Wow, man! What’s happening here! Is this label a trip or what?
The Cosmic Egg is more than just wine in a bottle. It’s a whole concept from production to package. The story is based on an ancient creation myth that the universe was birthed from a primordial egg. The wine is fermented and aged in gigantic concrete eggs. They may not be cosmic eggs but it makes for interesting brand creation. There’s a wild video that tells the story.
There’s a lot to unpack with this label. So much that discovering all of the elements requires a sharp eye and intense concentration. I may even have missed a few things but here’s what I’ve noted. The foundation of the label appears to be a temple. On steps at it’s base, are kneeling worshippers in robes, wearing large flower bloom hats. The main area above this is where we find The Cosmic Egg. It is cracked through the middle and separated vertically. There is a striped background behind the egg that expands like a circus tent. In the centre of it is a large eyeball. There are many eyeballs. Some in cubes. Some in a weird beet-like vegetable. Randomly positioned (perhaps released from the egg) there is a jellyfish, 3D star, Saturn, some other planet, an eclipse, molecular structures, birds, fish, tropical flowers, and several human arms. Architectural columns, encircled by snakes, bolster each side of the label. Facial profiles of Polynesian statues peek from behind them. One holds in it’s hand a second planet Saturn. The other holds a pocket watch. A Greek or Roman maiden lounges atop it all. The colour palette is primarily red and gold with deep purple shadows.
Notably, there is no branding or information of any kind on the front label. The name and varietal are discreetly printed on the capsule. It is the stark back label that tells the story and it does it quite well. The text progresses effortlessly from revealing the legend to the winemaking process and its impact on the expression of the grape and its flavour profile. On that last point, the wine does not disappoint. It is rich, juicy, and surprisingly elegant.
This is a wine that surprises. Does the trippy psychedelic label suggest California? Surprise! It hails from Washington state. Suspicious that this is more about marketing than quality? Surprise! The wine is quite good.
Would you pick up this bottle? Be enticed by the story? Let me know in the comments below.
