FEATURE | Wine Labels
But when we reach the wine shelves we carefully scan the rows of labels, wanting to know the farm where the grapes were produced, the variety of grapes that went into the bottle, the year they were harvested, and often even the name of the particular vineyard in which those grapes grew. Wine producers know this, of course, and try to dress their products in labels as eye-catching and memorable as possible. It’s a competitive world out there. In some cases, the name of the farm or estate has become so well known and respected that it’s enough to attract buyers without having to think up fancy names. Cellars like Groot Constantia, Alto, Boschendal, Meerlust and Simonsig already have loyal followings, while lesser-known wineries, like Snowfield (Sutherland) and Tshilidzini (Wellington) might need some introduction on the label.
W
ine is one of only a small handful of agricultural products that are marketed with brand names. Most farm products are sold simply by weight. We happily buy apples, potatoes, lamb chops and bananas without bothering to ask who produced them. We put a dozen eggs into the supermarket trolley with no desire to know the name of the hen that laid them, or even the farm where she lived. When we buy steaks we don’t even ask whether they were taken from black Angus cows, Frieslands or Ayrshires. Beef is beef. Slice it, mince it, make it into biltong: it remains anonymous.
JUST THE
TICKET!
David Biggs on some of his favourite local wine labels Often the vintners take the easy route when labelling their products and simply give the name of the cellar and variety of grape—Saronsberg Shiraz, for example, or Nederburg Riesling. Fair enough; you know what you’re getting and where it comes from. You have enough confidence in the winery to know you’ll end up with a bottle of reliably good wine. In addition to identifying the cellar, wine labels can be used to honour ancestors, pay tribute to historic figures or act as reminders of the winemaker’s family origins. JORDAN WINES’ COBBLERS HILL label, for example, refers to the family’s involvement in the shoe industry. Jordon shoes. The cobbler was traditionally the man who made and repaired shoes. Wines may be named after family members, political leaders—or even dogs. BEYERSKLOOF’S ICONIC DIESEL PINOTAGE, for example, has nothing to do with the liquid tractor fuel. It was named after a very large boerboel dog called Diesel. The wine’s creator, Beyers Truter, said, “Diesel was more than just a dog. He was a HUGE dog—eyes like a lion, balls of steel, teeth like a scalpel…” Obviously, a dog that won great respect, like the wine. 3 2
SOUTH AFRICAN CONNOISSEUR
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2021/11/18 12:48
