Political Branding - Palin Syrah Wine (GALLERY)

Some wine can sell--or unsell--itself just by its name; the winemakers of Palin Syrah, an organic wine from Chile, are discovering this firsthand. Their syrah, which is named after the ball used in a Chilean game, is actually pronounced Pay-LEEN and has nothing to do with Sarah Palin, the Alaskan governor-turned-vice presidential nominee-turned-celebrity.

Prior to the 2008 election, Palin Syrah was just a tasty, affordable organic Chilean wine. After Senator McCain’s announcement of Sarah Palin as his running mate, sales increased or decreased--largely depending on the regional market. In San Francisco, for example, you couldn’t pay someone to like the stuff. But in other markets, like New York City, sales are still quite strong. And in Houston, Palin Syrah is flying off the shelves.