What Effects Do Wine Labels Have on Us?

What Effects Do Wine Labels Have on Us?

Tom Lloyd

When you're getting started in the world of wine, trying to find a new varietal or bottle to try can be exasperating.


Starting with what you know, comparing premiums and offers, and then marking gawk before you discover something is the normal method...


Then there's the question of whether it will be good!

And if we don't know it, wine labels play an important part in our decision-making process. Let's take a look at how wine labels impact our buying choices and brand loyalty, as well as some advice about how to look past the bottle's design and find valuable information.



Wine Labels Are Equal of Doing a Brand Case Study: Wine of Coonawarra 


For example, Wine of Coonawarra’s Medal Winner Hoggies Moscato went from a "traditional" look to a "digital classic" design and saw annual growth increase from 2% to 7.5 percent with the new label design.


Labels may become synonymous with a wine style.


Any wine brand has become synonymous with whole wine regions or varieties of wine, almost like calling for a Quilton instead of a tissue. Sparkling wines are the most influenced by this. Omit market familiarity, two brands (Lamarca and Veuve Clicquot) have risen to the top. The subtle messaging of the label coloring and design influences buying decisions based on what people expect a bottle of that style of wine to look like. In the case of Champagne, you might prefer a yellow or orange label without even realizing it, or for Prosecco, you might want a blue label.


What Does This Mean for Wine Lovers?


Labels are subliminal for most of us: we don't really know how much influence they have on our purchasing decisions. Even if you are aware of what is going on, it is impossible to step beyond the pick-a-wine-by-the-label approach. However, there is one thing you should start paying attention to right now that can get you beyond branding: wine provenance.


  • Wine provenance

Looking beyond the style, there is a limited amount of valuable detail on the label that shows the simple provenance of the wine. If you know a little more about the wine, the provenance is the first thing you can look into to learn more about its consistency. 


  • Geographical field

Wine is fundamentally an organic commodity cultivated in a particular region.

Many bulk wines in today's wine market are purchased from a range of locations and have more generic regional details, while wines made from a single area will have a specific location (or even vineyard) indicated on the bottle.


Drink Better Wine

After reading this, I hope you are inspired to pay more attention to the wine provenance on your favorite bottles and discover great-tasting wines independent of advertisements.