Dunham Cellars 'VI' Walla Walla Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

Dunham Cellars 'VI' Walla Walla, Yakima and Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

We hold a over a decade of vintages of this label. mostly acquired at auction until recent vintages which have appeared at certain Chicagoland merchants. We've also discovered and enjoyed their Trutina label which is a Bordeaux Blend, which at a reduced price point offers good QPR - Quality Price Ratio.

Dunham are a family-owned winery with several estate vineyards in prime locations around the Walla Walla Valley Appellation. Dunham grow and produce varietal based wines in Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay as well as Trutina, their Bordeaux style blend. Proprietor Eric Dunham is winemaker and also an artist who creates original artwork that is featured in a series of 'Artist Series' labels for Dunham Cellars vineyard designated and special bottlings.

I pulled this fifteen year old 2000 vintage release to compare with vintage releases of our recent tasting last week. Thankfully, this showed well and is still well within its drinking window showing very little diminution with age.

Dunham employ an interesting and unique branding methodology numbering each release of this wine with a Roman Numeral dating back to I with their 1995 release. Hence this 2000, their sixth release is labeled 'VI' for the sixth release.

This is their flagship label which we opened with great interest since we hold a vertical collection going back to their 1997 vintage, which we have not yet tried, so we weren't sure what to expect. This is from the Walla Walla winery with fruit sourced from numerous locations in the Yakima and Columbia Valleys in Central West Washington State - an area not normally associated with Bordeaux varietals. Yet, looking at the geography and latitude, the region is relatively near that of the French Bordeaux region.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant black raspberry and black cherry fruit flavors accented with a subtle layer of cedar and hints of eucalyptus, turning to tones of tar, black tea and hints of leather and spice on the smooth soft modest tannin finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=750740


http://www.dunhamcellars.com/ 

Benton Lane Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir for Easter Dinner

Benton Lane Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011 for Easter Dinner

I write often here about wine marketing and branding. Benton Lane have done a masterful job establishing an identity with their unique creative postage stamp styled labels. The metaphor works in creating an identity for the brand as well as allowing for multiple varietal offerings via the multi-color selections, as well as for the classification of vintages. The metaphor also works well for premium labels with the 'First Class' designation for select labels.

The Benton Lane family of labels as shown in their 'stamp' collection:

Benton-Lane derives its name from its location straddling the border between Benton and Lane counties in North-western Oregon. Lane is one of two counties to extend from the Pacific coast to the Cascade Mountain range. The Benton-Lane Estate is known as Sunnymount Ranch, named such since is is sunnier than the surrounding area due to its proximity in the shadow of some of the highest peaks in the coastal range, which tend to catch the marine cloud layer that flows in from the Pacific Ocean, in what climatologists call the “rain shadow”. The sunny slopes allow for earlier ripening of grapes increasing the chances of a complete harvest before the fall rains set in.

Steve and Carol Girard founded Benton-Lane when they purchased the property in 1988 and began planting Pinot Noir in 1989. Today the property comprises 138 acres in twenty-two different vineyard blocks predominantly planted to Pinot Noir of 7 different clones suitably matched to each sections terroir.

Benton-Lane’s first vintage was in 1992 and they produced Pinot Noir exclusively until 2003, when they expanded into small quantities of Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc.

Benton Lane offer the distinction of a high QPR - quality price ratio in a modest/moderate priced Pinot Noir, a rare find, as I often write in this blog. I first discovered Benton Lane in a fine dining restaurant and have been a fan since.

Today we opened Benton Lane Pinot Noir 2011 for our Easter baked ham dinner.

Dark garnet colored, medium bodied with predominant dusty rose and spicy black cherry, tones of rhubarb, strawberry and hints cranberry with tones of cassis and red licorice, with a smooth tangy modest tannin finish.

This was a perfect complement to our Easter dinner of baked ham with cherry compote, potatoes au-gratin, potato egg fritata with sweet and  jalapeno  peppers and scallions, and chocolate cheese blintzes with fresh berries, baked rolls and a fresh fruit plate.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1657893

http://www.benton-lane.com/

Herbert Triebaumer Ruster Ausbruch Burgenland Neusiedlersee-Hügelland Rust 1996/1997

This is a Chardonnay blend of Fürmint and Gelber Muskatellier (Furmint and Gold Muscatel grape varieties). Tonight this was tea colored, while it was likely straw or butter colored upon release, over time it darkened to butter color, then weak tea colored, eventually darkening to the dark orange rust color it possesses now. Allowed to continue to age, this will likely eventually darken to dark strong tea color, although I suspect it won't necessarily improve the flavor and suitability of the wine. Some classic dessert wines are built to last decades, I suspect this Ruster Ausbruch nearing twenty years is at or even past its peak drinking window. We still have a case of this wine, so watch this blog as we monitor this over the coming months and years.

