Killibinbin is an Awabakal Aboriginal word meaning “To take one form and turn it into something greater. To shine. Something that mesmerizes with passionate purpose. The shining Killibinbin is hypnotic and alluring…thrilling.” It’s a good metaphor for wine and the brand name of a product line from the Langhorne Creek area of South Australia. Chances are the brand name wasn’t the first thing you noticed.
The label is dominated by a 1950s-era image of a screaming woman, eyes popping in terror. It could be a poster for a Hitchcock film. The words Scream Shiraz project from her gaping mouth. It definitely directs attention to itself. The packaging on its own is a curiosity. It makes more sense as part of a line that includes The Shadow, Sweet Lips, and Shiver. All with similarly inspired film noir imagery.
The connection between the Killibinbin branding and the vintage film imagery is baffling. I don’t get it and they don’t explain it. To add to the confusion, the winery’s name is Brothers in Arms. It’s a family operation that features a husband and wife team and their kids on the company website. Sometimes research explains things. Sometimes not. Does it matter in this case?
You can’t help noticing this wine on the shelf. How you react to it is personal. There’s also a matter of expectation. How good can a novelty wine be? You’d be surprised by this one. It is rich with dark fruit and mocha flavours and very smooth. Scream Shiraz scored 95 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards. Shocking for a wine that leads with image. Then again, if the label makes the sale, the wine will generate repeat customers and good word of mouth. Isn’t that the objective?
What’s your reaction to this packaging? Intrigued? Amused? Horrified? Surprised that the wine is exceptional? Let me know in the comments below.
Note: new with this review, both the label and wine will be scored. Ideally, they should be the same.
