Your shopping cart slows to a crawl, then stops altogether. Your eyes meander across the wares, occasionally lingering with interest before moving on. The bottles are lined up like would-be queens before King Xerxes, standing tall, proud, decorated in their finest embellishments: a richly dyed garment here, a gleam of gold there, a dramatic line over there.
You thoughtfully reach out and grasp one—perhaps you’ve found your Esther? She’s beautiful, in a perfectly understated way. She doesn’t loudly flaunt her goods, she doesn’t wink as you pass. You’re not in the mood for that kind of partner tonight. She says, “I’m approachable. I’m likable and elegant, and I’m reasonably affordable.”
The label as seductress
While many consumers return to a favorite wine time after time, there are few who haven’t, at one time or another, made a purchase based largely on a label’s looks. In the foreword to Icon: Art of the Wine Label, an impressive collection of label art created by noted wine label designers Jeffrey Caldewey and Chuck House, Robert Mondavi praises “the concept of the wine package as both a work of art and a commercial enterprise.”
Packaging is key to any marketing plan, of course, but when does it become art? These days, wine labels strive for an artistic presence—whether it’s a classic look, avant-garde or anything in between—much more than, say, beer, liquor or bottled water. In the book’s introduction, Caldeway writes, “The identity of a wine is revealed or concealed primarily through its package. Every day, millions of bottles are acquired based solely on the desirability of their design…the package provides the only sensory clues about what lies within.” Perhaps, then, the label must be artistic because the product within is considered by many to be a work of art.
What is art, after all? It can mean a skill or occupation acquired by study, experience and observation; winemaking, then, is certainly an art. Art can also be the aesthetic objects produced by a skilled craftsman, like a painting, a photograph and, yes, a wine. When well crafted, a wine can tantalize the taster on multiple levels. Like a work of art, wine can become the true expression of the winemaker and the environment in which it was created. It’s no surprise, then, that winemakers and wineries are passionate about the way they package a wine. If drinking wine is an artistic experience, then wine labels should also evoke art.
Chateau Montelena, one of the wineries that put the Napa Valley on the map, has a label that represents a collaboration between Caldewey and illustrator Sebastian Titus. A detailed pen-and-ink drawing of the impressive, century-old Calistoga winery, the label is cream-colored with a linen-like texture. The winery name, varietal, vintage and vineyard location are all scripted in elegant fonts (federal regulations require that all of this information, including alcohol content, must be printed on the front of every wine bottle), and a thin, understated gold border evokes the finishing touch.
The “straightforward, no-nonsense” label of Gary Farrell winery in Sonoma, designed by Chuck House, is intended to capture the winemaker himself. Here the masculine, earthy tones of the mottled background and unapologetic winery name meet the quiet, feminine pronouncement of varietal and appellation. This label suggests a mature, distinctive wine. Indeed, House says it’s “a personal expression of the winemaker’s focused precision and exceptional commitment to doing his individual best.”
Patti Britton of Sonoma-based Britton Design conceived the label for Opus One’s Overture brand. Describing her inspiration behind the design, Britton says, “The gold foil stamp mark is the motion of a conductor. The whiteness of the label and the subtle font create the high-end, expensive look.” She explains that a wine’s price point is essential information when designing a label. “A $100 bottle of wine should look very different from a $10 bottle.”
Perhaps you’re looking for something in that lower price point, and you’re in the mood for something fun and casual—the kind of wine you could bring to a barbecue. Smoking Loon, a product of Don Sebastiani & Sons in Sonoma (typically around $10 a bottle), might just be it. Who can forget that whimsical label, designed by the M-Space agency, with its crazy, cigar-smoking bird and the busy, primitive line art and sunset colors? This label suggests a wine that can be enjoyed by anyone who doesn’t take himself (or his wine) too seriously. And consumers are taking notice—according to the market resource firm Information Resources Inc., the Smoking Loon brand was rated the number one table wine performer in 2005.
Some purists may argue that most wine labels are really the work of graphic designers. In fact, there might be some disagreement among label creators themselves as to whether their work falls under the realm of graphic design or the more esoteric world of art. Regardless of that discussion’s outcome, there can be no question about Imagery Estate Winery’s artist collection labels, which undeniably qualify as fine art.
The brainchild of winemaker Joe Benziger and the collection’s curator Bob Nugent, the series commissions a different artist to create a label for each release. Nugent, who authored Imagery: Art for Wine, highlights the unique connection between the wine and the labels: “We feel every year is different, because every year the grapes are different. So we change the label art with every vintage, which of course goes against all marketing conventions because brand recognition is very difficult to obtain this way. But we’re finding that people who’ve learned about the winery look for the new labels each year.”
The artists’ only guideline is that every piece should incorporate the “Parthenon,” an old structure that sits on a hill overlooking the Benziger family ranch in Glen Ellen. Fans and patrons can view the permanent collection at the winery’s gallery, where dedicated collectors can purchase reproductions of the labels on canvas or paper. The originals are not for sale.
How have these striking art labels affected Imagery’s sales? “It was very, very slow in the beginning,” admits Nugent. “When we opened Imagery, we pretty much depended on word of mouth. We pursued the art market heavily—not so much with advertising as much as through positive word-of-mouth between the artists and their dealers—and some of the early following came from the art world. I’ve always felt that the patrons of fine art and the market for fine wines is the same.”