The thick almost syrupy extracted sweet fruit has been offset by a smoky almond nut flavor. Rather than the highly desirable apricot or peach flavors, this tended to be more cirtus focused. This was also a nice complement to Baked Ham and the Chocolate Cheese Blintzes.

RM 88 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1455246

Ravines Finger Lakes Dry Riesling 2013

Ravines Wine Cellars Finger Lakes Dry Riesling 2013

We went out of our way and made a point to stop at Ravines Wine Cellars on the south east shore of Keuka Lake in Central New York's Finger Lakes wine region during our 2012 Finger Lakes Wine Experience.  It was a priority visit for us since its one of the few Finger Lake producers and wines available in Chicagoland.

Ravines Wine Cellars (left) is run by the husband wife team, Morten, viticulturalist and winemaker & Lisa Hallgren, self proclaimed 'foodie'. Morten was raised in Provence region of Southern France where the Hallgren family owned Domaine de Castel Roubine, a 270 acre estate with 170 acres of vineyards and where he spent years in the vineyards learning viticulture - tending to the vines.

After earning an advanced degree in Enology and Viticulture at the renowned winemaking school, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Agronomie in Montpellier, he spent time working at the classic Bordeaux producer, Chateau Cos d’Estournel, under the legendary Bruno Pratts.

He came to America working for a French negociant, then at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina before he was recruited by Willy Frank to be chief winemaker for Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars on the opposite side of Keuka Lake, the early pioneer and most established brand, who is credited with establishing serious wine production in the Finger Lakes region.

After six years at Franks, the Hallgrens purchased the 17 acre Ravines estate in 2000, named for the ravines carved out of the glacier-sculpted hillside on the Eastern slope overlooking Keuka lake (left). They source grapes from three vineyards located on the East side of Seneca Lake.

While they offer a broad line of red and white wines, from many diverse varietals (shown left), like so many Finger Lakes producers, I feel too many Finger Lakes producers are over-extended with too many varietals and labels and should stick with what they do best, that which is most suited to their terroir - climate, soil, exposure, degree days, sun days, length of growing season, rainfall, and so on. Old World producers, after centuries of experimentation and refinements have perfected matching the most suitable wine grape varietals to their unique terroir or sense of place at their locale. Certainly, this is the case in France, Portugal, and Germany - (I don't know what to make of Italy with their 500+ grape varietals - perhaps this is a reason we don't collect and specialize in Italian wines). Several Finger Lakes producers offered more than two dozen different wines.

Several times, we walked into a Finger Lakes winery where they were serving a dozen plus different wines and I asked for simply their flagship signature wine, and they didn't have one, or didn't know which one to feature.

For most of the producer's we visited, they offered almost too broad a selection of as many as a dozen or more different wines, without a highlight or showcase feature label. Ravines seemed to be less guilty of this excess than most of the others. Even then, Ravines produce Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc and a properly licensed Meritage, as well as several white wines including Gewurtraminer and Chardonnay besides the Riesling.

From all the wines, we tasted during the several days traversing the area, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and perhaps Cabernet Franc for the reds, seemed to be the varietal (s) best suited to the cooler more moderate climate of the region. We continue to buy and enjoy Ravines Dry Riesling with each new vintage release.

Tonight, for snacking while watching NCAA March Madness, with crackers and chips, Linda prepared a creative, tasty artichoke dip with chopped spinach, jalapeno, parmigiana, Greek yogurt and garlic seasoned salt, when went very nicely with this tangy Dry Riesling. 

While not elegant or sophisticated, this is a pleasant easy drinking every day white that offers reasonable QPR - quality price ration - at under $14.

I've written a great deal in this blog about wine marketing and branding. I applaud Ravine in this area with their tasteful, creative and decorative label (label) depicting the chateau (pictured top) and terrain of the estate.

Straw colored, medium light bodied, full forward flavors of grapefruit and tones of lemon and mineral with a subtle note of garden hose rubber on the mid-palate through the tart tangy focused acidity on the citrus finish.

RM 86 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1820218

http://www.ravineswine.com/

Nova Wines Marilyn Sauvignon Blonde 2013

Nova Wines Marilyn Napa Valley Sauvignon Blonde 2013 - Another case study in branding

Another label and line from the Nova Wines Marilyn Monroe collection of artist or photo art inspired series wines featuring artwork of photographs of the famous Hollywood movie starlet adorning every bottle that I wrote about in a recent blogpost - Marilyn Merlot and Norma Jean Wines - A Study in Branding.

