Some may assume that wine has few items that go into its creation, but in fact there are many ingredients and chemicals that can be put in wine to achieve some sort of desired effect. But a California wine company called Ridge Vineyards is attempting to establish more trust with its consumers, and perhaps also educate buyers, by adding an ingredient label to its bottles.
According to Ridge’s official site, the government already allows for different techniques that the winery calls “invasive” and claims that chemicals and an increased focus on industrial means is hampering wine quality. In contrast, Ridge calls itself “pre-industrial.” It is a unique instance in which the creation of a label itself works as kind of a political and mission statement.
A letter from Ridge’s CEO Paul Draper denounces additives that he says add color or texture at the cost of the wine itself and explains what the Ridge labels detail.
“Besides the sustainably-grown grapes and their natural yeasts and malolactic bacteria, we note everything added, even when (as in the case of fresh egg whites used to moderate tannins) no trace remains in the finished wine,” Draper says. He adds that he is against mandatory wine labeling and believes growers should choose to disclose this information themselves.
If the act of making a product label alone can speak volumes, then what goes into that label and the way it is represented is even more important. Designing a label that effectively communicates both contents and processes can seem like a pain, but it can be made easier with a Primera LX900 color label printer.