Pompous Ass: Yes to the Latter?

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent

After seeing a reference on the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino's site, I was in a state of disbelief. Could this news be for real?

Last week, as I drove south on Route 14 on the west side of Seneca Lake, I kept my eyes peeled, and then I saw it for myself...yes, there is a winery opening on Seneca named Pompous Ass. The sign out front says the winery is opening this summer, although a lot of summer has already passed us by.

Is this name funny? Is it appropriate? More importantly, what role will this brand of humor play in the Finger Lakes?

It is obvious that the proprietor of this new winery wanted to create a stir, and whether to make a statement or simply to make money, the choice of name has certainly succeeded in grabbing the attention of the region.

My immediate thoughts are that this name picks up on the brands we have all seen in the wine stores with names like Old Fart and Fat Bastard, two wines made by French conglomerates for international distribution and consumption. I do not lament the existence of these wines at all and I'm sure they have resulted in some hilarious gift-giving (I myself purchased some Old Fart for an uncle's birthday).

What is important to consider, however, is that mass-produced and marketed wines do not leave the buyer with a distinct sense of place. No one buys Old Fart or Fat Bastard as a prime example of French wine, nor is the origin of these wines part of the marketing scheme in any significant sense. Basically, it is all about generic wine humor.

There will be nothing generic about Pompous Ass and the origin of its products will not be a mystery to consumers. The winery will have a tasting room right along the Seneca Wine Trail. In addition, one can assume that many of the bottles will be labeled as Finger Lakes sourced wines.  Pompous Ass will become a Finger Lakes winery and represent the region to potential consumers and critics.

Let us now consider the Finger Lakes wine industry as embodied by a cartoon donkey.

There is so much fun to be had with wine and especially wine in the Finger Lakes. It is not a pretentious region and I hope it never becomes one, but there needs to be a degree of respect at play if the Finger Lakes is ever to be taken more seriously for the great wines it produces. Fun wines and labels have a place, but one can push the joke too far. While good wineries in regions throughout the world use playful imagery for their namesake (e.g. Frog's Leap in California), few of these names carry the significant connotations of a phrase like Pompous Ass.

It is possible that the proprietor of Pompous Ass is using the name to engage in commentary over the unfortunate tendency for wine and wine enjoyment to become the purview of snobs. That's fine, and I would not argue with the sentiment, but the example is so over the top that it pushes the issue in the other direction and leaves the impression that wine in general is frivolously conceived and easily made and proffered. 

I hardly think so. Wine is not all it's made out to be by some, but there's something more to it than a big joke.

Of course, one could also look at the entire Pompous Ass concept as one giant marketing scheme intended to sell lots of wine regardless of quality. Admittedly, the name might make for a successful lone business, but at what expense to the region's reputation as a whole? Even if the wines are well-made, will the name overshadow the success of the winermaker? Frankly, there are simply too many competing values at play to ever take this winery seriously.

The name Pompous Ass and the cartoon donkey could have made an enjoyable line of wines within a winery's library or perhaps even a second label, but an entire establishment based on this concept alone seems like nothing more than a poor sense of humor run amuck.  Maybe something like Pompous Ass would be funnier in Napa Valley, but in a region in which great wineries with stellar products are still struggling to make a solid profit, it just seems out of place and perhaps an affront to those winemakers and entrepreneurs who are trying to accomplish something grand with the Finger Lakes and its difficult cool climate terroir.

I like to laugh, but as I drove past Pompous Ass's soon-to-be winery I just shook my head.

Comments

[dhonig]

Most of the "cute name" wines are pretty bad, but the names can be fun. My introduction to Menage A Trois was in a Freshmarket grocery store. I was perusing the wine when a rather attractive woman held up a bottle, label toward me, and said "my husband and I reeaaally like this one. What do you think?"

:0

[Rowland]

Listen, you should just be thankful someone is opening a winery instead of building a row of houses on a cul de sac, or some other such stupid thing like we face here in the Hudson Valley. Every summer i drive or walk by wonderful parcels of land which i can only dream of working, and every summer more and more dissapear as cheap housing or strip malls with box stores ... sigh. Just be hopeful this guy goes out of business and some young local can come in, change the name, and use the infrastructure.