But what about the wine? Nugent says consumers were pleased. “In our case, the wine has been really exceptional—Joe’s done a great job. We think if we can attract attention with our labels, they’ll come back for the wine.” The approach appears to have paid off, because Nugent reports a booming wine club that, in addition to tasting room sales, is the primary outlet for a small boutique brand like Imagery. “It took a long time for us to get the exposure, as we were in a very special and unusual niche, but it’s finally paying off,” he says.
Payoff, after all, is the objective. While there are many label enthusiasts and collectors who appreciate the wine label as art for art’s sake, the label’s main purpose is to sell. It may be the most obvious and important aspect of the wine marketing program, but many wineries also use other outlets to increase sales, including media advertisements and poster art.
A posterist’s perspective
Jean-Pierre Got (pronounced “Go”), the celebrated poster artist from Bergerac, France, feels that “wine and art go together because both are about enjoyment of life.” Indeed, the signature flavor of Got’s work is a palpable “joie de vivre.” His posters are effective as both works of art and advertising pieces. Creating publicity posters for the food and wine trade is a profession Got seems to relish. “Food, wine, the French way of living…that’s what I enjoy, and that’s what my work is about,” he says.
Got’s work, well known in the Northern California Wine Country and inspired by the popular French poster art of the 1880s-1930s, appeals to collectors and fans of vintage-era advertisements. The simple subject matter, bold colors and turn-of-the-century fonts recall art nouveau, belle époque and art deco traditions. Got’s posters succeed in evoking a sense of nostalgia for an era that was more innocent and classy—and the result is more wine sales.
Got points out that his posters contain no more than one or two people, and usually no more than three main colors. This encourages a connection with the general public (even children) by making the product more visible and understandable. All of the text found on Got’s posters is hand-painted to complement the subject matter. “The lettering is a very important part of the artwork,” Got explains. “It has to work with the art; it must be part of the whole concept.”
The poster Got created for Folie à Deux winery in Oakville is an excellent example of his fun, approachable style. The wide, highlighted text at the top suggests a neon sign advertising the star of the show: the winery, of course, whose name means “shared fantasies.” An electric blue stage curtain parts to reveal two fine-formed jesters sharing a glass of wine. Both are standing on their forearms, backs gracefully arched, he pouring the bottle with his feet and she delightedly catching the stream in her glass. It almost dares the viewer to suggest a better pose for drinking such an extraordinary wine.
The subject matter of Got’s posters may be simple, but it’s not devoid of symbolism. A poster designed for Peju Winery in Rutherford features a beautiful woman harvesting grapes. The astute viewer may realize the woman is Eve, barefoot in her purity, oblivious to the snake-like vine climbing up along the right side of the poster, offering up her bounty to the deity, the Peju name.
Clients hire Got to create his limited-edition posters in hopes of furthering brand identity and making a profit. Several wineries, with their collections of modern sculptures dotting the grounds, offer art as a selling point. Peju sells prints of Got’s work (along with works by other artists) to visiting patrons, ensuring yet another way to cash in on the business of art and wine.
So is Got an advertiser or an artist? Both, he says. “I’m not a painter, I’m not an artist. I’m a poster artist,” he says, underscoring the poster’s important role in unifying marketing and art.
A classic pairing
The connection between art and wine is best captured by the countless art and wine exhibits, events and festivals that decorate the North Bay Wine Country. Some wineries or tasting rooms will host an exhibit for a local artist, and many house a permanent collection on their premises. For example, Paradise Ridge winery in Santa Rosa has a “sculpture grove,” where annually changing exhibits are displayed in a four-acre oak grove.
Duckhorn Wine Company is not only known for its Merlot, but also for its private collection of duck-themed artwork exhibited in its Duckhorn, Paraduxx and Goldeneye wineries. Upon entering Duckhorn in St. Helena, you find yourself surrounded by duck art: Here is a striking jade sculpture of a life-sized mallard with wings gracefully curved in mid-takeoff, and on the walls hangs a fine collection of duck-themed paintings. As if this weren’t enough, there are glass cases with rows of hand-carved and painted wooden duck decoys from the owner’s private collection.
For wineries such as these that showcase a permanent collection, the artwork doesn’t explicitly contribute to the bottom line, since the works aren’t for sale. Rather, it serves to lure visitors to their tasting rooms and build brand awareness.
Clearly wine and art make beautiful bedfellows, especially here in the North Bay, where dedicated afficionados can find an abundance of annual festivals that feature wine, art, crafts and music. The Marin Art Show showcases art, wine and jazz, while the Festival of Art and Wine in Duncans Mills pours more of the same. For ocean lovers and culinary seekers, there’s the Bodega Seafood Art and Wine Festival and the Sonoma Salute to the Arts (“a tribute to the art of food and wine presented through literature, film and the visual arts”).
Janet Ciel, organizer of the festivals in Duncans Mills and Bodega Bay, shares her thoughts about why art and wine are a classic pairing: “I think making excellent wine is an art form…good wine, food, music and art all go together to help people feel good. All are essential to our well-being,” she says. As to how art and wine festivals effect greater sales of the featured products, Ciel says, “If you create an environment at a festival where people find quality, be it in art, wines, food or entertainment, they’re more likely to spend money. They feel inspired to bring the quality, experience and memory of that festival home with them.”
Even the casual Wine Country observer can find an undeniable correlation between art and wine, for both are about the finer things in life. Art need not exist for art’s sake alone. If it serves to propel more wine into our lives—or vice versa—we can certainly count ourselves doubly blessed.
