CENTRE COUNTY — “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a phrase taught to many from a young age. But when it comes to selecting wine, there is something to be said for letting an attractive label help make your choice.
Shopping for wine can be intimidating, especially if a sales assistant is not available to help guide you. Some countries put the name of the grape variety and tasting notes on the label; others — typically French wines — put the region where the grapes are grown on the label, assuming you know the type of grape variety grown in that region. Even if tasting or food pairing notes are put on the label, it can be hard to be certain what exactly the wine will taste like if you have never tried it before.
While an eye-catching design on the label may not offer a 100% guarantee that the wine inside will leave your mouth watering, it can help to paint a picture about what to expect.
In a study published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 2017, it was found that certain design elements like color, art and imagery had the biggest impact on what wine someone would purchase when making a selection from a shelf with more than 20 wine options.
A well-designed wine label shows that thought and care went into developing the narrative to best represent what the bottle contains.
Rossidi Nikolaevo 2020 orange wine, which currently retails for $28 at the Fine Wine & Good Spirits at 1682 N. Atherton St., quickly captures the eye when purusing the wine shelves. The Bulgarian wine is made from gewürztraminer, a grape known for its aromatic qualities. The highly fragrant grape variety tends to have notes of lychee, rose petals and spice, and can range from dry to sweet.
However, this wine is no standard gewürztraminer, and it has a bottle and label to prove it. Instead of a standard glass bottle, it comes in a clay bottle, a piece of pottery that can be repurposed after the wine is finished.
The earliest evidence of wine production dates to around 6000–5000 B.C.E., in the region of the modern-day country of Georgia. Ancient wine making practices used amphoras — a type of clay vessel — to make wine. While amphoras are still used in the country of Georgia today, it is a less common practice globally, with more winemakers preferring barrels or steel vats for more control over the production process.
However, many natural-wine producers rely on tradition to produce unique wines that have a more funky, less refined taste to them. The Rossidi Nikolaevo choice of bottle connects the tradition of making orange wine to the modern day, suggesting that what is inside will be a unique sip.
The vibrant splash of orange on the wine label also gives a clue to what is inside.
Contrary to what the name suggests, orange wine does not actually contain oranges. When making white wine, the skins of the grapes are often removed. This is in contrast to red wine, where the skin is left on to extract color and tannins — the part of the wine that makes your lips, cheeks and tongue feel dry. However, when making orange wine, the skins of the white grapes are left in contact with the juice, causing it to have the orange coloring.
“Seeing something come out from a small grape is pure art. We love the process that unfolds before our eyes every year,” the Rossidi website noted. “And when you are able to appreciate not just the final result, but also the entire process it takes, it can be somehow sensed by your audience. It’s really exciting to be involved in delivering pleasure to the senses and evoke interest by being authentic to ourselves and our values.”
This story is conveyed through the artwork on the label, expressing the journey from grape to wine in its image. While it could have been packaged with a standard typeface or minimalist design, the care that was put into telling the story of the winemaking process reveals more about the intention behind the winemaker and the unique product inside the bottle. By telling a compelling story and reflecting the wine’s unique characteristics, the label not only attracts attention but also fosters a connection with potential buyers.
So judge a wine by its wine label; just be aware that it’s only part of the story. But it can tell a big part of that story.