Eye-Catching Labels Capture Eye-Popping Sales

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Sep 07, 2011, 02:28 ET

NAPA, Calif., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- From a red mailbox to a gold Roman coin...from frolicking cherubs to flocks of dancing seagulls...from ancient cave paintings to ultra-modern art...many of the labels found on wines imported and sold by Quintessential follow a simple, but still relevant, dictum: the prettier or more striking the label, the better chance of being noticed...and bought.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110907/SF64073)

Wine novices and connoisseurs alike admire the beautifully-drawn cherubs gracing Two Angels Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Syrah. The label's image was taken from a woodcut by the Flemish artist, Jacob DeBacker, in 1591, created to illustrate the "pleasure and pain" of excessive drinking (one could call it the first "responsible drinking" campaign).

A bright red, rectangular label with a small black slit (representing rural Australian and British mail boxes), has become well-known as the highly-rated Australian blend, Pillar Box Red. The woman behind this label, owner Kim Longbottom, is gaining a reputation as one of the more creative talents fashioning clever wine labels. Her winery, Henry's Drive, is situated on the site of a 19th century stagecoach route. The driver, Henry, is depicted in a 1950s Australian postage stamp. Kim took that stamp and made it the centerpiece of her flagship wines. The postal/communications theme informs all the winery's labels.

Her most recent addition are the Morse Code wines, with a series of black "dots and dashes" on a stark white background, spelling out the words "Shiraz" and "Chardonnay" in the international telegraphic language of Morse Code.

The Vino dei Fratelli Italian wines offer another eye-catching label design. A gold coin, with the profiles of identical twins, rests in the center of ancient Italian walls, with type mimicking old Roman calligraphy. According to the back label, the label "shows an ancient Roman coin struck in 46 BC depicting two of the most famous 'fratelli' (brothers) in Roman mythology -- Castor and Pollux" that are also known as the constellation, the Gemini Twins.

Whether it's Chilean hieroglyphics of lamas (the Corralillo label from Matetic Vineyards) or the Picasso-inspired painting of a mysterious Argentine "lady in the bottle" of New Age wines, these enticing labels do their job to help generate trial. The combination of arresting labels and high-quality, good value wines that keep consumers coming back for more, has helped make Quintessential one of the more successful, growing wine importers in the country.

SOURCE Quintessential