Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/63937
CO VER S T OR Y Knickerbocker bottle labels from lewis station combine elements of local Wisconsin history and original art, chosen for each variety by rob lewis. Tradition Wraps New Wines Boutique wineries are comfortable with familiar look and packaging By Jane Firstenfeld than 50,000 cases. How do these hopeful small producers present their wares in an increasingly competitive market? We talked with a few proprietors I across the continent to learn what they sought from their packaging and what they have learned. While it could be argued that the Flasq brand (see page 46) puts the package first, these entrepre- neurs want their handcrafted vintages to be the message. n the first two months of 2012, WinesVinesDATA added an astounding 134 new bonded and virtual wineries to its list of U.S. producers. All of them reported their annual production as less moonstruck meadery, bellevue, neb. 1,200 cases per year moonstruckmead.com Highlights • Small, high-end wineries look to local history to represent their products. • Eye-catching design comes first, back story next for new producers. • Simplifying the look across your brand can help build recognition. 38 Wines & Vines MAY 2012 "The first and only meadery in Nebraska," Moonstruck managed to sell out its most recent release by early March, according to president Brian Schlueter. Unlike vintners who must wait for their grapes to ripen every year, honey is available year-round. Schlueter said he expected to have a new "vintage" of almost 400 cases available by this month. Currently, 100% of Moon- struck's sales are consumer-direct at the winery tasting room, although Schlueter said he is "exploring direct-to-consumer shipping as production increases." In landlocked Nebraska, Moonstruck's bottles carry an unexpectedly nautical motif: "Our brand on the label introduces water waves, associated with the Far East and the Vikings," Schlueter said. Schlueter began experimenting with honey-based wine in 1990 on the Japanese island of Okinawa, and the label clearly bears the influence of classic Japanese prints. (See the design on page 38.) The brand was in- spired by the super-sized "perigee moon" of March 19, 2011, when the moon appeared at its largest in almost 20 years due to close proximity to Earth. Moonstruck produces a variety of meads, from sweet to spicy, bottled in- house in clear glass 750ml bottles from Napa Fermentation Supply, sealed with agglomerated cork and natural beeswax capsules from Suchan Honey of Nebraska and adorned with a single front label printed on water-resistant stock. The aver- age retail price is $17 per bottle. Schlueter is happy with his design and sources, having consulted inten- sively with several local craft brewers to eliminate kinks before heading to the bottling line. Like breweries, meaderies are required to have all their formulas approved in advance by the TTB. While this ran Schlueter through a few addi- tional hoops, he was relieved to find that the bureau's online approval process was relatively pain-free. Despite their striking package, Schlueter said the success of his meads is "really all about the taste. Packaging does contribute and is notable, but in the end, it's taste." lewis station Winery, lake mills, Wis. 900 cases per year lewisstationwinery.com Lewis Station owner and winemaker Rob Lewis is also a certified sommelier and wine educator, and he still works a day job for an optical concern. Next year, he said, he'll be working with the U.S. Sommelier Association to teach classes in the Midwest. The wine appreciation classes he designed are now taught at the local college.