These wines, with their sexy and fun labels have become a collector series with an almost cult like following. The producers have done an extraordinary job with their branding of the Marilyn lines associated with the Marilyn Merlot flagship namesake label, and others. The fun of buying their wines is indicated in this whimsical label Sauvignon Blonde - a play on words of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal, and the Platinum Blonde bombshell that was Marilyn Monroe.

This 2013 release, the sixth in this series of wines based on Sauvignon Blanc, that began in 2008, features a picture of Marilyn, taken by Sam Shaw, while she was spending time with him and his family that the producer says "has an intimacy and realness that is rarely seen in her more posed photographs".

Producer's winemakers notes - "Aromas are a combination of fresh violets and a typical herbaceous note that is expected with Sauvignon Blanc wines. Flavors of Meyer lemons and pears abound. This wine explains why we say Marilyn Sauvignon Blonde is the wine we drink daily!"

They say that Sauvignon Blanc is the grape varietal that manifests itself most naturally in its wines, succumbing to less adulteration or alteration than other varietals. This contributes to the consistency in Sauvignon Blanc wines across the spectrum including the price range.

Rear label

I find Sauvignon Blanc to be an ideal wine for the less discriminating or less sophisticated wine drinker with its simplicity and easy drinkability for every day as well as special occasion drinking. Notably, open this bottle, enjoy a glass, put it in fridge, and enjoy another glass again, and again, up to a week or even ten days later. Its good with white cheeses, seafoods, berries and other fruits, and salads.

This was a great accompaniment to left-over scampi from our last Saturday night wine and dine dinner. 

Nova Wines Marilyn Napa Valley Sauvignon Blonde Sauvignon Blanc 2013

This wine, as with many Sauvignon Blancs, represents great QPR - quality to price ratio, for every day drinking.

This 2013 release Sauvignon Blonde is light straw colored, light bodied, crisp, clean, and flavorful with lemon citrus tones turning to pear and stone with a tangy lingering finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1866356

http://www.marilynwines.com/WINES/SAUVIGNON-BLONDE 

Mouton Rothschild's Wine Label Artist Series Releases

Mouton Rothschild's Wine Label Artist Series 2010 Release and 2012 Unveiling 

As we turn the calendar to a new year, we start the clock on a new vintage year for wines produced that are harvested from grapes during this calendar year.  I wrote this week about this milestone and the release of new labels with the vintage designation and the special attention afforded the new release of collector's labels. As part of my continued fun with, and study of wines, and the branding and packaging of such, see my blog on the annual release of Marilyn Merlot featuring an exclusive label photograph of the starlet actress Marilyn Monroe.

We're holding 1990
Mouton -
birth year wine of our
youngest son

No producer in the world captures the imagination or attention of wine collectors more than the premier first growth designated Chateau Mouton Rothschild with their annual series of artist and art inspired labels. 

There are a number of producers from around the world that have created an artist series of labels - one with images of the producer, one with artwork by the producer, ones with flowers, ducks, artist renderings of their winery and vineyards, or just collections of art in various forms. The is only one Mouton Rothschild who are the standard bearer extraordinaire for the practice.

Each year a renowned artist is commissioned to do the artwork for that vintage label. The featured artist is said to be paid ten cases of various vintages of the classic Chateau Mouton Rothschild for their work, which is significant since the wine can command close to a thousand dollars per bottle in top vintages.  

Many a collector can only dream of collecting a 'vertical' collection of the line of Mouton releases each with the unique release of a featured artist' dedicated work of art to adorn that vintage release of the wine. 

Mouton Rothschild labels have been produced by the world's most famous contemporary artists, Chagall (1970), Dali (1958), Picasso (1973), Miro (1969), Andy Warhol (1975), as well as other luminaries such as Prince Charles (2004) and Hollywood director John Huston (1982). Many other producers have established artist series, but there is only one Mouton Rothschild.

In 1945, Mouton patriarch Baron Philippe de Rothschild conceived the original idea of crowning the Mouton label with a work of art created for this purpose by famous artists: These have included paintings by Miró, Chagall, Braque, Picasso, Warhol, Bacon, Balthus, amongst others. Only 4 vintages have not had Artist's labels: 1953 which celebrated the initial purchase of the Mouton property, 1977 when the British Queen Mother stayed at Mouton and the Baron dedicated that year's vintage to her, 2000 where the label is enameled in gold with a reproduction of Jakob Schenauer's Augsburg Ram (see library), and 2003 which is devoted to Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild depicted in a period photograph celebrating the 150th anniversary of 1853 acquisition of the Mouton estate by the family (see library). 

