The History of Wine Labels

There was only one “wine” in the beginning. This is no surprise considering that people began drinking fermented grape juice around 6000 B.C., long before other concepts such as “varietal,” terroir, and “oaky end” became mainstream.

People began to notice the differences in quality, taste, and experience with different wines over time. They needed a way of distinguishing between the sweet nectar reserved for kings or emperors and the ordinary nectar. The wine label, which is perhaps the earliest example of “branding” today, was created.

Archaeologists discovered wine containers buried with the pharaohs in ancient Egyptian tombs. Each container is engraved with information about the wine’s year, type, and quality.

The ancient Persians were wine connoisseurs who meticulously cataloged and labeled wines from their vast empires and beyond. A tablet taken from Persepolis, built around 500 B.C. This tablet, found in Persepolis (built around 500 B.C.), details how wine was distributed to different social classes. It includes familiar workers as well as the king’s family.

Let’s go back a few millennia to when wine label design was truly thriving. This was just after the invention of lithography enabled the rapid production and distribution of wine labels printing (and other product labels).

19th Century Wine Label Design

In the 1800s, wines with particular characteristics were produced in some regions of France, Italy, and Germany. In Europe and all over the globe, winemakers gained a lot of fame. These vintners could put their stamp on the fruits of their labor and help discerning customers find high-quality bottles.

These are some of the most distinctive wine label designs from 19th-century Germany. The first mass-produced wine labels appear to have been created.

This advertisement shows that Champagne producers in France added gold, silver, and other metallic flourishes during the same period to their labels to show the luxury and extravagance of their products.

We have labels for 14 rare 19 Th Century bottles. These wines were part of a special dinner hosted by a Hong Kong-based importer. The event featured selections from famous wineries in Burgundy and Bordeaux. The wines were as beautiful as the label design. It was a wonderful evening.

California wines are highly praised today, as California continues to be a leader in wine production. The industry was only beginning in the second half of the 19th Century.

This California wine label was created in the 1890s by a winemaker who wanted to combine the rugged spirit and sophistication of the Far West with the elegance of the Old World.

Current Wine Label Design Trends

Winemakers in 21st-century winemaking know that designing labels is just as important as picking the right time to harvest grapes.

There are more choices for wine buyers than ever before. There are many choices on the shelves of liquor stores, gas stations, and grocers. They include selections from New Zealand, Argentina, Oregon, and Oregon. There are excellent wines at all price points; they are not reserved for the pharaohs.

With so many options, consumers tend to rely more on visual cues. A survey showed that 82% of wine drinkers make decisions based on wine labels.

A wine label printer is as important as the wine it represents. When it comes to selecting the right printer for your market impact, TCS Digital Solutions can help.