Bad ass wines

A bad ass wine label

Car guys know about the most bad ass cars like the Bugatti Veyron, Dodge Viper or the Mustang Shelby GT500. Gun nuts know the bad ass guns (probably something in a 50 caliber). Beer folks know about Pliny the Younger--a triple IPA with 11% alcohol that was given a perfect score by the Beer Advocate.

What about wine? Wine people worry a lot about finesse, alcohol levels, the appellation, food parings, etc. If you're gonna be a bad ass you don't worry about all that.

For a bad ass varietal I nominate Petite Sirah. It's no wimpy wine even though a few folks have manipulated it trying to make it fruit-forward and (OMG!) knock down the tannins. Petite Sirah is the Jack Nicholson/Clint Eastwood/Bruce Willis of wine. It won't take any shit off you, but it will dish it out. We're talking something like a Parducci or Foppiano Petite. These are no excuses bad ass wines. You have been warned!