Another interesting anomaly in the annual release occurred in 1993. The label by Balthus depicted a charcoal on parchment drawing of a young girl reclining in the nude. Since it is a frontal view, the label was considered inappropriate and was withdrawn from the US marketplace, replaced by a blank label variation with the  image removed against the background. I acquired and hold both versions in our collection. 

In my continued study of the art of Mouton label artists, I've created in my label library collection on my WineSite, comparative works of art showing the label art relative to other works of art by the featured artist. Shown in the collection at The Art Institute of Chicago is a print by Balthus featuring a young girl fully clad but in a highly seductive naughty pose. There is also a charcoal sketch by Balthus shown in the collection very similar to the label art that was removed - see Seated Girl, 1966 . 

Latest 2010 Mouton
release

We've just recently seen arrival of bottles of the 2010 release and its artistic label designed by American artist Jeff Koons (see left). This label is of interest since this vintage year is the birth year of our first grandchild and we're acquiring and assembling a special horizontal collection of select bottles from the year. 

In the coming months, we should see the arrival of Chateau Mouton Rothschild from the 2011 vintage with its artist inspired label. The latency in the release of the wine is due to the aging of the wine in barrels for an extended period of time before it is bottled and subsequently released, two to three years after the actual harvest. 

The 2011 label features brightly colored "sinuous, random" undulating shapes, in a style attributable to French artist Guy de Rougemont. Chateau Mouton Rothschild says the artwork encompasses "the clarity of vines in sunshine to the darkness of the cellars – all the stages of the birth of a great wine."

And with the new year also comes the recent announcement by the producer of their selection of the artist and art to adorn the 2012 vintage release label. So it is that the heralded Chateau recently announced the unveiling of the next vintage label with its special artwork.  

They recently revealed that the 2012 label (see below) was designed by Spanish abstract artist Miquel Barceló who used the château’s emblem, the ram, as a highlight and focal point for the work. The label features a watercolour abstract representation of two rutting rams standing on their hind legs set against a muted background of a green pasture amidst a blue sky and white clouds.  

1981 Mouton - our
daughter's birth year wine

Considered one of the most influential living Spanish artists, born in Felanitx, Majorca, the 57-year-old has had his work exhibited at the Paris Museum of Modern Art and the Louvre. He also works in sculpture, drawing, ceramics and cast iron, in addition to painting.

One of his most noted works, is the Miquel Barceló decorated ceiling of the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room, used by the United Nations Human Rights Council, in the Palace of Nations in Geneva. 

The work of art is a massive sculptural installation in the domed ceiling, officially presented to the United Nations by the Spanish government. The chamber was inaugurated by the King and Queen of Spain, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the prime ministers of Spain and Turkey, and Swiss president Pascal Couchepin. The massive 16,000 ft ² (1,500 m²) project used 100 tons of paint, took a year to produce and cost $23 million.

Our wine budget doesn't allow for acquiring Mouton with each vintage, only special years as 'special occasion' wines. Most wine consumers are limited to normal conventions of wine acquisition - every day wines, once a week or once a month wines, once a year wines, and once in a lifetime or special occasion wines. 

As the top first growth wines have escalated exorbinantly in price in recent years, they're exclusivity is limited to the well heeled few, or those acquiring special bottles for very special occasions. 

Such is the case of our collection of Mouton releases for special years such as the birth years of our kids. Even then, as those prices escalated upwards to $1000 or more per bottle, I thinned those collections to but a mere few single digit bottles. 

Shown left is the 1982 Mouton Rothschild, commemorative bottle of #1 son Ryan's birthyear! 

Shown herein are the labels of some of those special bottles. 

See my complete Mouton Label Library collection and study at  http://www.mcnees.org/winesite/labels/label_library_pages/French_wine_label_pages/MR-Lbls/Label_Library_Mouton_Rothschild.htm .

Happy New Year!

Mouton 2012 label featuring
art by Miquel Barceló

Mouton 2011 label featuring
art by Guy de Rougemont

1993 Mouton 'blank' label
with inappropriate image
removed

Marilyn Merlot 2012 Label Unveiling / Release

Marilyn Merlot 2012 Label Unveiling / Release

The turn of the calendar each year starts a new vintage year for wines and unveils new releases for each label. For collectors interested in maintaining a 'vertical' collection of a wine - sequential or multiple vintages of the same label, its another vintage selection to add to the line. Awaiting the new vintage label of a collector's series, such as an artist series or a photo series, is a special happening. See my blog "Marilyn Merlot and Norma Jean Wines - (Now That's) A Study in Branding". The anticipation of one such new release was met this week with the arrival of the 2012 vintage release of Nova Wines' Marilyn Merlot in local stores.

