BLANKbottle "B.I.G. SA" Swartland Cabernet Blend 2019

BLANKbottle "B.I.G. SA" Swartland Cabernet Blend 2019

 This was another special buy from VinChicago who find and often offer such limited release labels at good value. This seemed to be good value relative to the market price if you could find it. Being from South Africa, it had lesser distribution and a more limited following that more popular regional wines. Searching for this label, I found it available throughout Europe and in a few locations on the east coast, in all cases at prices ten to thirty percent higher. 

During my South Africa Wine Experience in 2019, I tasted some really good wines from down there, thus was open to try some unknown labels. 

Fun with wine ... as the header of this blog states, I write about "perspectives on wine buying, collecting, tasting, a study in wine marketing & branding; observations, experiences and ruminations of a winegeek & frequent traveler." This post is the epitome of such ruminations.  

This wine is the extreme of the broad spectrum of wines and labels, the polar opposite of the grower producer terroir driven wine labels where one collects and compares the subtleties of variations of the same label from vintage to vintage over time, the same wine sourced from the same 'estate' producer owned vineyard (s).

This is from South African winemaker producer Pieter Walser, who travels the region sourcing a vast wide variety of grapes from numerous growers to produce a broad portfolio of labels, many one-of single vintage offerings, and some that are repeated. There are several American and French producers that employ this negociant method of acquiring grapes to produce a private label or own label brand. I've written in these pages the perils of 'collecting' such wines since they may never appear again. Walser notes, "At the moment, roughly 30% of our wines are once-off wines. If they perform well, they will stay on."

To his credit, he employs expensive quality packaging of these wines with heavier bottles and wax dipped capsules, and imaginative designer labels.

Seeing the producer website sole photo of the winemaker, (shown left), and the way he describes himself and talks about his business and his brand, I am drawn to think this is what it would be like if Crocodile Dundee, the Australian outback movie character, were a winemaker. 

Indeed, he plays on the movie theme metaphor: “It’s our privilege to be the costume designer and screenwriter, to present this time capsule, a catalyst that brings people together, there to de-stress, entertain, – as the star headline act, in the privacy of your home.”

He replays on his website this interview style backgrounder from the producer website:  

"SO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN WINERY BUT NO FARM? Yes, at the moment I can’t afford one but then again owning a farm limits you to the vineyards on your specific farm. I love traveling and experiencing many different areas. I want to convey as many different stories as possible from as many areas as possible – if I can one day have 50 wines in our portfolio I would be happy.'

"HOW MANY VINEYARDS DO YOU BUY GRAPES FROM? In the 2020 harvest we picked 165 tons from about 80 vineyards; 35 different varietals – anything from Fernao Pirez to Cabernet. This year we bottled well over 40 different wines.'

"ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL, HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE INVOLVED IN SO MANY VINEYARDS? I work with great farmers and knowledgeable viticulturists. We make wines from almost all the areas in the Western Cape. They all ripen at different times. In the beginning of harvest I only focus on the first, maybe 10, in Wellington and Darling. As we pick through the first 10, I start looking at the next in line to possibly ripen. We carry on like that and 13000 km and 100 days later we normally pick the last vineyard in the Witzenberg.'

I am learning that the Rhone varietals, notably one of favorites, Syrah, and South African varietals such as the most well known, Pinotage, are probably the more consistent and reliable selections than Bordeaux varietals such as this. This producer, Pieter Walser, explains the challenges of South African Cabernet Sauvignon.

"When I first started speaking to the masters of Cabernet here at the Southernmost tip of Africa, the first thing mentioned by most was the dreaded Greenness in Cabernet Sauvignon - a very unwelcome herbaceous / vegetative character. This develops due to high levels of Pyrazines present in the wine - something that's determined by the ripeness level of the grapes. The longer the grape bunches get exposed to sunlight during the growing period, the less Pyrazines - resulting in less greenness in the end product - reducing herbaceousness and amplifying fruit.'

"Here in South Africa we have a unique situation: although we have plenty of sunshine, it is hot and dry. In most instances, by the time the grapes are ripe for picking, it hasn't had long enough sun exposure for the Pyrazines to get to an acceptable level. And if you leave it on the vine for longer, the sugar level gets too high. These sugars are then transformed during fermentation into alcohol resulting in rather high alcoholic wines.'

"So in general, Cabernet creators are in fact chased by the Green Monster. Defended by some, feared by most. What confuses me, though, is that one could argue that this greenness is a stylistic characteristic of wines closer to the ocean, which makes it acceptable. Or does it? Where the exact point lies where herbaceousness turns into greenness - I am not sure." 

This label release is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, sourced from 11 vineyard sites, all of which are mentioned on the label, which explains its busy-ness and complexity. In retrospect, its brilliant, showing the geography and topography, elevation of each of the vineyard sites.  

