Bedrock Wine Co.

It takes a Village to raise a Winery

1. Josh 05.14.08 / 3pm

   I really dig the map, but I believe I prefer the second, if only because the label is more readable and “user friendly” (negative space etc).

   Both are very cool. Congrats on a great theme reflecting the tradition and history of Sonoma valley, the most historically rich wine growing region in CA.

   Are the three Bachus heads in the first and the sailboats in the second first passes at a Bedrock logo?

   That will be a pretty fun project as well.
2. Morgan 05.14.08 / 3pm

   Hey Josh– Thanks for the input– my thoughts generally run parallel to yours. Of the two little circular motifs I prefer the one on the first label. Though it is actually supposed to be the god Neptune, taken from another old map, I actually think the head looks a little like my dad. I thought it would be funny and small homage to my pop to put him in a celtic-like symbol in lieu of ravens.

   The problem with the bottom label is that it will only fit on bordeaux-style glass. Since half of my production is Syrah and Pinot we have to find a way to make the label a little smaller. A work in progress to be sure.
3. Bleue 05.15.08 / 9am

   I prefer the map. But the text is not really easy to see. But the other one is good to.

   Nice
4. Eric Hansen 05.15.08 / 10am

   Hey, Morgan -

   My two cents ( or 3 1/2 cents, if you take the real cost of production): Of the two I also prefer the map, but I think it’s a bit busy still - there’s a lot in there. In the end a wine label is pretty small and to make an impact I think bold simplicity works better. To be honest, I *really* like the logos, and think an expansion of either those ideas would make a great label, Morgan. Picture the 3 Neptune/Joel label full size on a bottle across the room (or on a shelf in a wine shop with 100 other bottles) - the viewer would immediately recognize that as a Bedrock Wine Co. bottle. I don’t think the two label designs would have the same impact…and, yes, I know I sound like a marketing guy.

   I also like that both logos are reminiscent of the Ravenswood logo. The heritage continues!
5. Morgan 05.16.08 / 10am

   Hi Eric,

   Thanks for the input. I too, like the logos. My concern with making them too big is with copyright and trademark infringement issues. A logo needs to have 60% difference from another, and I am not sure if I make the neptunes a logo, rather than a motif, that they are that different from the RVWD label. And even if they are close– Constellation has their own in-house legal team and I do not. AKA, I lose big. I look forward to seeing what you think about the next round.
6. Kelly 05.16.08 / 2pm

   Hey Morgan. I like both, but I agree with Eric Hansen’s comments. In general, when I’m wandering through a wine store trying to choose among hundreds of bottles of wine, it can be a bit visually overwhelming. My eye tends to get drawn to very simple graphics in bold colors that jump out at the eye (i.e., I can always spot a bottle of Ravenswood from far away), so, although the map and the landscape labels are pretty, I think something a bit less busy might be better. Also, I like the neptune design from label 1 better than the circular design on label two. That said, if I had to choose, I’d go for the label 1 map as long as “Bed Rock Wines” was in a more eye-catching, less busy font. Anyway, good luck figuring out your label!
7. Liz 05.16.08 / 2pm

   Morgon, Who is your target consumer? Really depends on their level of sophistication. If this is a simple wine sold between $10 and $20 - go with the 2nd label which is more user-friendly and easy to understand.

   If you are going for a more sophisticated consumer with more money, college education, etc. — I think the first one, which is more complex and causes you to stop and think about what it means — would be more desirable.

   Liz
8. Becky 05.16.08 / 2pm

   Hi Morgan,

   With the caveat provided that the font styles and colors will change, I’ll still contribute that I found the text competed with the map (which I liked) in the first so both the words and illustration were diminished. The company name was hard to read due to flourished light-colored font and the wine name was too heavy-handed in black (and still hard to read because of the thin font and busy background).

   I loved the Ravenswood-esque logo, for both its bow to history and its own merits and wit. I understand the trademark risks you outlined and hope you can come to some compromise.

