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Wine By Design: Label's Look Colors Grape's Flavor

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By KURT LOFT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2008

Updated: 05/20/2008 06:34 pm

TAMPA - If you want to test the power of brand imagery on the consumer, walk into any well-stocked wine shop.

Psychologists could have a field day with the labels, which are designed to make a fast impression on the casual buyer. More than 4,800 vineyards in the United States compete for the discretionary dollar, so packaging must be both visual and subliminal - honing in on personalities, genders, age groups and lifestyles.

Bottle and label design must convey simplicity or sophistication, as well as the consumer's perception about cost, according to new study by Oregon State University. The report, which appears in the May issue of the Journal of Marketing, surveyed more than 300 people and 125 design experts on many of the top brands of wine.

"Managers have a vested interest in accurately conveying desired brand impressions," said Keven Malkewitz, a marketing professor at Oregon State. "You would be surprised how many companies don't understand what messages they are conveying with their designs."

Many labels appeal to traditionalists, such as Jordan Vineyard's Old-World etching of a chateau nestled among the trees. Marilyn Wines, by contrast, grabs the popular vote with its iconic movie star label. Australian and New Zealand wines are hot sellers in part because of labels featuring funky animals - lizards, frogs and exotic birds - ablaze in primary colors.

Italic lettering suggests a sophisticated wine, as does a bottle with a sleek neck. Attention to such details can make a difference not just at the cash register, researchers say, but in the perception of quality.

"Without a doubt, how something looks affects how things taste," Malkewitz said. "There are studies where researchers took the exact same wine and put it in different bottles, and people's responses varied tremendously. Package appearance affects how people perceive taste."

Wine Versus Beer

What wine goes best with artichokes? What beer complements roast duck? Such food pairing mysteries are solved in the amusing new book "He Said Beer, She Said Wine," by Sam Calagione and Marnie Old (DK Publishing, $25). Stocked with illustrations, the book offers plain and simple advice on how to match wine and beer with various foods.

Old says wine requires more thought because its flavors change with the food being served: "Most wines aren't designed to impress you on the first sip. They're designed to be food partners, to have their acidity softened by salt, and to have their intensity and tannin softened by fat."

Beer may be a simpler beverage, but it shouldn't be at odds with wine, Calagione said. "One of our main goals is to make beer people more comfortable choosing wines, and wine people more comfortable understanding beer."

New Chianti At Pelagia

Pelagia Chianti Riserva D.O.C.G., a private-label imported Italian wine, is available at the Pelagia Trattoria in the Renaissance Tampa Hotel at International Plaza. The newly launched wine sells for $12 a glass, or $44 for a bottle. The wine comes from the Storiche Cantine winery in Radda, an area of Tuscany renowned for its Chianti.

Tasting Notes

Here's a look at wines we recently tasted and recommend, arranged in order of retail price. Most should be available at good wine shops in the Tampa Bay area.

Rosemount 2007 Traminer Riesling, $10. With summer approaching, we turn to cool and simple whites, such as this softly elegant bargain from eastern Australia. Light scents of pear and citrus strike a balance between sweetness and acidity.

Gnarly Head 2005 Merlot, $12. Named after the free-standing "head-trained" plants of old California vineyards, this merlot offers a rush of black cherry, almond and chocolate. A good companion to grilled steak.

Mondavi Solaire 2006 Chardonnay, $15. Winemaker Rick Boyer crafts Solaire with grapes cultivated from the Santa Lucia highlands, and the result is a crisp wine with hints of pineapple and mango. We enjoyed it with spicy shrimp pasta.

Chateau St. Jean 2007 Gewurztraminer, $15. This often-neglected grape deserves more table time, and the folks at Chateau St. Jean do wonders by making a Gewurzt full of exotic fragrance and gingerbread sweetness. A perfect picnic wine.

Drylands 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, $15. With grapes plucked from the alluvium soils of New Zealand's Marlborough Valley, this delicious varietal isn't shy about sharing its herbaceous - and pungent - personality.

Primus 2005 Carmenere, $21. The wines of Chile can be pedestrian and smoky tasting affairs, but Primus blends a trio of grapes - carmenere, cabernet sauvignon and merlot - into an easy-drinking wine of velvet texture and spice.

Leasingham 2004 Bin 61 Shiraz, $24. This hearty Shiraz from Australia's Clare Valley exhibits the concentrated bouquet of a far more expensive wine, and its tannic structure rewards with a long finish.

Bellingham Dragon's Lair 2005 Shiraz, $26. South African wines should be an integral part of any weekend tasting party, and the Dragon's Lair loads up on spice and dark berries. It opens up quite a bit after decanting.

Reporter Kurt Loft can be reached at (813) 259-7570 or kloft@tampatrib.com.

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