Pieter writes, "The label shows a landscape and identifies all the vineyards that went into the final wine. The closest vineyard to the ocean is 3km and the furthest 3 hours drive."  The label is brilliant and ingenious in its design showing the relative proximity and altitude of the vineyard sites. BLANKbottle creative artwork labels recently won multiple awards, including the Grand Prix, at the 2015 Wine Label Design Awards.

Winemaker producer Walser writes about this label, "The name B.I.G. does not refer to the style of the wine but to the magnitude of the blend. This wine represents Bordeaux from South Africa. The first vintage of this wine was in 2015 and it had six vineyards in the final blend, all Cabernet Sauvignons from different heights above sea level. The blend varies from year to year - the 2019 consists of 9 vineyards - 5 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2 Cabernet franc, 1 Merlot and 1 Petit Verdot. Each year I adjust the label accordingly.'

There are some wonderful high volume large production wines that are a blend of fruit from a wide variety of sources. I write often how remarkable it is that such labels can consistently produce a high quality product in this way. 

This was the approach and strategy employed by Jess Jackson in his California Reserve Chardonnay, a wine that propelled him to a billionaire legend that changed the landscape of the California wine business. His success and meteoric rise was chronicled in the book A Man and His Mountain, the story of self-made billionaire Jess Jackson and his pursuit of his dream to build a brand of premium varietal based wine for the mass market.

This wine is a small production offering, a fraction of the Kendall Jackson Reserve, never-the-less, sourced and blended from a wide range of vineyards across a wide range of geographies and distinctive terroir's, in the same way. 

Winemaker's notes: "With stunning black fruit, sweet peppery spice, fine tannin and good acidity, this is a very drinkable wine that shows complexity and liveliness. A wine where each sip stays as interesting as the first."

I found it rather uninspiring and lacking a definition of a particular profile or character and style - perhaps a cacophony of tastes rather than a symphony, lacking elegance and polish, more appropriate for a casual sipper with pizza or pasta than with elegant French cuisine or grilled steak. 

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, big full flavors of black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of baking spices, black pepper and black tea with lively acidity on a moderate finish. 

RM 87 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3892442 

https://vinchicago.com/wines/17250-detail

We obtained another bottle from this producer, another Bordeaux varietal, Petit Verdot. I'll look forward to tasting and comparing that bottle and will post that experience in these pages when I do. 

https://blankbottle.co.za/

https://www.vinchicago.com/

 

https://twitter.com/vin_chicago 

 

Château Mouton Rothschild Xu Bing 2018 Vintage label

Château Mouton Rothschild Selects Chinese artist Xu Bing design for Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2018 Vintage label 

My study in wine branding and marketing each year looks forward to the annual announcement of the selected artist and featured artwork for the vintage release of Château Mouton Rothschild. 

This week the legendary Château Mouton Rothschild announced the label for its 2018 vintage release. The new label will feature an original calligraphic artwork by Xu Bing, a leading Chinese artist printmaker and calligrapher. 

Xu Bing developed “square word calligraphy” as a system for writing English in the early 1990s after he came to New York. Although the rectangular units of writing resemble Chinese characters, each one is actually a word in English, in which the letters of each English word are organized into structures that resemble Chinese characters. 

Xu Bing's works have been exhibited at the British Museum in London, and the Museum of Modern Art and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, "An Introduction to Square Word Calligraphy" from 1994-1996.

Xu Bing’s 2018 design displays the name ‘Mouton Rothschild’ written in a unique script called Square Word Calligraphy. Xu Bing developed this artistic form of writing by reshaping Latin alphabet letters to resemble traditional Chinese characters, suggesting a blending of different cultures. 

Xu Bing’s previous work has showcased in several leading galleries and museums around the world and covers many different media, including wood engraving, large installations, and sculpture.

The 65-year-old Xu, born in 1955, first visited Château Mouton Rothschild in 2013 at the invitation of Baroness Philippine de Rothschild. “I was impressed by her energy, her warm personality and her knowledge of the arts. She said that one day I should create a label for Mouton Rothschild,” Xu said in a press release Tuesday.

After the Baroness passed away in 2014 at age 80, the estate and vineyards were inherited by her three children, Philippe Sereys de Rothschild, Camille Sereys de Rothschild, and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild.

“So when Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild contacted me to illustrate the label for the vintage 2018, I took it as both an honor and an opportunity to pay tribute,” Xu said.

“When I discovered Xu Bing, I was captivated by him as an inventor of signs endowed with incredible poetic power,” Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild said in the release. “And then I said to myself that our labels were also signs, each work of art referring to a year: the 1973 vintage can also be called the ‘ Picasso Mouton, ’ just as the 2018 vintage will be called the ‘ Xu Bing Mouton ’.”

