“Saving the world from the tyranny of Chardonnay.”
The challenge is defined. The gauntlet has been thrown down.
What a great approach for creating a brand. Viognier is underrecognized and underappreciated. This one, from California is on a quest, “Swooping in to rescue your palate from the ordinary…”. What better metaphor than a knight in shining armour to topple King Chardonnay.
What first drew my attention to this label was the abundant white space. How apropos. The knight on horseback illustration isn’t exceptional but it works. With lance held firm, it is battle ready. The figure is embossed in silver foil save a red heart on its shield. Nice touch. The type treatment is thoughtful. “The” in silver script sits atop “WHITE KNIGHT” in a black serf face. The vintage, varietal and region are displayed on a silver band with toothy top at the bottom of the label. A simple suggestion of a castle.
Repetition is one of the primary principles of design. That tiny little red heart on the knights shield repeats on top of the capsule. More obvious in this larger rendition is that the heart is pierced by a sword. Not sure what the message in that is. The top of the capsule is a smart place to brand. It makes cellared bottles easier to identify.
Most tasting notes on a back label are boring and derivative. The White Knight is a tad more brash. In addition to the lines quoted above the declaration includes the words tickle, flirtatious, playfully, lush, sexy and alluring. If damsels be their target they’ve found their mark.
Does The White Knight win the tournament? I’m familiar with Viognier and enjoy it often. Particularly as a winter white. This one conquers most Chardonnays at the same price point. It’s an exceptional value.
Do you read back labels? Would a joust for fun message sway you to purchase? Let me know in the comments below.
