They say that you shouldn't judge a book by it’s cover but in reality the cover graphics of a book jacket often tell you a lot about the inner contents, if only in an indirect day. I mean we are hardly likely to mistake the outside cover of the latest chic-lite pot boiler with a treatise for example by Stephen Hawkins on the origins of the universe. Although when I come to think of it, some of the factual theories behind such later works may have a similar fictional ring of conviction behind them. However, my own particular tipple here is more fluid than fiction based. You see that I am fascinated by the thousands of different wines which are marketed in an ever-increasing number of producer countries without much attention at all being given to the wine label presentation and or indeed to the description of its contents. Simply stated I don’t feel that I can reasonably bottle up by concern with this perceived deficiency much longer.
There are of course a vast range of wines available to the discerning customer and even a greater range available to the non discerning one. Think about it! Most people when choosing their favourite or indeed experimental tipple, will be guided by the country or region where it is produced, by the kind of grape used in the wine, by the reputation of the producers for quality or even by the extensive guide books available to rate the more established wines. Although in the current recessionary climate the overriding consideration could well be the price of the wine itself. However, when the average amateur wine buff visits his local wine shop or supermarket franchise, he is still likely to be faced with a daunting display of alternative choices! Arguably the greatest recommendation for the selection of a fine wine is its taste of course and its nose, or smell! However, I have rarely been offered an opportunity to sample either of these in the average local winery. Thus, the potential of another dominant sense is largely ignored in the presentation of the wine product to the consumer. This is of course the visual attraction of the wine label and how readily the information on the wine type, grape and taste expectation is presented on this label.
During the summer I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the Tuscany region of Italy, for example, and in even the most basic winery was faced with a daunting task in attempting to distinguish between the wines on offer. However, some are very creative and admirable in depicting local artistic achievements on their wine bottles to imply extra refinement to the wine. I wish to applaud the Brunello di Montalcino Winery for the wine labels illustrated in accompanying photos. One depicts the great Leonardo Da Vinci on the bottle and claims that the wine which is made from Sangiovese grapes is regarded as the “King of Italian Wines”. Modesty forbids me from commenting on this claim but the label is certainly well presented. However, my own favourite is the CastelGiocondo Wine label showing a depiction of the famous fresco in Siena allegedly by Simone Martini of a famous horseman passing through the barren hills of the Maremma. Who could resist these wines, especially as a tourist?
However in recent years my fascination with wine bottles and labels has begun to get a little out of hand. Simply stated I have developed a serious drink problem. I hasten to add here by way of explanation, that this is not so much a drinking problem but a storage problem. You see, I have begun to collect wine bottles, even empty blue one for their coloured hue in sunlight, and full ones like those described earlier. I have now added ‘celebrity’ wine labels to my collection including Marilyn Monroe (Merlot on the label), Elvis Presley, Che Guevara and Napoleon along with some lesser known mortals. This wine fixation has not gone down well with the ‘good wife’ who has begun to ‘whine’ about the clutter in the house occasioned by my bottled up emotions. She has suggested that I drink the wine, through away the bottles and put the wine labels in a display booklet. However, I for my part feel that this is only sour grapes on her part as she does not fully understand the aesthetic integrity of wine, bottle and label being appreciated as one design entity. No indeed, wine to her is just something to drink pleasurably! It’s enough to make one see Red, as it were. However, we have as usual over our long years of happy tippling together, hit on a compromise solution. I have promised in a written agreement signed in red wine (or is that blood?) that I will no longer pine for long sought after wine labels and she in turn will not whine about the banality of collecting labelled bottles.
We have opened a fine bottle of Italian Sangiovese wine to celebrate our agreement but if I said that it was one of my treasured ‘designer’ bottles, I would indeed be telling a White lie!
All comments and musings welcome!
There are of course a vast range of wines available to the discerning customer and even a greater range available to the non discerning one. Think about it! Most people when choosing their favourite or indeed experimental tipple, will be guided by the country or region where it is produced, by the kind of grape used in the wine, by the reputation of the producers for quality or even by the extensive guide books available to rate the more established wines. Although in the current recessionary climate the overriding consideration could well be the price of the wine itself. However, when the average amateur wine buff visits his local wine shop or supermarket franchise, he is still likely to be faced with a daunting display of alternative choices! Arguably the greatest recommendation for the selection of a fine wine is its taste of course and its nose, or smell! However, I have rarely been offered an opportunity to sample either of these in the average local winery. Thus, the potential of another dominant sense is largely ignored in the presentation of the wine product to the consumer. This is of course the visual attraction of the wine label and how readily the information on the wine type, grape and taste expectation is presented on this label.
During the summer I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the Tuscany region of Italy, for example, and in even the most basic winery was faced with a daunting task in attempting to distinguish between the wines on offer. However, some are very creative and admirable in depicting local artistic achievements on their wine bottles to imply extra refinement to the wine. I wish to applaud the Brunello di Montalcino Winery for the wine labels illustrated in accompanying photos. One depicts the great Leonardo Da Vinci on the bottle and claims that the wine which is made from Sangiovese grapes is regarded as the “King of Italian Wines”. Modesty forbids me from commenting on this claim but the label is certainly well presented. However, my own favourite is the CastelGiocondo Wine label showing a depiction of the famous fresco in Siena allegedly by Simone Martini of a famous horseman passing through the barren hills of the Maremma. Who could resist these wines, especially as a tourist?
However in recent years my fascination with wine bottles and labels has begun to get a little out of hand. Simply stated I have developed a serious drink problem. I hasten to add here by way of explanation, that this is not so much a drinking problem but a storage problem. You see, I have begun to collect wine bottles, even empty blue one for their coloured hue in sunlight, and full ones like those described earlier. I have now added ‘celebrity’ wine labels to my collection including Marilyn Monroe (Merlot on the label), Elvis Presley, Che Guevara and Napoleon along with some lesser known mortals. This wine fixation has not gone down well with the ‘good wife’ who has begun to ‘whine’ about the clutter in the house occasioned by my bottled up emotions. She has suggested that I drink the wine, through away the bottles and put the wine labels in a display booklet. However, I for my part feel that this is only sour grapes on her part as she does not fully understand the aesthetic integrity of wine, bottle and label being appreciated as one design entity. No indeed, wine to her is just something to drink pleasurably! It’s enough to make one see Red, as it were. However, we have as usual over our long years of happy tippling together, hit on a compromise solution. I have promised in a written agreement signed in red wine (or is that blood?) that I will no longer pine for long sought after wine labels and she in turn will not whine about the banality of collecting labelled bottles.
We have opened a fine bottle of Italian Sangiovese wine to celebrate our agreement but if I said that it was one of my treasured ‘designer’ bottles, I would indeed be telling a White lie!
All comments and musings welcome!
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