Wine AND Racism

[Fritz]

Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal said he thinks racism might have something to do with the NBA's desire to deny him access to something other than white wine.

"In the last two or three years, the wine of the year has been a white, such as a Chardonnay. There were sixteen white wines (of 18 total) to win All-Star medals, so why the color barrier?" O'Neal said.

"How come the black player is forced to drink a white wine?" O'Neal asked. "This is just a ploy by the commissioner to package us into the suburban mass-media culture."

The past two wines of the year were pressed from white wine grapes: A Pinot Blanc was the 2003-04 wine of the year, while a german Gewürztramine won the award after the 2002-03 season.

[st.cronin]

Cheesy

[Ben E Lou]

Give us ripple, or give us death.

[Subby]

One word:

Champipple.

[Ben E Lou]

One word:

Champipple.OUT---FREAKING---STANDING reference, Subby. Well-played.

[Franklinnoble]

For anyone else who doesn't get it:


The bad wine that made a 'ripple' in our culture
Glad You Asked
12/10/04
By Jeff Elder
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Do they still make Ripple? If so, where is it available? -- Craig Pasley, Matthews, N.C.

Craig, you are a man of taste.

Very, very questionable taste.

Gallo does not make Ripple anymore. The brand died as the California winery uncorked more upscale vintages.

But Ripple, which filled brown bags and undiscerning gullets from the '60s to the '80s, left an enduring, if notorious, mark. (On the '70s sitcom "Sanford and Son," Redd Foxx used to mix champagne and Ripple and call it "champipple.")

Gallo still brews a stronger, sister vintage in small supply: "What's the word? Thunderbird!" (That was the old ad slogan for the skull-knocking, alcohol-fortified wine.)

Boone's Farm, that Kool-Aid with a kick that was a part of so many young adulthoods, remains "an important product for Gallo," says Tim McDonald, a public relations rep for the giant California winery. In fact, there are now flavors like Tropical and Wild Island to go with the old-school Apple and Strawberry Hill flavors.

And who could forget those trends of the '80s -- wine coolers and wine-in-a-box? (The latter was graced with a delicate cardboard bouquet and just a hint of plastic bag.)

We scoff, but some remember these drinks with light-hearted affection -- even though American tastes have moved on to much, much better wine. (And so has Gallo, which now produces $50 Cabernets and runs highly touted wineries like Mirassou.)

[stevew]

I like it when he mixed Swiss Cheese and Guacamole and made the Holy Moly. That fucking goat tho, and the spanish guy were annoying.

[Desnudo]

I'd give it a 5 out of a 100.

[Fritz]

I'd give it a 5 out of a 100.

well, at least it could have been worse