Wine Labels: Art, Marketing, or Misdirection?
Wine labels are the first thing you notice—before the pour, before the first sip. They’re the silent ambassadors of a bottle’s story, promising everything from terroir to taste, all in a few seconds. Yet, as the industry grapples with identity and appeal, the question lingers: do these tiny canvases hold more weight than the wine inside? For producers, labels are both a necessity and a gamble. Legacy estates rely on names like Château Margaux to command respect, but newer vintners without such pedigree must craft something more. “Labels are storytelling tools, but they shouldn’t overshadow the wine’s quality,” says Holly…