[Nan Patience]

Ha! You're actually a little offended by the name, aren't you!

[Jason Feulner]

Rowland, the same strain on available land in the Finger Lakes is not as much of an issue. In theory, there is room for many, many new wineries. Therefore, this particular winery is doing no favors for conservation.

Nan, I am not a prude. I tried to carefully construct an argument as to why I think the name is out-of-place in this context.

[Nan Patience]

No, you're not a prude. Never said you were. Just teasing you a little!

You have to admit, Pompous Ass does spark new ideas. Next, there will be a full-out shouting match in the industry with yet new wineries: Dumbass, Useless Hussy, Skanky Ho, Bloviation, Combat Boot, Cheap Bastard, Royal Flush, Strip Mall, Smartass ...

[Bradley]

We've got a Golden Beaver. Do you?

[Jason Feulner]

Bradley,

At first I thought it was a personal question, and then I followed your link to the Golden Beaver link. They claim to make fine wines with a fun name. Are the wines indeed fine, or is it just a marketing gimmick? I'm curious how your silly-named winery has added or detracted from the BC wine scene (of which I know little about, admittedly).

[Bradley]

Well, Jason, some folks think it's a lot of fun! And some folks think it's debilitating.
I think it might be appropriate as a second or third tier label but not as the name for your entire operation. Since I'm some kind of small god, people really ought to listen when I bark. :)

[Nan Patience]

Golden Beaver, now who feels like a prude (me).

I like the way you panned to the grapes. I'll have to remember that. I don't like it, but I'll use it if things ever get out of hand on my blog.

I mean really. Grape pix? Come ON!

[Peter]

One thing is for sure is that the Pompous Ass Winery is turning into one of the most talked about and anticipated (not necesssarily eagerly) wineries to open up in a while. With zero advertising as of yet this winery is burning up the grapevine and the owners are loving it for sure. With only a name and a logo we can only speculate on the quality of the product. There is lots of prejudgement and I sense some fear that this winery will not be "premium enough" for such pompous asses shall we say. Catchy gimmick names with a bit of rebellion thrown in. 3 Brothers Winery had a similar reaction when they opened and with wines named Backseat Bounce and 69 ways to Heaven you can see why. But they have branded and marketed themselves in a very smart way and have created a destination theme park of sorts. Lets take Hazlitt and their Red Cat made from the noble Catawba grape. This is the #1 selling NY state wine because it is sweet and it is marketed as the perfect hot tub wine with a catchy jingle that goes "Red Cat Red, Cat it's an aphrodisiac. Red Cat, Red Cat it will get you in the sack." Surely not an intellectual wine to be enjoyed in the library while reading passages from Robert Parker's bio. My wife feels that Pompous Ass is not a very professional sounding name and I see her point, yet there are many not so professional tasters that cruise the wine trails. The top wineries that make the world class wines will still get the attention of the industry media and connoisseur tasters. The not so "professional" wineries will probably not submit wines for approval of the Spectator or Wine and Spirits and maybe that is the point.

[Luke Skywalker]

I agree with Jason's take. I think it's a step in the wrong direction as the many of the Finger Lakes wineries are improving their quality and trying to compete at world-class levels. I think it would have been fine leaving it as a "second-label", which would allow the ebb and flows of demand trends to warrant the usage. It will be a novelty to have your picture in front of the winery sign, or give a bottle to your wine-geek friends, but the brand will not withstand the test of time.

[Jason Feulner]

Luke, the force is with you.

BTW, Darth Vader is really your father. It's going to be a real shocker when he tells you. Watch out for your hand!

[Kevin Denison]

Hats off to the owners of Pompous Ass Winery. Not only are you creating a flavorful taste, but by reading the past posts, your also creating discussion amongst many around the table. Although positive marketing is good, Negative is better, driving more interests, therefore creating value to the bottle and the company. Personally, the name caught my attention to taste. The flavor raised my brow and mostly, my friends asked where they can get a bottle. I applaud this company as they stand above their local competition, and hats off to the brown bag research.