er, Californian merlots, white zinfandels and chardonnays. At least it has a nice name, and is ‘underpinned with light-hearted copy’ such as ‘Hop off and fetch some glasses’ and ‘Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit’. The Diary could suggest others (‘Experience myxomatosis – get blind drunk’, or perhaps ‘Rabbits eat their own faeces’), but that would be mean.