I have written about the Mouton art series in these pages in the feature Mouton Rothschild Wine Label Art Series.

As I have written in these pages, any study in wine branding and marketing at some point invites a discussion of art label series featuring original or reproductions of notable art or artists on the wine labels. No wine producer in the world captures the imagination or attention of wine collectors and wine art enthusiasts more than Mouton Rothschild with their annual artist series artist featured wine label.

Each year a renowned artist is commissioned to do the artwork for that vintage. The featured artist is said to be paid ten cases of various vintages of the classic Chateau Mouton Rothschild for their work. Most every collector dreams of collecting a 'vertical' collection (wines of multiple vintages of the same wine) of the classic premium First Growth Bordeaux to display the 'artwork' of Mouton.

Mouton Rothschild Artist 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, 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.

Since then, only 4 vintages have not had Artist's labels: 1953 which celebrated the initial purchase of the Mouton property, 1977 when the 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 (seen in the linked to library series), and 2003 which is devoted to Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild depicted in a period photograph celebrating the 150th anniversary of the 1853 acquisition of the Mouton estate by the family. 

 

Other recent vintage release labels:

 

2017	Annette Messager
	Annette Messager was selected as the artist for the Mouton Rothschild 2017 label. Her design named ‘Hallelujah’ features the word repeated many times in waves on the artwork. The artwork also features imagery of a woman's breasts that refer to the combination of milk and wine. The producer said of Messager’s work, ‘In an approach that is both realistic and symbolic, [Messager] combines two substances, milk and wine, which the Bible often associates with each other, hymning the virtues of both.’ The artist Messager was born in Bereck in Northern France in1943. She is known as a visual and graphic artist and has exhibited her work in the some of the world’s best-known galleries. She won the prestigious Golden Lion award at Venice Biennale in 2005 and the Praemium Imperiale in Japan in 2016. Several of her major works have been seen as commentary on identity, particularly around the perceptions of women by society and individuals.
2016	William Kentridge
	South African artist William Kentridge designed the label for the 2016 vintage grand vin. The artwork named ‘The Triumphs of Bacchus’ incorporated a series of silhouettes for the Mouton Rothschild 2016 label. Kentridge, was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1955, and was the first artist from the African continent to illustrate a Mouton label. The Kentridge label design shows a variety of silhouettes of Bacchus in what the first growth Château described as a joyful procession. The work was inspired by Bacchic characters from the paintings of great artists, from Titian to Matisse, Mouton said. One of the art forms most closely associated with Kentridge is the creation of animated film using charcoal drawings or black-card cut-outs, Mouton said. Kentridge has also become well-known for a variety of art forms, including sculpture and theatre.
2015	Gerhard Richter
	The 2015 label was designed by German artist Gerhard Richter who is well known for a broad portfolio of paintings, abstracts, photographs and paintings on photographs dating back to 1962. Since the mid 1980's he has created more than 2,000 Overpainted Photographs. His creation for the Mouton label is an abstract 'photo painting' using a unique 'flux' technique that combines photography and painting. The technique, involves spreading enamel paint on a plate of plexiglass which is then pressed against a glass plate. For the design, he photographed the fluctuating colours at the point he considered the composition to be 'momentarily harmonious'. The completed work consists of the one plate affixed of top of the other. His abstract style has been likened to famous artists including Picasso. This year's artist and deign were chosen by Camille and Philippe Sereys de Rothschild and Julien de Beaumarchais de Rothschild, the next-generation owners of the famous wine estate. Richter was born in Germany in 1932. His 1986 painting ‘Abstraktes Bild’ set a record auction price for a work by a living artist in October 2015, when it sold at Sotheby’s for over $40 million.

 The collection of Mouton Rothschild labels are all shown on my legacy McNees.org/WineSite Mouton Rothschild Art Label Library.

The official library is presented on the original Mouton Rothschild Official Label Art Site.

My Winesite Label Library lists the Mouton Rothschild Label Library Series Artists and associated works by the artists for reference or to aid in further exploration or research of the library and its history: 

Alpha Listing of Mouton Rothschild Label Artists

Chronological list of Mouton Rothschild artists with links to Wikipedia profiles and other artwork by Mouton Rothschild selected artists.

Marilyn Merlot 2016

Nova Wines "Marilyn Merlot" Napa Valley Merlot 2016

Wine geeks, oenophiles,  often take their passion for wine way too seriously, or certainly so to those not so compulsive or fixated, which is most folks. Its important to back it down and simply have fun with wine too.

This blog focuses on wine tasting and collecting. Another discussion thread is a study in wine branding and marketing. One unique approach is Marilyn Wines, of the entity Nova Wines, who have created an entire franchise on one celebrity identification theme based on a play on words - Marilyn Merlot featuring the iconic starlet Marilyn Monroe. 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.

