About The Song
“Take A Taste of My Wine” appears as a standout track on Buck Owens & Susan Raye’s album The Good Old Days (Are Here Again), released in July 1973 on Capitol Records (ST-11204). Produced under the longtime guidance of Ken Nelson, the song runs approximately 2:45 and embodies the classic Bakersfield Sound with its crisp electric guitar leads, steady shuffle rhythm, fiddle accents, and the duo’s signature close harmonies and playful call-and-response delivery.
The track fits seamlessly into the duo’s string of successful duet projects from the early 1970s. It showcases the easy chemistry Owens and Raye had developed through previous albums such as We’re Gonna Get Together (1970) and The Great White Horse (1970), where their voices intertwined with flirtatious energy. The arrangement keeps things light and inviting, with Owens’ twangy baritone leading and Raye’s bright, responsive soprano adding warmth and sparkle.
Lyrically, the song uses wine as a playful metaphor for romantic temptation and shared pleasure. The narrator invites a hesitant partner to sample “a taste of my wine,” suggesting that love, like a good vintage, is something to be savored without overthinking. Verses explore the thrill of giving in to attraction, while the chorus repeats the title with a teasing, conversational tone—“Take a taste of my wine / It’ll make you feel fine”—creating an intimate back-and-forth that feels like a lively barroom seduction. The straightforward, good-natured lyrics avoid heavy sentimentality, instead emphasizing fun, flirtation, and the simple joy of connection.
Though never issued as a standalone commercial single, the song received favorable mention in contemporary reviews. A July 1973 Cash Box magazine review highlighted it alongside the album’s title cut as strong material with chart potential, praising the duo’s natural blend and the track’s catchy, radio-friendly appeal. It contributed to the album’s solid performance on country charts and helped maintain Owens and Raye’s popularity as one of the era’s most engaging male-female duet teams.
The recording captures the Bakersfield Sound at its most approachable—honky-tonk roots with a polished yet relaxed edge that appealed to both traditional country fans and crossover listeners. It has since appeared on various compilations of Owens and Raye’s joint work, including best-of collections that gather their Capitol duet material.
Video
Lyric
Come a little closer be a little bolder
Come and take taste of my wine
Just a little teasing makes it mighty pleasing
Babe it’s gonna be just fine.Come on baby let the good times roll
(Come on baby really thrill my soul)
Come a little closer be a little bolder
Come and take taste of my wine.Honey, stop your stalling, can’t you hear me calling
Come and take taste of my wine
Love will start to flowing when you get to going
Babe it’s gonna be just fine.Come on baby let the good times roll
(Come on baby really thrill my soul)
Come a little closer be a little bolder
Come and take taste of my wine.[Instrumental]
Your heart will start to reeling when you get the feeling
Come and take taste of my wine
Make you kinda hazy just a little lazy
Babe it’s gonna be just fine.Come on baby let the good times roll
(Come on baby really thrill my soul)
Come a little closer be a little bolder
Come and take taste of my wine.Come on baby let the good times roll
(Come on baby really thrill my soul)
Come a little closer be a little bolder
Come and take taste of my wine.Come and take taste of my wine.
Come and take taste of my wine…