I got red blood, and I got blood red wine.– “Blood Red Wine,” Rolling Stones

Goin’ where the water tastes like wine. – “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad,” Grateful Dead

Stay and help me to end the day. And of you don’t mind, we’ll break a bottle of wine. – “Stay,” Pink Floyd

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Dip your hand into a vat of rock lyrics and chances are you’ll pull out some lines about wine. Because, really, what is rock ‘n’ roll without some good wine?

Since 2009, Wines That Rock (yes, that’s the company name) has been combining a love of music with a love of the grape, and the result is a green – as in environmental – group of bottles that intrigue from the label on in. They also contribute part of each sale to charity, and have since the company started.

The grapes are sustainably farmed, the labels carefully designed, and the result can be purchased just as a great gift (“Hey, I have a bottle of Grateful Dead on the sideboard, man…”) or as a serious combination with some food and friends.

The wines are serious. I tasted the 2009 Rolling Stones Forty Licks merlot, and the 2010 Grateful Dead Steal Your Face red blend ($14.99 each, Total Wine).

Forty Licks has an appealing nose, with plum, cocoa and light cherry notes. On the tongue, it’s not as in-your-face as the Rolling Stones logo, but it’s a decent sipping wine, with more plum, raspberry and some vanilla in there. It’s good with food, and that’s how I’d serve it.

The Dead’s Steal Your Face just stole my heart. It’s a blend from Mendocino County of syrah, petite sirah, zinfandel and grenache and has long blackberry, blueberry and spice notes just on the nose. The taste then delivers on the nose’s promise and is terrific – peppery, spicy, a deep cherry and very fruity wine, with a long finish. It’s good with food, too, but this one I’d rather just sip by itself. For the price, this is a great wine for Bold wine lovers. Which brings to mind one of my fave wine-related lyrics from Neil Diamond’s “Red, Red Wine”: “Red, red wine, Go to my head, Make me forget …”

Taste of Compassion 2013

Start your new year off on the right foot, with giving to a great charity and drinking some terrific wine at the same time. Oh, and then there are the mouthwatering food bites paired to go with the wines. All of it is at the 9th Annual Taste of Compassion event, Jan. 21, at the Harriet Himmel Theater in CityPlace.

This excellent food and wine event benefits the Quantum House and the American Culinary Federation, and it’s always one of the Swirl Girls’ favorite events.

Tickets for general admission are $75; VIP tickets (you enter at 6 p.m., an hour early, for special food/wine pairings) are $125. Doors open officially at 7 p.m., and there’s a silent auction, a live auction and a raffle, so you’re bound to come home with a few goodies.

For more information, call 561-494-0515.