This two-part Coolest Labels series continues to reflect the increasing attention that winemakers are paying to the piece of paper that goes on their bottle. Each time I gather up potential candidates for this slideshow I stumble across a winery that is working in partnership with graphic designers to create wine labels. This is a good thing because, according to John Lawlor, co-founder of Label Analytics, a visual engagement research company, “The wine label really only has about 1.5 seconds to make an impact.” Lawlor and fellow co-founder, Don White, spend their days researching the impact of wine labels. “At the point of purchase the only real info the consumer has is the label, and within that 1.5 seconds we draw so many conclusions. Wine is such an image product so the label is a big part of the impression.”
Indeed, the label is an excellent opportunity to give artists a forum for their artwork, but it’s also a superior way to tell a wine’s story and give the customer a peek into the wine’s style. In this series you’ll see some irreverent selections–meant to get a laugh–and you’ll see more serious ones focused on the wine and terroir. Both send a message and both are going to sell wine. It’s a big wine world out there so please comment if you’ve seen a stunning, weird or just plain cool label that merits inclusion.