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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!!

: )

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