Art Series Wines

Hey everyone,

Today I'm writing for the first time in a while, and I've had a couple of interesting bottles over the past weeks. Looking back I found that I had accumulated a streak of wines which I believe can be best considered "Art Series" wines. These all have stand out labels but the wines inside are less consistent. Just to show off, I'll chuck in a note on another artist label wine I had at Christmas time. So I ask, "what does the Artist Label lend to the overall experience of a wine?"

Grover Cabernet/ Shiraz Art Series - Though I've tried this wine before, I recently revisited just to refresh my memory, and to (slightly ironically) match a nice juicy steak. This is an Australian style blend, which I usually avoid as being a bit too predictable and boring, but when you read a label stating "Wine of India" the interest is bound to be piqued.

When I first tried this wine a year and a half ago at a trade tasting in London, I felt that I had for the first time recognised the character of a place translated into the bottle. The nose evoked many of my preconceived notions of this massive country, and in particular the northern region of the Nandi Hills. It was warm and spicy with plenty of dusty, wooly aromas. It's a fragrant wine with a cedar woodiness reminding me a bit of incense. Possibly Nag Champa but maybe that's in my nose because I want it to be.

All in all, it's a damn good wine for a country relatively new to modern winemaking. More than that, it's a good wine all together. Especially for the light price tag it carries. One thing that pleases me greatly reading back on this tasting note, is that I haven't mentioned the label, which is a rather nice piece but one that only adds to the bottle. The wine justifies itself, and the label is secondary. Looking for something to surprise you a bit? Check out this tasty Indian bottle for just about a tenner.

The next few wines I tried were more shocking than surprising. Another "art" series of wines from southern France, by Christian Audigier sported some of the most garish, patronising labels I have ever seen in wine. I can appreciate the label for Grover, because it's well done, it's the kind of art you could feasibly see hanging on a wall rather than just on a bottle.

Do  drinkers need such incredible phaff to sell them on a bottle?

If the wines were anything special, I'd be willing to forgive the bottle-covering plastic coats with which they had been plastered. Conversely, if they didn't have these ridiculous eye catchers, and cost a bit less, they'd be perfectly acceptable wines. The Sauvignon Blanc was generally poor, the Cabernet was alright and the Syrah was okay, but as a whole, they weren't good enough to support the silly advertising campaign they were obviously attempting. At the price tag they demand, they do not justify the ridiculosity of their branding.

Some wines that go for a stand out shelf appearance are tough to get behind. Dinastia Vivanco Rioja is a good example of a patronising bottle shape that is saved by the fact that actual wine in the bloody thing is a decent, friendly and affordable Rioja. The Audigier collection, however is not. Though it would sell from our shelves based purely on the eye catching factor, it would fail to attract a repeat customer because they would realise that it is in fact a bad wine. In short, it is a dishonest way to sell your product.

The next artist label wine I tried is the Leeuwin Estate Riesling. I'm a big fan of Leeuwin estate and I am a bigger fan of riesling so it may come as no great shock when I say that I liked this wine and I like the branding. Though it is an art series label, the piece on the label is very subtle and understated. It may well be a winery's standard branding device for its simplicity. That said it adds a nice bit of uniqueness to the vintage.

The wine itself was a tasty, engaging example of an Australian Riesling. I believe that with its bright pear aromas and rubbery, viscous texture, I would happily say that it is worth the considerable but relatively modest £17 asking price. This is a classy version of the art series concept. Make a good wine. Then make an attractive labeling scheme. The other way around is like coming up with a music video before the song is written. Leeuwin did it the right way around.

The last wine I'll mention here won't take up many words, mostly because it was too special an occasion for me take notes and I can only remember the basics as well as how I felt. Still grippy despite thirty years ageing, this was the original art series wine, with some vintages sporting labels from some of history's most famous artists. Warhol, Picasso, Dali and Miro to name but a few of the most illustrious names, as well as a surprisingly nice label by Prince Charles. The wine was fantastic, so much character and truly satisfying making for one of the best wines I've ever had. The wine stands alongside the art and the two are fitting for each other. A great artist doing the label for a great wine. In this case, as the king of the art series, Chateau Mouton Rothschild reigns supreme.

Much love,

G