Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/70680
CO VER S T OR Y Avoid Label Mishaps But no matter how enticing and memo- rable, a label that chews up costly time on the bottling line is not an asset to the bottom line. A Experienced bottlers and designers have learned to avoid such errors; whether you make decisions for a major, multi-brand winery or design and apply your own labels at a family establishment, you may profit from the hard-earned wisdom of these packaging veterans. striking, evocative label can inspire consumers to pick up and purchase a bottle of wine, and help them remember it the next time around. Everyone's heard the real estate man- tra: location, location, location. With wine labeling, we learned, it's: planning, planning, planning. Four wine-bottling specialists, three long-established wine package designers and a label supplier all emphasized this point. From the earli- est stages of label design to selection of suppliers and materials to scheduling your bottling runs, wineries must envision the entire process far in advance or face expensive, time-consuming bottlenecks at the last minute. Coordinating among designer, paper and bottle suppliers, printer and bottler may seem challenging and will certainly take time. Each of these aspects represents a significant investment, and (our sources emphasized) failure of one element can start at the end "My suggestion is to let the bottler, de- signer and label company work together on the label," said Peter Oughterson, who owns both a winery (Highland Cellars) and a thriving mobile bottling operation in New York's Finger Lakes region. When labels work, he said, "It's great. When they don't, everyone looks like a fool, and it's usually me, the bot- tler. I work with the designer to let them know what my labeler can do and if I feel comfortable that the application will work. This few minutes spent will save everyone's butt." Tips from the pros to hasten bottling and protect appearance By Jane Firstenfeld force a redesign or—perhaps worse in the long run—release of an unflattering pack- age that does not sell your product. striking labels may grab attention on the shelf, but their impact can be offset by bottling line setbacks, experts say. tricky die cuts may not easily release from backing webs; thick, heavy stock is hard to control and labels that wrap around the bottle are the most difficult to apply. 30 Wines & Vines MAY 201 1 LABELTRONIX CF NAPA LABELTRONIX