The Humante label presents as bold an image as I’ve ever seen on a wine label. This weathered face, sporting a full, long red beard, and deeply set piercing blue eyes stares into your soul. He is like “the most interesting man in the world” illustrated in graphic novel style.
Who is he? The back label tells us “Humante” represents a way of life, a nomadic spirit. Okay. So no more real a character than the XX former brand ambassador who didn’t always consume the product he represented. I find myself disappointed. I want a deeper story.
Here’s what I imagined when I first saw this label. I expected this to be an actual person, deeply involved in the winemaking process, with a long history at the producer’s vineyard. He could be the owner, the winemaker, or even a field hand. Someone whose identity was strongly linked to the winery. This label would pay homage to that person.
Maybe that’s the point here. You make up the story. Like you might when sitting in a coffee shop imagining the life of an intriguing person at another table.
“Journeys. Tradition. Culture. Experiences. Discovery. Stories. Tales.” That’s what Humante is about. It provides you with a fascinating character. The adventure is yours to create.
As you might expect, this is not an expensive wine. It is, however, an exceptional value. Although a challenging piece of information to find, this wine is Garnacha from the Navarra region of Spain. The flavours are rich, red berries with great balance and finish. If you buy it first for the label, you’ll buy it again for the wine.
What tale would you tell yourself about this red-bearded wanderer? Let me know in the comments below.