The brand is the creation of Bob and Donna Holder of Rutherford in Napa Valley, who initially crafted a homemade Merlot back in 1983 using some purchased grapes and some grapes from the Holder property. They started selling their wine and created the brand.  In the early days, they purchased bulk wine, then, in 1997, they shifted from purchasing bulk wine to purchasing grapes. The wine is made at the Napa Wine Co. in Oakville, CA.

Marilyn Wines has extended the brand to a broad portfolio of labels based on Marilyn Monroe. In addition to Marilyn Merlot, they also produce Marilyn Meritage, Sauvignon Blond, Marilyn Cabernet and Norma Jean, a lesser label with 'younger' second label grapes. The brand has grown further with the release of Marilyn Merlot Rose and Marilyn Monroe Chardonnay.

Of course the most famous or notable iconic collector series is Mouton Rothschild. A study in wine branding and marketing at some point invites a discussion of art label series featuring original or reproductions of notable art or artists on the wine labels. No wine producer in the world captures the imagination or attention of wine collectors and wine art enthusiasts more than Mouton Rothschild with their annual artist series artist featured wine labels.

Each year a renowned artist is commissioned to do the artwork for that vintage. The featured artist is said to be paid ten cases of various vintages of the classic Chateau Mouton Rothschild for their work. Every collector dreams of collecting a 'vertical' collection (wines of multiple vintages of the same wine) of the classic premium First Growth Bordeaux to display the 'artwork' of Mouton.

My Winesite Label Library lists the Mouton Rothschild Label Library Series Artists and associated works by the artists for reference or to aid in further exploration or research of the library and its history.

As with Mouton Rothschild, I've assembled a portfolio of Marilyn labels in my label library on my winesite. 

The 2016 vintage release of Marilyn Merlot this annual feature label just appeared this week in stores in the Chicagoland market.  They also just released Norma Jeane, the 21st vintage of the Norma Jeane.

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.

The producer tries to maintain a delicate balance and moderate the hype of the collectability of the wine and the valuation of bottles over time versus the novelty and fun of the wine. It appears they've earnestly worked to improve the pedigree and quality of the product to produce a wine more worthy of and capable of long (er) term cellaring by sourcing from notable vineyard sources and producing a Red Bordeaux varietal blend. As such, the release price of the wine has crept up in recent years as well. This year's release price is $36 however the 'street price' still remains at the traditional price point in the $25 to $28 range.

The producer site says, "Each new vintage of Marilyn Monroe Merlot sells out quickly. While collectors have made Marilyn Monroe Merlot one of the fastest-appreciating wines on the market, it is wine enthusiasts with a sense of humor who have long enjoyed the playful spirit behind Marilyn Merlot wines that are now also seeking the Marilyn Monroe Merlot because of the emphasis on making a notable wine from prized Napa Valley grapes. While the concept and engaging label of these wines has given these bottles a degree of fame, it is the wine in the bottle that merits the enthusiasm of those who seek it out every year.'

"This wine is every bit as special as its package," says Donna Holder, one of the owners of Marilyn Wines. "It is a must for collectors, but is also a Napa Valley Merlot that stands beautifully on its own."

The producer promotes highly escalated prices for vintage bottles of the label asking 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 until recently held a 1985 Marilyn Merlot that they were offering at $3500.

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 and am still holding what now spans fifteen vintages. Indeed, we drank a dozen year old 2006 recently and it was drinking quite nicely. 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 32nd year.

The 2016 vintage release is a blend of 91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, all from Napa Valley. The Vineyard source for the fruit in the 2016 vintage release wine is primarily from grapes from Andy Beckstoffer’s Missouri Hopper vineyard near Oakville with a supporting cast of vineyard sources in Napa Valley including merlot from St. Helena and Cabernet Sauvignon from St. Helena and Oak Knoll appellations.


The iconic photograph adorning the label for this 2016 release was taken by photographer Milton Greene of Marilyn Monroe in September, 1953. It features a extraordinary close-up photo of Marilyn in a large green sweater.

The Winemaker's Notes for this vintage: The 2016 Marilyn Merlot is a rich scarlet hue with purple tones that immediately catch one’s eye as it is poured in the glass. The aromas exhibit a complexity of characters, including but not limited to, cherries, cinnamon, plums, juniper berries and hints of mocha. This merlot has wonderful structure and weight on the palate, is well balanced with suitable tannins for aging. The flavors amplify the aromas with added nuances of tart, rich, blackberries, and vanilla. Very enjoyable now but will improve with 4-7 years of aging.

Try it and enjoy the novelty as well as the grape juice. Have fun with wine. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2720220

https://www.marilynwines.com/

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

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