Blogs

Every bottle of wine or liquor I can think of has a label. Many times the label simply indicates the contents with a brief description of origin and flavor. But sometimes, labels go beyond the basic requirements with a higher purpose. Campari and Fonseca Bin 27 Port are two brands with labels promoting indigenous art.

Campari

Campari's art label is very fiery...vibrant! And this most accurately portrays what's inside the bottle. This spirit can be sipped straight, but when mixed in classic cocktails like the Negroni or Americano, its raw herbal essence with hints of syrupy sweetness on the finish opens up many flavorful possibilities with a wide range of base spirits. Its distinct red color adds flare and deeper hued passion to the presentation. The new limited edition art label, created by Italian artist Ugo Nespolo, reinterprets a Leonetto Cappiello Spiritello print commissioned by Campari back in 1921. Nespolo wanted to bring a colorful, contemporary, and eye catching twist to this classic yet honoring Cappiello's original work by recreating the memorable red clad goblin set amid an oversize spiraling orange rind. He also added a striking background comprised of abstract geometric shapes in striking shades of blue.

Fonseca Bin 27 Port

Fonseca Bin 27 Limited Edition Artist Seriesis now debuting its first, limited-edition Artist Series, a special release of Bin 27 available October through December 2012. Bin 27, a

Reserve Ruby port, started off more than a century ago as the family's personal reserve but beginning in 1972 was made available to the public. A blend of premium reserve wines aged 3-4 years in neutral oak vats, this rich red has a velvety texture with luscious black currant, chocolate and cherry notes. Featuring a label by the late Sebastiao Rodrigues, a revered Portuguese designer whose work drew on the country's rich graphic traditions. Depicting a Portuguese fisherman in a traditional fishing boat on the Duoro River which has played a key role in the Port trade for centuries, this image was widely used in 1950s tourism postcards. Another remarkable aspect of Fonseca's Artist Series campaign is the fact they've partnered with Waterkeeper Alliance to sustain the future of viticulture in the historic Douro River Valley. “Protecting the water is integral to preserving this region”, says Head Winemaker David Guimaraens. “Continuing my family's winemaking legacy would be impossible without long term stewardship of land and water.”

Photos courtesy Steve Mirsky. Coverage made possible via complementary samples.