Nude art labels from Jolie-Laide get approval
Jolie-Laide, a micro-wine label by Scott Schultz, has attracted out-sized attention for what’s in the bottles: Trousseau Gris, Pinot Gris, and Syrah, all from single-vineyards in California. But with the current vintage, the outside of the bottles have also been turning heads since the labels depict nude line drawings.
Schultz says he varies the labels of the Jolie-Laide (translated as “pretty-ugly”) wines every year. Last year, a calligrapher designed the labels. This year, it is tattoo artist Kapten Hanna who sketched the art for the 280-case production.
John Trinidad posted the above picture to Instagram with the comment, “This wine label is HAWT! And the wine is gorgeous, too.”
Schultz, a former sommelier who currently works at Wind Gap wines, said “We were hoping because it’s just black and grey sketch art, it would remove the sexuality and evoke more a simplistic, old-school approach to the wines.”
Apparently the TTB thought the labels were HAWT too–but not too HAWT to handle. The Pinot Gris (left above) and the syrah (not pictured) passed in the first go-round but the Trousseau Gris needed a second review before getting the green light on July 15. Interestingly, small wines can apply to the TTB for a “certificate of exemption from label approval” and sell their wines only in-state, bypassing the need for federal approval. But with the TTB’s stamp of approval, these wines can now be sold in markets such as New York City, where Shultz says the wines have some fans already.
What do you think — if you were an administrator, would you give these labels a thumbs up? Or, as a consumer, does it pique your interest in the wine?
On July 17th, 2013 at 11:40 am ,gabe wrote:
As a winemaker, I’m jealous. Those labels are awesome
On July 17th, 2013 at 12:19 pm ,Quizicat wrote:
I guess the puritans at BATF have loosened up a little since the banning of the Mouton Rothschild and Kenwood Artist labels. Also they formerly banned Coopers Creek ‘Cats Pee On a Gooseberry Bush’ it’s now been deemed OK to say Pee on a label, formerly they were forced to change it to Cats Fee… How stupid!
On July 17th, 2013 at 1:02 pm ,Hillary wrote:
Love these labels!
On July 17th, 2013 at 1:05 pm ,John Trinidad wrote:
I love the Jolie Laide labels, and the artwork compliments the beautiful, structured, and elegant wines that Scott is making.
The TTB COLA approval process can be difficult at times, but I’m glad to hear that they gave the green light to these labels.
On July 17th, 2013 at 2:25 pm ,Lyman Dally wrote:
As an artist and wine enthusiast, I think it’s wonderful to see a sensual use of figuritive rendering on a wine label. As a wine buyer it would pique my curiosity. As an artist I’d say “Hey!-why didn’t I get asked to do this?” I hope Jolie-Ladie continues to explore unique artistic labelling such as this.
On July 17th, 2013 at 8:02 pm ,Wine Lass wrote:
Yes, I would give it a thumbs up and yes, it does pique my interest as well!
On July 17th, 2013 at 10:00 pm ,Rick Tandy wrote:
Love it! I’ll be looking to get hands on a pair.
On July 18th, 2013 at 8:00 am ,Terroirist: A Daily Wine Blog » Daily Wine News: Superhero Sommelier wrote:
[…] Dr. Vino highlights the latest labels from Jolie-Laide. […]
On July 18th, 2013 at 8:38 am ,Emily H wrote:
Reminds me of a line of Benegas wines from Argentina featuring very similar artwork.
On July 18th, 2013 at 12:04 pm ,Cai Palmer wrote:
We were intrigued by the bottle at first – other than Tobe Sheldon’s Weatherly Cuvee we have seen nothing like this on a label, and then we tried the wine – gorgeous. Absolutely.
So we bought a number of cases for the store and they have been leaving spiritedly, in little brown bags! (Still some in stock)
On July 18th, 2013 at 1:06 pm ,Larry Chandler wrote:
Being Laide and with nudity on a label! How daring! Alabama won’t sell it. But it should do real well.
On July 18th, 2013 at 6:53 pm ,Linkin’ Logs 7-18-13 | Decant This! … the wine blog of Bill Ward wrote:
[…] • Given the affiliation with Wind Gap, I’m guessing the Jolie-Laide wines are really good. But many of us would buy them for the labels. […]
On July 19th, 2013 at 1:30 pm ,Steve Lay wrote:
Labels as art does offer reflection and technical interest most art critics find challenging. A friend of mine is the director of exhibits for the SFO museum of art and she spends hours talking about art; color, movement, technique, etc. It’s lost on me. But back to labels as art.
Some Wine labels try to be all things to all wine consumers to sell wine-the casual purchaser of wine and the informed looking for the logo/name they know about. The casual person,seems to be taken with a varietal first then what does a label “say” to them from the bin or shelf. I have ask people how they selected a specific wine-“I just love this label”.
Branding should be the foremost driver of a “lifestyle” product that is medium and above price point.
The nude label is fun and provokes conversation about the label but what about the brand? Does the label take away from a brand objective or support it?
Sorry, I am a marketing guy who lives on research! I like the label!
On July 25th, 2013 at 4:16 pm ,Wine Life Radio wrote:
Its a Label…it may start something.