   I agree with the comments on the negative space advantages of the second although the wine name looks a little squeezed. The sails logo didn’t knock me out quite like the first logo. The second label did look a bit big. I couldn’t really decide if I liked its antique Japanese print ethereal quality or if it was a little washed out.

   Can’t wait to see the next iterations! Great beginning!!
9. Jeremy 05.16.08 / 2pm

   Here are my thoughts:

   1. What name are you going to go by? Bedrock Wine Co., Bedrock WI
10. Morgan 05.16.08 / 2pm

    The name will be Bedrock Wine Company or Bedrock Wine Co. depending on the label.
11. James Tashjian-Brown 05.16.08 / 2pm

    Morgan-

    1. Anytime you have Kathryn Havens on your project, it is going to turn out great!

    2. I like the second concept better; somehow the Spanish map looks like the label for a shellfish product, not a fine wine.

    3. With the second label, “Syrah” fits in the slot nicely. “Pinot Noir” might not fit as well, and one wonder’s about Carignan and some of our other favorite wines. Would you use different colors or different capsules to distinguish between varietals?

    4. I recently started a private label line with screwcaps. Restaurant staff members love it, making my job a little easier when I present it to restaurants. Owners do not seem as impressed, but those on the floor and behind the bar are all in favor of the screwcaps. On the other hand, about one-third to one-half of my sales are for by-the-glass sales, and I do not see Bed Rock Syrah in that category. Just a thought.
12. Morgan 05.16.08 / 2pm

    Mr. Tashjian-Brown– So very nice of you to comment on the labels– your points are well taken. A thought I had with the first label is to vary the coloring of the map depending on the wine– the green certainly would not do with anything other than Sauvignon Blanc, and maybe rose’.

    In either case, I think either the capsule, or wax, color will change depending on the wine. I would like the font color or something in the label to correspond accordingly. I thought, perhaps on the second label I could put a pointer to approximately where each vineyard was since much of Napa and Sonoma is in the distance.

    Third, with Kathryn Havens ALL is good. Talented and old school.

    Closure-wise, I believe I will be using the Ganau corks that are used by Kistler, Peter Michael, and a few others for most of the wines. However, and I do not want to drop too much in this public forum, but I might be making a jug-wine with some declassified Bedrock Zin, Abbastanza, Harwood Syrah, some older Tantalus Vanderkamp Cabernet from Sonoma Mountain, etc. and calling it Hooker’s Shebang! in honor of my vineyard founding father. In this case, I will definitely go to screw-cap given the price-point and convenience of jug wines for on-premise accounts.

    Sonoma Valley AVA jug wine made with real oak barrels anyone?!
13. John Macdonald 05.16.08 / 3pm

    Hey Morgan

    I like the logo comments from Eric, but in lieu of the potential issues with that, here are my very first impressions of the two labels as they are.

    #1 The map label provides interest and makes me curious and want to look closer - a double take so to speak. The Neptunes/Dads look great, and I get the feeling of something unique and special. The fonts are so wrong that without serious effort, I cannot tell whose wine or what varietal is in the bottle. I would try sans serif fonts…?

    #2 At first glance this longer and larger label makes me think of a dreary bad weather day somewhere…maybe Scotland. It takes a moment to realize it is the SF Bay and that there is life down there. It is not warm or inviting, at least not to me. Upon contemplation, it makes me think austere, earthy, and no fruit. Sorry, to me it doesn’t have the warm and fuzzy that is needed to move a wine off the shelf. The sailboat logo is also good, but not quite as ethereal feeling as the God/Dad logo.

    As said earlier, you can’t miss a bottle of Ravenswood on the shelf, table, or bar. A combo of whatever art you choose and clean, clear fonts will assure your wine is not missed! Good luck and can’t wait to see the final label! John
14. Jeremy 05.16.08 / 3pm

    I’m not drawn to either one, but my affinity is for clean, simpler looking labels with lot’s of white space. That said, I really like the map imagery as a concept.

