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How art wine labels cut through the clutter
by L.M. Archer
According to previously reported studies in db, packaging can make or break a brand, and a trio of recent releases show how eye-catching art wine labels can cut through the clutter.
Today, over 11,000 wineries vie for consumer attention in the US alone. Ultimately, eye candy wins out in the highly competitive wine industry.
Consequently, some creative wineries employ eye-catching art wine labels to cut through the clutter. A trio of recent releases illustrate this growing trend.
Universal appeal
For one Oregon winery, art wine labels invite instant, unspoken insight into their wines. “I think art is universally appreciated, and it taps into some aspect of our being in a fundamental and non-verbal way,” explains Christine Havens, Marketing Director for Lange Estate in the Willamette Valley.
The winery’s second label, Trouvère, showcases the work of Santa Barbara-based multimedia artist Mary Heebner. Its new Pinot Blanc contains a panel from Heebner’s series, Wide and Luteous Light. “The varietal lends itself well to our Artist’s Series,” says Havens. “In describing this painting, Mary talks about light as revealing visible and invisible forms.”
“I’ve always contended that Pinot Noir requires that you open yourself up to the experience of it,” says founder and executive winemaker Don Lange, who met Heebner and her partner years ago during an impromptu visit to his tasting room. “The more you attend to it, the more you come to understand about it. For me, this is the same when engaging with Mary’s paintings. The more of yourself you bring to her work, the more it reveals to you.”
Commissions and costs
Art labels also underscore a winery’s heritage. “Art is infused in every part of Imagery Estate Winery, so it’s more than just a “series,” says Stacy Weisgerber, Director of Marketing for the Sonoma winery.
Imagery Wine Collection artist series labels appear on every bottle in Imagery’s direct-to-consumer portfolio. Winemaker Joe Benziger and artist Bob Nugent initiated the series over thirty years ago. Currently, the collection comprises over 500 artworks, commissioned from over 300 contemporary artists. READ MORE HERE.
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