What's in a Label?

What’s in a label? In some industries it means more than others but that first impression always makes a difference.
I’ve been a professional wine buyer for wine bars and restaurants for more than two decades. Labels never meant that much to me as the wine inside is what counts and that is true for most sommeliers and other wine professionals. However, we are also aware that the label is important to consumers, especially in retail. Winemakers know this as well which is why many, big and small, farm out their graphic design to professionals who not only have an artistic talent but marketing sensibility.
If you want to let potential customers know that wine is whimsical but that genuine thought and care went into its production, you might go for something like this one, from Dirty and Rowdy. Made from Semillon, a grape that has limited commercial appeal, this image says that the wine is going to provide a sense of adventure. It tells a story and you can make it up as you wish.
On the other hand, if you want people to think that the wine is not just serious but reliable, you choose a label that conveys a classical tone like this one from Cain Winery in Napa. The type is modern. It is shaped like a pentagon with little circles (grapes). This label may not grab your eye as quickly as Dirty & Rowdy’s but it is a solid image.
Uniforms tell you something about a company or place of business. When I go to a hotel and am greeted by a doorman wearing an elegant suit, I’m pretty sure I can find a mini bar stocked with Johnnie Walker Black. Some hotels, especially in trendier areas dress their employees in more casual attire but still with an eye toward design and taste. How does this to relate to wine or rather wine labels and bottles? The packaging.
Whether or not people do it consciously, that first impression, be it a fashionably designed suit at a hotel registration desk or the navy colored shorts that the Fedex lady is sporting, packaging influences our purchasing decisions. This is as of true of choosing a hotel as it is for wines we choose to bring to a dinner party. Image matters.