I've written about the branding phenomenon of this quirky label that has taken on much fanfare and for some an almost cult following. The 2012 label represents the 28th release of the Napa Valley Merlot featuring a label adorning the famous starlet actress. I admit I've fallen for the scheme and pick up a bottle each year to add to my 'vertical' collection that now spans more than a dozen years. And we continue to have fun gifting these bottles for special occasions and appropriate recipients.

This year's label is stylish and elegant with its black background showcasing the starlet's platinum hair, fair skin and luscious red lips, matching the red Marilyn signature.

According to the producer, this year's label photograph is from “The Black Cape Sitting” by Milton Greene.  It was shot in New York, 1955. Marilyn spent that whole year out of public view, living with the Greene family."

Nova Wines with their Marilyn series hold the exclusive license to Marilyn Monroe photography for such use.

The producer's tasting notes for the wines are: "Deep rich, youthful, purple hues are evidenced in the glass with aromas that have pleasing intensity.  Hints of cassis, raspberry, spice, and rhubarb are well integrated in the nose.  From entry to finish this wine has an even, alluring presence on the palate with a nicely balanced medium body.  The flavors follow the aromas with added nuances of red currants and oak nicely integrated with the vinous fruit and a moderately lingering finish augmented by a touch of chili pepper"

We'll review this wine in an upcoming tasting journal post.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1781492

http://www.marilynwines.com/

B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

B Side wines are the product of Don Sebastiani & Sons, that claims it's heritage as part of the Sonoma Winemaking Family that dates back to 1904. Fourth generation producer Donny Sebastiani is the great–grandson of Samuele, the Sebastiani patriarch. In 2001, Don Sebastiani and his two sons, Donny and August, established Don Sebastiani & Sons, with a goal of building a new wine company in the negociant style of the early Sebastiani winemakers.

They source grapes from vineyards all over California’s appellations and beyond, claiming this enables them to be free to explore the best quality fruit that each vintage has to offer. As I've written here time and again over the last year, the negociant supply model provides the opportunity for imaginative, high QPR wines. But on the flipside, (no pun intended here), since they don't own or control the source of the fruit, they can be prone to 'one-hit wonders' (pun intended) with a blockbuster release one year, but when its gone it may be done, with no chance for a repeat. Since the wine could be sourced from different places each year, it's potentially the opposite of terroir, the association of wine to a particular place, and all the elements of soil, micro-climate, elevation, sun exposure and so on that give that site an identity reflected in its produce.

I've written much about branding here recently. The branding concept here is based on the old vinyl records that were the means to release and distribute music from the early 1950s through the '70's. Popular records were the two-sided '45'. The "A" side contained the featured hit song of the release, while the "B" side was sometimes 'filler', or an additional release to fill out the record. But once in a while, the 'B' side was as much a hit as the leader, often the real find, frequently revealing an undiscovered gem.

B Side wines play on this metaphor or concept and likens the A Side to the  A-list world of Napa Valley wines from the prominent prestigious properties on main street Napa Valley, along mainstream Highway 29 and Silverado Trail. B Side writes, "Hailing from Napa's "flip" side, B Side reds are crafted with grapes sourced from the slightly-off-the-beaten-track vineyards along the valley's eastern hillsides. They're authentic originals: a little experimental and unexpected, crafted and perfected behind-the-scenes for those with a penchant for discovery."

"The grapes comprising our two B Side offerings come from the "flip" side of Napa: vineyards tucked into the benchlands, slopes and hillsides of eastern Napa Valley near the scenic Silverado Trail."

They claim the majority of this blend comes from "selected vineyards in Oak Knoll, Calistoga and Yountville. Due to the warmer weather in Calistoga and Yountville, the fruit picked here adds impressive depth and flavors to the wine. The Oak Knoll district is ideally situated near Los Carneros, allowing for early morning fog, cool nights and extended hang time, all of which play a major role in developing smoothness and concentrated color. The vines are nearing 20 years of age in most of these blocks and have provided for a near perfect harvest of Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon this vintage."

Therein lies the negociant's challenge. Do they have rights to the follow on vintage (s) of this wine? Can we expect a release next year? Or is this a one hit wonder? And when will we know? So don't get too invested in this and treat as a single release, and stay tuned for what happens next. In fairness, this is their third release of B Side Napa Cab, but its not clear if they're all from the same source, or not. In any event, enjoy a good value, high QPR interesting release Napa cab while it lasts.

