There’s a great story behind the Lapis Luna label. From the company website, “Lapis Luna translates to “stone” and “moon.” Our labels bring to life 400 year old Copperplate engravings to depict the relationship between the earth (stone), the moon (luna), and the affect she has on us. On our label, the heroes are depicted striving to connect with the moon and looking to it for inspiration, just as we do when creating our wines. Lapis Luna is the effect of the moon on our California grapes.”
You won’t find that information on the label itself aside from a credit for the engravings. But isn’t the eye-catching art on the label enough to pique your interest in this wine? It’s large, colourful and thought provoking. As with many fine art pieces it allows the viewer to create the story. You’re engaged before you even pop the cork.
A little story of my own in discovering this wine. I noticed it for the reasons above. But at first glance I thought it was a lone bottle misplaced in the display. Turns out the rest of the bottles were facing backwards. The back label is so visually strong on its own I assumed it was a different product. The stark black and white engraving contrasts the vibrancy of the front label so extremely it’s hard to make the connection. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a comparable back label.
There are some other interesting things happening with the branding. Look closely at the Lapis Luna name type and notice that the letters are spaced by phases of the moon. Nice tie-in. The type itself is a bit of an anomaly. It borrows from a number of typefaces and adds a few custom flourishes of its own including different crossbars for each letter A. The common weight of the letters provides some visual continuity.
The wine lives up to expectations of a California Cabernet from the Lodi region. It is rich, vibrant and full-bodied with flavours of dark fruit. Best to enjoy by candlelight as the sun sets and a full moon rises. Perhaps a blue moon.
Does art on a wine label attract you to it? Let me know in the comments below.
