Several years ago, I designed a label for an Australian Chardonnay. I had a sample bottle that was mid-tone green glass. The background of the label was to be yellow and I paid a great deal of attention to getting the colour just right to work with the bottle. It took many attempts with subtle tweaking to achieve the perfect shade.
When the finished package was released to market, I was horrified. The yellow label looked terrible on the bottle. How could I have gotten this so wrong?
It turned out that after the labels were printed but before the wine was bottled, a decision was made to go with a darker bottle. The thought being that darker bottles would give the package a more premium feel. Not the kind of change you make after the packaging has been designed. It all needs to work together.
I was reminded of this experience when I saw Wildlight Pinot Grigio. The label is gorgeous! It is a bright, colourful landscape with “The vivid interplay of light across the sky…”. The scene extends two-thirds the way around the wrapping label. It perfectly expresses the name Wildlight and the freshness of Pinot Grigio. The beautifully-written description and tasting notes take you on a journey from field to glass.
Then there’s the bottle. In the case of the wine I purchased, the dark glass bottle is the antithesis of all the other package elements. How could they have gotten this so wrong? Or did they?
In writing these reviews, I research the brand, the wine, the artist if artwork is used, and reviews of the wine from various sources. That’s how I discovered the inconsistent bottling of this wine. It has been sold in three different coloured bottles. I’m aware there are glass shortages as well as other supply chain issues as a result of the pandemic. Is that the reason for the variance? I have no answer. But I do have an opinion.
If it is a matter of choice, I would recommend the clear bottle. It best expresses the product and packaging. It is also consistent with top sellers including Barefoot and Santa Margherita. Pinot Grigio is the most popular white wine in many parts of the world. Consumers of the varietal are looking for a wine that is light and fresh tasting. Why not show it to them?
Do you agree? Which bottle would you choose? Let me know in the comments below.