This B-Side Cellars Cabernet  contains 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot to round out the blend to add complexity and aromatic intrigue. The wine was aged in 80% French oak for 14 months before bottling.

From the winery: "Our beautifully crafted 2012 B Side Cabernet Sauvignon is pure, rich and deep, featuring aromas of blackberry, sweet tobacco leaf and notes of warm caramel. This wine is marked by a distinctively complex and subtle mix of black currant, toasted almond and anise, with a supple core of cherry and dark chocolate flavors. Full-bodied and mouth filling, the wine shows tremendous dimension with a seamless finish that lingers throughout the palate." They say this 2012 bottling has yet to be professionally reviewed, but the 2011 vintage garnered 90 points and an "Editors' Choice" designation by Wine Enthusiast.

The flagship B Side Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is dark inky garnet colored, full-bodied with black berry and black raspberry fruit flavors with tones of graphite and tobacco with a hint of mocha on a finish of moderate lingering tannins.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1793906

http://bsidewines.com/

Marilyn Merlot and Norma Jean Wines - A Study in Branding

Marilyn Merlot and Norma Jean Wines - Now That's Branding! 

Another blog post on wine marketing and branding - one of the more imaginative and marketing driven labels is a study in the ultimate branding exercise that totally transcends the wine experience. I wrote in a recent blogpost about wine branding about a couple of labels which were lacking a theme and absent of typical recognizable elements in accordance with branding practices. To the other extreme, Nova Wines have created an entire franchise on one celebrity identification theme based on a play on words - Marilyn Merlot. Marilyn Wines holds an exclusive agreement with the estate of Marilyn Monroe for the use of the name and the images in their wine marketing and packaging.

Playing on the name of the famous cinema starlet, Marilyn Monroe, the marketers at Nova Wines have  built the brand on an annual release of moderate priced Merlot varietal featuring an authentic Marilyn Monroe photo on the label. What might have started out as a whimsical or even corny idea has turned into a fun wine that has an almost cult following in some precincts of collectors. Vintage bottles of the label fetch high prices that far exceed the pedigree of the wine, explicable only due to the marketing/branding of the label collection. I know of one reputable wine shop in a mid-size midwestern city that holds a 1985 Marilyn Merlot that they're offering at $3500.

Marilyn Merlot 2003

I've assembled a portfolio of Marilyn labels in my label library on my winesite. And, I admit I've collected a 'vertical' collection of the wine that spans the past dozen years. We do have fun gifting these wines to friends for suitable occasions, great for those not into the wine so much, but taken by the clever packaging. The Marilyn Merlot label is now in its 26th year.

Evidence of the Nova team marketing savvy and building upon the success of their branding, the portfolio has grown to more than a half dozen labels all playing to the 'Marilyn' theme, bearing whimsical names, Marilyn Meritage, Sauvignon Blond, Blond de Noirs, and this label, Norma Jeane.

Playing on the name Norma Jeane, the given name of the starlet before she became 'Marilyn' famous, the wine is a modest priced entry level sipper intended to be consumed young or soon after release, lacking the sophistication and pedigree for aging. As with the Marilyn label, "each vintage of Norma Jeane Merlot features a photograph taken of the young actress in the years just before she captured the imagination of the American public as Marilyn Monroe", according to their website.

Norma Jeane is the low end, budget priced label in the portfolio which continues to grow in a range of varietal offerings and price points. The family has grown to also include Marilyn Cabernet and a recently released Velvet Collection. According to their marketing, "Norma Jeane wines have captured the imagination of collectors and as well as those who simply enjoy the exuberance of young and delicious Merlot." Indeed, its more marketing than viticulture and winecraft as the wine's appeal exceeds its wine pedigree. They're striving to address this with their premium Velvet Collection label.

Evidence of their marketing success is in the pricing of their 'vintage' wines. Today, their winesite offers ten vintages of the otherwise 'modest' Norma Jeane label. The release price from Nova for their 2013 vintage is $13 and its generally available from $10 to $14. The 2012 release is also available at $13. But note the price escalation for earlier vintage releases - the 2011 is offered on their website at $70! The 2010 vintage is a bargain at $35 if you look the hefty $110 price for the 2009! The rest of the flight is available at 2008 - $70, 2007 - $55, 2006 - $65, and the 2005 is priced at $100. But wait, after the bargain priced 2004, available at $50, the 2003 is $155 and the 2002 is $175. Hold on, the 2001 and 2000 are offered at $225 each, and you can round out your vertical collection with the 1999 at $110 and the 1998 at $160. Don't fret, the 1998- 2009 Vertical Collection is In Stock and available for $1500. I can't make this up. Don't forget, this is a $12 every day sipper. Marketing!

