Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” If only his statement held true of wines. Wines need more than a name; they need a label. Knowing the story behind the wine makes the wine more compelling.
In the 1600’s, wine labels were hand written on parchment paper only detailing the origin and quality. In fact, French monk Pierre Perignon who designed a system to store and catalogue his wines created the first recorded wine label. His claim to fame was not the wine label but the invention of champagne–the famous brand we know as Dom Perignon. Other labeling methods followed including stamping the neck of the bottle in the XVIII century with the family crest and varietal. It wasn’t until the revolution of lithograph in 1798 that labels we know today were created and mass-produced. The lithograph resulted in classic black and white epithet that graced many bottles including Moet Chandon and Chateau Lafitte Rothschild.
Wine labels are more than a first introduction to product; they tell a story of time and place and tradition. Take for instance, Chateau Lafitte Rothschild, one of the most celebrated wineries in the world. Since the birth of the wine, the Rothschild’s have been consistent in the appearance of the label and the production of these delectable wines. This rings true for most Old World wineries. By law, Burgundians are obligated to list the producer, negotiates, vineyard, village and type of cru. That leaves little room for anything else. American Labels are about two things: the winery and the grape. When you read an American label, you are most likely going to get information about the winery, the types of grape and where they were grown. They are not as specific as European wines and tend to have more charisma.
Labels in general have grown more appealing. Some winemakers believe that the wine should speak for itself; others feel that if you can ease the intimidation of wine and make it approachable, the more wine you will sell. As a result, you will see classic wine labels intertwined with labels that burst from the shelves with bold colors, creative artwork and satirical labels.
Artwork on labels is not new. In 1924, Baron Phillippe de Rothschild decided to bottle his entire vintage at the vineyard. Prior to this day, Rothschild sold his wine in barrels. This was a first in Bordeaux, so in celebration, he asked Jean Carlu to design the very first art label. In 1946, this became a permanent aspect of the Mouton image with labels created by some of the world's great painters and sculptors.
Art was not always well received on labels. In 1975, Kenwood intended to start its premium Artist Series collection by presenting Naked Lady, a tasteful nude image. The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms claimed it was obscene and quickly stopped distribution of the wine. Fifty cases with the label slipped through to get to market and are collector’s items. Twenty years after its original submission, the label was approved.
