My Latest in Somm TV Magazine:
The Expense of Artist Series Wine Labels Proves Priceless
by L.M. Archer
Perusing the shelves of a wine shop, it’s not surprising that consumer attention veers toward a splash of unexpected color or an eye-catching illustration. According to a 2019 article in Frontiers on Psychology, wine labels influence consumer choices. But what about the growing trend in artist series wine labels?
When weighing the myriad of costs associated with wine production, wine producers share whether artist series wine labels turn a more significant profit.
Cost
Winemakers admit that fine wine art labels cost more to produce than regular labels. “Because we use our small lot reserve wines for our Cellar Select Artist Series collection, the production costs for both winemaking and packaging are higher compared to other wines in our brand portfolio,” says Tiffany Stetson, general manager of DTC sales at Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard and Winery in Washington State. Stetson estimates that Goose Ridge’s artist labels run approximately 50% more than their standard labels.
Lange Estate launched its second label, Trouvère in 2021 and features the work of Santa Barbara artist Mary Heebner. “We didn’t set out on this journey with any set ideas about growing sales,” says Christine Havens, the winery’s marketing director. “We knew that we wanted to redesign the labels for Trouvère. It’s something our founders and team had been discussing for a long time,” she says. “With our broad market labels, we spend a lot of time thinking and talking about the style and ethos of those wines. There is a defined style there that feels like it’s the fingerprint of the winemaker. We haven’t tried to pin Trouvère down in that way. It’s a passion project for sure, and it fulfills a need to be curious and creative and explore outside of the boundaries of the Willamette Valley.” READ MORE HERE.