The above is a direct quote from Studiodave, who is too distraught today to blog about a great, great man who brought us a defining American product: Thunderbird.The company’s introduction of Thunderbird wine would change that. In 1957, the Gallos developed the brand, a concoction of inexpensive fortified white wine with added citrus flavors.It was named after the Ford sports car and was aimed directly at “the misery market,” according to “Blood and Wine,” Ellen Hawkes’s unauthorized biography of the family. By the end of 1957, Ms. Hawkes reported, Gallo was making 32 million gallons of Thunderbird.
I've always been a Nightrain man myself, but this Friday night I think we should all pay tribute to Ernesto by pouring out a little Thunderbird -- and drinking the rest.
9 comments:
A fitting tribute would be the Gories' "Thunderbird ESQ":
I said "Baby,/Whats wrong with you?/You look like you drank/Too much ESQ"/
I took her home/Left her layin' by the door/Got back in my car/And drank some more/
Thunderbird ESQ... I love it more than I love you/Thunderbird ESQ... I love it more than I love you
The 'Bird was a Gallo product?
He's not responsible for The 'Dog is he?
Mad Dog is made by (and nicknamed for) Mogen David.
Junior year in college, my roommate and I hosted a Thunderbird party. The party started at 4 pm for us. We spent something like $150 on cheap, cheap drinks. Malt liquor, etc.
The next day when we came to, neither of us met a person who attended our party, the appt was turned upside down, and all our good alcohol (including liquor in the closet) was gone.
I couldn't stand the smell of alcohol for 3 weeks. Which is like 30 years at my present consuption rates.
For weeks people kept asking when we were going to have another party because it was such a good time. And the Studiodave legend was born...
It takes like burning!
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who answers that, TJ, or that I'm not the only one who gets confused looks in response.
Didn't know about that ditty - thanks, TJ.
Ahh, StudioDave's jr. year parties. All the malt liquor and Rush you could handle.
Ahh, StudioDave's jr. year parties. All the malt liquor and Rush you could handle.
And, as I understand it, No Gurls Allowed.
When I was 15, we used to drive into Over-The-Rhine and buy bags of booze from Russell's Grocery. For whatever reason, I always got stuck walking in to buy eight or nine bottles of Mad Dog and a couple of two-liters of Barles & Jaymes (for the ladies).
One afternoon, I decided to surprise my buddy Neil with a bottle of Thunderbird. I brought my bounty to the counter, and one of the elderly black men loafing back there looked up, removed his toothpick and nodded approvingly. "Ooooh, Thunder-boyyyyyd," he said. I'm not sure I've ever received another compliment that flattered me more.
As a postscript, a police officer met me outside the door, insisted on taking one of my clinking bags and walked me to our car. My friends were all inside, debating whether to leave me, but thankfully they didn't. The cop placed his bag in our trunk, told me I ought not to be in that neighborhood and bid me good weekend.
The 1980s were kind of awesome in ways like that.
Post a Comment