    While those maps are cool, you might try and find some geological maps of the area, or, perhaps your vineyard and try that since it would “fit” better with your name and brand image. Those maps have great visual appeal and would look awesome on nice bright white felt paper. I would keep this map, or, any from above relatively small, maybe 1.5″ x 1″ or so, and centered near the top, you could put Bedrock Wine Co. in black underneath that embossed and maybe even go with a spot gloss. The vineyard, varietal, vintage and appellation could fall underneath your name. If you wanted you could foil stamp your seal/logo offset to the right or left bottom of the label. You could also think about replacing the “o” in Bedrock with your seal.logo or some variation as well, that way your logo and name become one. As for font I would keep it simple and abandon script or anything else too elegant looking, with your name you need a strong, bold, font, like the one you have for this site. Just some thoughts!!

    : )
15. Rustin 05.16.08 / 6pm

    Has a decision been made on the bottle? For example, the present Pax bottle (which is being eliminated because of storage problems/public complaining) has a seemingly larger area for labels than your typical bottle. Each label may actually have a unique visual presentation brought on by the bottle style. For me, I happened to like the old Spanish map design. The convergence of the coasts to the center of the label catches the eye.
16. Michael Shue 05.16.08 / 8pm

    Yo Morgan, Michael Shue here, (Shueboy by my friends) 1st and formost….I’m sorry we had to meet under the circumstances. I never got to meet Chris but I know he was loved by so many people… I hung with my stepkids Jeff and Randi tonight. Randi had a bonfire at her place. We talked alot about them maybe getting to meet Jen even at an email distance. Even though they never met, my stepkids planted a dogwood tree in Chris memory. They are so awesome Morgan. I wish you had a moment to meet them. I’m glad I met you. In the brief time we talked I could sence that your truly a kind and genuine person. On that note after reading the blogs I suggest you go with your notion of maybe going with the 1st one. Give homage to your dad and tell that story on the back label….Show the love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will never go wrong……Sincerely, Michael Shue….( You can call me Shueboy)
17. Adam Sherman 05.16.08 / 10pm

    Hi Morgan,

    I certainly appreciate the provenance of both illustrations; however, I think you’re headed in the wrong direction.

    Although these labels look nice, they are quite generic. I can easily imagine either one of these labels slapped on any run-of-the-mill, two-bit bottle, targeted towards the plebeians.

    My vision of Bedrock Wine Co. is something much more boutique and funky. As such, it deserves a very recognizable themed label, maybe even a “mascot” of sorts.
18. Isa from France 05.17.08 / 12am

    I prefer the map label in every point of view (colors, font …). The second one gives a feeling of desolation and sadness.
19. Caitlin Ahern 05.17.08 / 4am

    Hi Morgan!

    I think both are beautiful in different ways, and will look great on the shelf. I actually prefer the second, due to its simplicity and that it has some connection to the name — reading the word “bedrock” and seeing these rocky mountains makes more sense to my eye than the (though gorgeous) map with the sea green foamy feel. It’s simpler, more stripped down, like Bedrock Wine Co. is supposed to be.

    But I have to agree with Adam that neither of them seem to convey you — young, charismatic, unpretentious Morgan, with your blogs and videos and everything that sets you apart from other older, stuffy winemakers. (Ok, I’ve never actually met another winemaker, and I’m sure they’re lovely!) I know the quality of wine merits these very serious labels, and you certainly don’t want Flinstones, but maybe take either of your ideas and make it a little funkier (like playing up Neptune who looks like your Dad)! You are obviously working with so much talent, I can’t wait to see the final product!
20. Matt 05.17.08 / 1pm

    Morgan,
    Both are very appealing. The first reminds me a lot of Pax’s label. You probably have seen more Pax bottles than my meager cellar but that’s the first association I made when I saw that first label.