I refer to Nova Wines as marketers as opposed to producers, since I believe they are more negociants than producers - purchasing fruit or wine from others and remarketing it under their own branding and labeling. I am not aware of land holdings or vineyards attributable to Nova Wines.

According to their stated history, "Marilyn Wines traces its origins to 1981, when a small group of friends started making wine at their home near St. Helena in the Napa Valley.  One evening in 1983, over dinner and a bottle of homemade merlot, the concept of "Marilyn Merlot" was born.  The wine enjoyed a good deal of popularity around the valley and was often donated to charity auctions and given as Christmas gifts.'

"In 1985, the playful idea and the fine wine that bore its name led to the limited production of Marilyn Merlot for sale to the public.  Over the 25 years, continuing acclaim from critics, collectors, and lovers of fine wine have led to the production of Marilyn Merlot, Marilyn Cabernet, Norma Jeane, the Velvet Collection, Marilyn Blonde de Noirs, Marilyn Red Dress, and Marilyn Sauvignon Blonde, and Marilyn Meritage."

While they may own some land, and make some of their own wine, I suspect their incredible success has grown beyond that capacity such that they now source their product from other growers and or winemakers to meet their demands.

As I wrote in earlier blogs about negociants and their practices, while this often provides notable wines at extraordinary prices, since their sources may change from vintage to vintage, there may be no such element of terroir, sense  of place with consistent predictability or uniformity in the product. Here again, this isn't about the wine, its about the brand. Kudos to the Nova team for creating an marketing case study in branding, contrary to my earlier citations on the practice.

 

Norma Jeane Red Wine 2013

Ironically, I picked this up at the local wine shop while I was there to pick up the absolute last available bottles of another negociant label - Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 101 Syrah. Now that its gone, its gone forever. I scoured the market to find the last stock and grabbed it all.

While I follow the releases of Norma Jeane, based on their marketing and labeling featuring images of the starlet early in her career, I've not been a consumer of this wine. I don't have a palette for or particularly enjoy low end modest red wines, despite their affordability at around $10. Its a double edged sword, that as one tastes and studies more wine, and develops a conscious palette for such, one's preferences tend to elevate to more sophisticated wines, which naturally cost more. This is one of the perils of wine enjoyment, one's 'tastes' tend to become more expensive with the more educated palette. As I've written before, this isn't continuous, one reaches their limit of sophistication and preference at a particular level, that typically reflects a pricepoint, whether it be $20, $35, $50 or more. Above that level, I contend that price does not equate with wine quality or appeal, rather marketing and label 'cache' takes over and dictates prices as much as the product itself. Aside the rarified air of certain ultra premium wines, certainly there is a point of diminishing returns for the vast majority of labels. 

This wine was vegetal in character with green pepper predominating over any essence of berry fruit, almost to a point of airing wet grass with woodiness. Buy it for the label, not the contents. Indeed, people will.

RM 83 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1866352

Orin Swift Red Wine Flight - Unique Labeling - Imaginative Wines

Orin Swift Red Wine Flight - Unique Labeling - Imaginative Wines - A Lesson in Wine Marketing and Branding

For a another casual Friday night wine and cheese plate tasting, we sampled a flight of Orin Swift Napa Reds.  After our Orin Swift Abstract Red Wine Blend tasting last week, DOC in Yorktown Lombard offered a Orin Swift Red special flight. Once again we had the Butcher's Plate with a pairing of cheeses - aged cheddar and Old Amsterdam, with pate and cured salmon. While his wines tend to carry his innumerable style of bold expressive somewhat eclectic blends, his branding is confusing and disjointed.

 

As a student and practitioner in marketing, and a wine geek, I'm regularly studying and commenting on wine marketing. After tasting and writing about Orin Swift wines twice last week, it was natural to try this special offer flight. I had no knowledge of the three label names on offer - Orin Swift 'Saldo', 'Machete' Blend and 'Palermo' Napa Valley Red Blend wines. As an avid wine collector, writer and taster, I thought I knew something about Orin Swift wines. While I had no knowledge of any of these labels. after tasting, I asked the server to pull the bottles so I could see their labels and packaging. Only then did I realize I recognized and had seen all the labels, but I never associated them with or knew them to be Orin Swift offerings. Such the essence of a failure in typical or classic branding - or is it unique madness or genius in branding?

