Cute Wine?

In my first Service class in college, we were taught how to read a wine label. It seemed straight forward enough; name, origin, vintage, grape varietal and maybe a picture. However, after working at Harry’s and being exposed to hundreds of wine labels, I have noticed a trend that has greatly impacted the way consumers now approach wine. Certainly no longer as serious as it used to be, the wine industry has taken to using cute labels and names (eg. “Cupcake” and “Mommy’s Time Out”). I have worked with many customers who can describe the label without remembering the name when in search of a wine. We all know that marketing is a large part of any business, but it seems that the wine industry has taken it to a different level where the label is the reason people are trying a wine instead of its reputation or price.

“Yellow Tail”'s immediate success in the United States with its cutesy kangaroo on the label rings true this theory of people’s obscure obsession with catchy labels and names. Creating a memorable brand and image can all but make or break a business and it seems with an increasingly competitive market, wine makers are buying into the craze trying to create more memorable labels and names. Customers who feel they have little knowledge of wine are encouraged and enthusiastic to try a wine they may not know simply based on the appeal of the bottle or name.

Wines like “Fat Bastard” make even a hippopotamus look cute, and “Petite Petit” make elephants look jolly but names like "Seven Deadly Zins" makes anyone a little intrigued. The truth of the matter is, whether an inexpensive or extravagant wine, labels can make or break a wine’s success at this point in time in the industry. When people look to try new wines or give a gift to a friend, wine names and labels can have a significant impact on a person’s purchasing decision.

Here are a few fun labels mentioned above that we carry at Harry's:

Georgina Heasman