    I like the 2nd because I’ve not seen another wine label anything like it and it’s got a cool, old school look to it.
21. sean 05.17.08 / 11pm

    I love the image on the second label and I want that to be your main theme. I agree with Matt, the first one reminds me of Pax, which is great, but you’re going to be better. I think most of the excitement of the second image is below where the 2007 is currently, and I find the horizon of the current image distracting. I would crop it (solving the bordeaux only problem) and frame the text outside of the image. Currently the “Sonoma Mountain” and “Syrah” both look like they’re being squeezed by water channel. First thoughts. Let me know what you think.
22. Eric H 05.18.08 / 2pm

    Interesting about the “60% rule” when it comes to logos. I hadn’t heard that before, and I can well understand why you’d want to avoid a fight with Constellation.

    How about building on the concept of the first label (the map) but instead making it a geologic map of the bedrock structure around your vineyard or perhaps Sonoma County in general? The bedrock maps I’ve seen make great use of contrasting color that would make a distinctive label, and would also relate directly to your winery name and reason for being, not to mention the “no bullshit wine” slogan that I like. An example:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/7415656@N03/582058889/

    …or you could go the literal route — a picture of a bed made out of rocks. There would be no mistaking that label!
23. Marco Montez 05.19.08 / 10am

    Hi Morgan,

    It’s a bit difficult to comment on the labels without knowing more about your sales channel(s)? In my opinion, small wineries who sell the vast majority of their production directly to the consumer either via a tasting room or wine club, do not have to be as worried with their label having to “stand out” as normally needed if the bottle was to be on a retail shelf “fighting” for attention within hundreds of other bottles. How are you going to sell your wine? The answer to this question may play a critical role in determining your label design.

    With that said… I think that if you are going direct to consumer, both of these labels are a good starting point. But… as other’s have pointed out, they don’t really fit the “lip-smacking wine” image you have created in my brain from reading your blog and watching your videos.

    If you are NOT going direct to consumer for most of your sales, I would say that these labels would have a difficult time calling for and getting attention when sitting on a shelf even if at a specialty wine shop.

    Take care,
    Marco
24. Conde 05.30.08 / 9am

    Morgan–I kinda like the old map for the front label. Dare you list ‘all ingredients’ on your back label, even velcorin (if you were to ever use it) and pectins and the like?!?!? Conde
25. Morgan 05.30.08 / 9am

    Hiya Conde- I look forward to seeing you at our yearly dance with death next Tuesday. I am, of course, fighting the first bad cold I have had in a few years leading up to the exam.

    Glad you like the old map. We are still playing with that but also with a couple of other ideas. As for listing things that go into the wine, I really have no problem with it– if everyone does it. I think it should come via federal mandate, that way when consumers are aghast to see words they do not know such as potassium bisulfite (SO2), pectolytic enzyme, diammonium phosphate (DAP), dimethyl dicarbonate (Velcorin), Mega-red, etc. etc. the hit is taken industry wide and not on an individual producer with balls of brass. Wine is far less treated and chem-ed up than most food sources (and a bottle of wine typically has less sulfur content than a head of spinach) given its inhospitable growth environment (low pH alcohol makes most microbes sad), but that said, people look at the back labels of wine far more closely than a box of Wheat Thins.

    There are certainly parameters that need to be set as well. Are we to include things used in the vineyard? Even if you are organic you are still using some noxious sounding oils and sulfur, that might appear as trace residues in the wine.

    As for Velcorin, we have had this conversation before. It is a pox that the wine industry will pay for in the future. If producers could get over their obsession with high pH wines with RS they could adequately protect their wines with the miraculous substance called sulfur (which acts as both an effective anti-oxidant and anti-microbial in quite small amounts). It is a shame that the most expensive wines that people buy– such as Marcassin rumor has it– has a higher likelihood of being hit with the stuff.

    There is no doubting the temptation of the stuff– and when I have a bret bloom I am sure to be tempted– but the line of natural vs. unnatural needs to be drawn somewhere. For me, it is drawn before poison is put in the bottle.

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