A few exceptional wine labels inspired the creation of this website. The Honoro Vera Monastrell label was one of them. It also influenced the decision to present labels with a full revolution of the bottle. As the Honoro Vera bottle spins, five adjoining panels reveal a series of images that connect almost seamlessly. For a wine label, this is engagement and entertainment at its best.
The images are unrelated by subject but fit together like puzzle pieces. I’m reminded of Terry Gilliam’s bizarre animations from Monty Python. The end of a pointing finger becomes the center of a clock face. The hand transitions to a sculpted stone wing which in turn connects to a vine leaf, the stem of which inserts into the head of a key. There’s also what may be a vine tendril coiled around the extended finger. It may not make sense but it is deliciously novel.
The artwork is repeated on the capsule. This rendition is created in colour although the elements don’t offer much of it. The images are stronger and more cohesive in black and white.
The label wraps almost completely around the circumference of the bottle. I highly recommend this approach because here, as with other favourably reviewed labels, it allows for separate information panels at each side of the label. The mandatory information on one side and the wine story on the other. This is especially helpful with this label given all information is expressed in three languages.
The one part of the label layout I find awkward is the branding placement. The GIL Family Estates logo location seems quite random. It would work much better integrated into the capsule.
Not only is this a favourite wine label it’s also a favourite wine. It presents both richness of red fruit and a dry earthiness. Does my appreciation of the label increase my enjoyment of the wine? Quite likely, yes.
Is there a label that heightens your enjoyment of a particular wine? Let me know in the comments below.
