Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/732978
October 2016 WINES&VINES 39 BOTTLES &LABELS stamping provide a rich feel against the matte black background. For this label, Vintage 99 recently won a Grand Award for Digital Label Printing from the Visual Media Alliance. Similar techniques were employed to print a label for The Rock, a brand of Vinifera Wine Co. in King City, Calif., designed by an outside firm. A large block of high-build varnish helps the eye to focus on black and white images, creating the look of a raised, glossy photo. Against a solid black bottle, the contrast of gloss and matte finishes makes the label stand out. Get it on paper As the North American wine industry has grown, so has the label-stock industry, with a plethora of options. Designers and printers may be more familiar with the distinct capabilities of paper labels than their winery clients. We asked a leading purveyor, Neenah Paper based in Neenah, Wis., to learn how it is re- sponding to—or leading—the demand for black labels. As earlier sources detailed, black labels don't necessarily start with black label paper. "We have seen more interest in black labels lately, especially for red wines and dark spirits. Many printers are creating that look by flood coating one of our white or cream label papers with black ink," according to Ellen Bliske, Neenah senior brand manager. Sara Nelson said her team achieved a beauti- ful, cost-effective label starting with a metallic silver stock. "We apply opaque white ink to most of the label and allow the silver to show through where we'd like a metallic (foil-like) effect." Dedicated printers know that when flooding white paper with dark ink, the ink must be protected with a coating to avoid scuffing by case dividers, Nelson said. These coatings typi- cally offer UV protection as well. The print solution can work well, but flooding with dark ink can leave the label edge uncovered, sometimes allowing the back of the label to display its original pale color. Black label paper, like Neenah Packag- ing's Estate Label No. 25 "adds elegance with the solid black and no white edges," Bliske said. Stock like this works well with foil stamp- ing and embossing, debossing or die-cutting, as well as traditional print processes. "The decoration trend I see most frequently on black labels is foil, often in metallic shades or an opaque white lending a sophistication to the label design," Bliske noted. On the other hand, Nelson said she doesn't start with black paper because, "Getting white ink to be opaque enough is nearly impossible, and foiling the entire label is not practical." Whichever route you choose, going dark is not a fade to black. With the help of in-tune designers, printers and suppliers, wineries con- sidering darker labels for all or part of their product line can avoid potential pitfalls and attain the exciting, on-trend new labels they desire to make their bottles shine. As dark labels such as Trinchero Family Estates' Ménage à Trois Midnight gained traction, they spawned more dark labels in search of market differentiation.