15 Wines Inspired by Pop Culture

The 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon is in full swing: Along with the film's Valentine's Day debut, a series of themed products have hit the market, including a Christian Grey teddy bear with a mask and handcuffs, a kale cookbook (?), and an assortment of adult items best left unnamed. For those who prefer less pain and more pleasure, there are also two 50 Shades of Grey wines, perfect for any pop culture wine enthusiast's collection.

1. 50 SHADES OF GREY WINE

Fans of 50 Shades of Grey will be thrilled to sip on a glass of wine inspired by the series, created by author E.L. James herself. This pair of wines includes Red Satin, a 2011 blend of Petite Sirah and Syrah aged in French oak barrels, and White Silk, a 2012 blend of Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc, both as rich and captivating as Mr. Grey himself.

2. DOWNTON ABBEY WINE

Much like the Crawleys’ wealth, the Downton Abbey Wine collection continues to expand. In January, in celebration of the series’ fifth season premiere, California-based LCF Wines honored Cora Crawley’s American heritage with the Countess of Grantham Collection. This series of bold, fruit-forward blends includes Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, offering an all-American counterpart to the line’s more classic Bordeaux wines.

3. WALKING DEAD WINE SERIES

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While the Survivors on The Walking Dead may prefer clean water, there's no better way to elevate a zombie kill than with a glass of White Zinfandel. Personal Wine’s Walking Dead Wine Collector’s Series offers a collection of chillingly named wines—Cadaver Cabernet Sauvignon, Still Alive By Way of The Antidote, The UnDead Apocalyptic Red, and The Zinfection Blight Zinfandel—that are best enjoyed together as a quartet.

4. CANNIBAL CHIANTI & SUIT YOURSELF PINOT GRIGIO

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Few fictional wine connoisseurs are as iconic as Hannibal Lecter. It was only a matter of time before film buffs created a Silence of the Lambs-themed Chianti to pair with your liver and fava beans. In 2013, The Alamo Drafthouse cinema chain introduced their Cannibal Chianti and Suit Yourself Pinot Grigio. Unfortunately, these wines were limited editions, meaning you may need Clarice Starling's help to track down a bottle.

5. STAR TREK WINES

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Don't worry, Trekkies: The legendary franchise has its own wine collection—four bottles in total. The Trouble with Tribbles, Mirror Mirror, and The City on the Edge of Forever each honor famous episodes, while Klingon Bloodwine serves as a celebratory beverage. All feature custom labels designed by artist Juan Ortiz.

6. ROLLING STONES 40 LICKS MERLOT

Wines That Rock

Ignore what the label suggests—you’ll definitely want to sip, not lick, this bold Mendocino County merlot, which carries rich flavors of black cherry and vanilla while keeping its rock ‘n’ roll attitude.

7. DUCK COMMANDER

Duck Commander Wines

The Robertson family from Louisiana became famous—and later infamous—through their A&E reality show Duck Dynasty, which chronicled their rise from humble beginnings to wealth with the Duck Commander duck call. At the peak of the show’s success, the Robertsons expanded their brand by teaming up with California’s Trinchero Family Estates to release a collection of Duck Commander wines, featuring varieties like Triple Threat Red, Wood Duck Chardonnay, Miss Priss Pink Moscato, Pintail Moscato, and Teal Hen Pinot Grigio.

8. REAL HOUSEWIVES WINES

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The Real Housewives of [Fill In the City] wouldn’t be the iconic show it is without plenty of wine. It's no surprise that many of the women have leveraged their reality TV fame into wine ventures, including Ramona Singer, who is hardly seen without her signature Ramona Pinot Grigio; restaurateur and small-dog enthusiast Lisa Vanderpump, who bottles her own red and pink sangrias; Teresa Giudice, currently serving time, with her Fabellini Proseccos; and O.C. stars Tamra Barney and Vicki Gunvalson with their Wine by Wives wine club, which may or may not still be running, judging by their under-construction website and inactive social media pages.

9. WINES OF WESTEROS

Wines of Westeros

This one’s a bit of a maybe. Although not officially affiliated with Game of Thrones, the fan-funded Wines of Westeros promises that “Hangovers are Coming.” The idea is to eventually release twelve different varietals, each representing one of GOT’s twelve noble houses. We're especially curious to try The Dothraki.

10. AC/DC WINES

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Wine meets rock 'n' roll with The Ultimate Rocker collection, featuring all four AC/DC Wine varietals in one set: Highway to Hell Cabernet Sauvignon, Thunderstruck Chardonnay, Hells Bells Sauvignon Blanc, and Back in Black Shiraz.

11. MARGE & HOMER SIMPSON

Constantin Bolimond on Behance

More of an art concept than a true wine brand, Russian designer Constantin Bolimond’s Piet Mondrian-inspired Marge and Homer Simpson wine bottles are so stunning, they might be too beautiful to drink. But what's inside the bottle? The label leaves that up in the air: “The drink was brought to life with the cartoon characters in 1987. Maybe it is wine, maybe not. We invite you to discover it for yourselves.”

12. TRAIN WINES

Facebook/Save Me, San Francisco

The San Francisco-based band Train took their hit song “Drops of Jupiter” quite literally, even creating a wine based on it—Drops of Jupiter California Red, a fruit-forward Petite Sirah. For those who prefer white wine, there’s Calling All Angels Chardonnay, alongside California 37 Cabernet Sauvignon, Soul Sister Pinot Noir, Hella Fine Merlot, and Bulletproof Picasso Sauvignon Blanc. All of these wines are available through the band’s Save Me, San Francisco Wine Company, which graciously donates a portion of its proceeds to charity.

13. THE SOPRANOS WINES

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Much like the iconic mob drama, The Sopranos Wines collection—a collaboration between HBO and the Vesuvio Import Company—launched in 2008, more than a year after the series wrapped. While this collection is a thing of the past, bottles of the five varietals (including Sangiovese, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Noir) can still be found if you search hard enough (or Google it).

14. HELLO KITTY WINE

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Hello Kitty knows how to market herself. What began as a simple children’s toy has turned into a worldwide brand, gracing almost every product imaginable. Included in her vast empire is a collection of light and fruity wines, featuring a sparkling Rosé and an Italian Spumante.

15. FOGHAT CELLARS

Foghat Cellars

A serendipitous 2007 performance at the California Mid State Fair introduced the British blues-rock band Foghat (famous for “Slow Ride”) to fan and winemaker Steve Rasmussen. Inspired by the band’s name, Rasmussen decided it was perfect for a California wine brand. Nine months later, Foghat Cellars produced its first vintage, a limited edition 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, five vintages later, the brand still blends the slogan, “Music & Wine… Passions Combined.”