Palin's Red (State) Wine

The other day, I noted how a Chilean wine called "Palin Syrah" had been a popular choice at San Francisco's Yield Wine Bar until Sarah Palin came on the national scene, at which point, sales plummeted. The clientele simply could not bring themselves to drink the stuff, even ironically.

It turns out that people outside the Bay Area, as is often the case, have more of a sense of humor than do the denizens of Yield. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that distributors and at least one retailer (in Houston) have seen a marked increase in sales.

At least some of the increase is to people who don't necessarily find the name (which is pronounced "pay-LEEN sih-rah") funny. A woman in Texas bought a case for a Republican-themed party. (Organic Chilean wine at a GOP event in Texas? Don't tell David Brooks—he's likely to plotz.)

The newfound disdain for the wine among Yield patrons struck some commenters on the Chronicle site as downright silly. "Nice," wrote one, "let's put the screws to a winery in Chile because its product name resembles Palin's name. That'll fix her wagon! While we are at it, let's refuse to drive on Bush Street."