Last week, when I wrote about Abstract, I also wrote about a tasting where I took two Orin Swift wines, the 'Prisoner' and 'Papilllon'. While I have seen these three labels before, and recognize these labels, not until tonight's tasting experience did I associate all these labels with being from the same producer, let alone associate them with these other rather well known ones. If I fail to make this connection, with all the attention I pay to wines, a casual or typical consumer is lost on the brand. To complicate or confuse matters further, the Prisoner brand, which has taken on a loyal almost cultish following has been sold and is no longer an Orin Swift offering.

Indeed, on my Rick's WineSite(TM), I have a Wine Label Library that features photos of thousands of wine labels from my collection, tastings and encounters. On the library page, I feature a section on Art & Artist Series Wine Labels and another section on Notable Wine Labels. The former are chosen for their distinctive style and branding affinity. The latter are chose for their notable and memorable branding - both good and bad or certainly uniquely different.

Some of the artist wine label libraries are classics such as perhaps the two most notable, Chateau Mouton Rothschild with its annual label featuring original art from a famous artist, and Marilyn Merlot Series featuring the famous Hollywood starlet.

Orin Swift Palermo Label

Notably, I have featured Orin Swift Palermo (shown left) on the second page as an example of a 'bad' label idea. Yea, tonight when I ordered the wine flight and tasted the wine, I did not associate it with that label until the server presented the bottles afterwards upon my request.

It doesn't help that there is another producer with a similar name with the same penchant for weird, sometimes outrageous wine labels. I now realize I often confuse those wines of Orin Swift with those of Owen Roe!  Such is the ultimate in poor or unique branding.

On my 'bad' wine label page, I show the Orin Swift Palermo label and Owen Roe's 'Sinister Hand'. You need to read the back label on that bottle for the story that explains the ghoulish name. I write on my page, "Another instance of 'what were they thinking?' Easy to confuse Orin Swift (Napa) and Owen Roe (Columbia) (above) - same dark perspective or approach ... Many of the Orin Swift labels have an eery sense about them .. http://www.orinswift.com/."

In the end, its all in the eye of the beholder. You be the judge. In the same way, that wine is just grape juice, the labels are mere marketing and promotion of the bottle and brand. Like the case where bad publicity is better than no publicity, perhaps memorable bad wine labels are better than unmemorable labels. After tasting Orin Swift Palermo, I wanted to see the label. After seeing the label, I am not sure I'd be drawn to taste the wine!

Talk about branding confusion, not until after I write my piece above, do I read the Orin Swift Machete website when I pull down the link below, that says, "**Bottled with 12 Different Labels, you may not receive the one pictured**." It links to a pdf with pictures of twelve labels of various poses of a scantily clad woman and a vintage old Cadillac, brandishing a machete in various poses, plus one totally different label of alpha graphics. See a portfolio of a selection of these labels below. Perhaps there is genius in this label madness if the collection of Machete labels become collectables in their own right. In any event, there is uniqueness and fun, if not weirdness in the selection of shots from the photo shoot. Perhaps it is working since I'm writing about it here, and featuring his selection of labels below, and you are reading about it.

The Wines ...

Orin Swift Palermo Red Wine Blend 2012

A Bordeaux blend of predominant Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Dark inky purple colored, medium bodied, nicely balanced, moderately complex vibrant expressive black berry, black and sweet red currant fruits, sweet tobacco, hints of vanilla, cedar, oak and touch of cocoa, with a medium firm tannin lingering finish. Bright vibrant fruits almost taste like a Shiraz on the front.

RM 91 points.

 https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1765854

http://www.orinswift.com/2012Palermo

Orin Swift Machete Red Wine Blend 2012

A blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Grenache. I think its the Grenache that takes on the slightly metallic minerality that detracts from the fruit. Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, complex forward slightly disjointed competing flavors of ripe blackberries, black raspberries, toasty oak, dark mocha tones with hint of expresso on a moderate tannin finish. 

RM 89 points.

http://www.orinswift.com/2012Machete



Orin Swift Saldo Zinfandel  Red Wine 2012

Bright garnet colored, medium bodied, rather simple narrow focused flavorful sweet dark berry ripe plum and cola flavor with tones of mocha, vanilla and spice.


RM 88 points.

A blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Sirah.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1754889

http://www.orinswift.com/2010Saldo

http://www.docwinebarchicago.com/lombard/

Another examples of Orin Swift unique labeling is their premium label Mercury Head which features an actual American Mercury Head dime coin affixed to the bottle.

Orin Swift Veladora Sauvignon Blanc 2013

Orin Swift Machete Label Library