The Art and Design of Contemporary Wine Labels

Even teetotalers will appreciate the stories behind over 200 contemporary wine labels. Though Scholes doesn't include images of the earliest labeled bottles from King Tutankhamun's tomb, or the first "official" label from Dom Perignon, there is plenty of wine-inspired art here, from the steadfast seriousness of New Zealand's "Anthem," an ode to Ayn Rand, to the comic strips adorning First Drop's and Three Families' bottles, to the slug-taking housewife from Kaz's "Trixi's Secret," to the indelicate "De Puta Madre" from Francois Lurton. Readers will learn about the serendipitous creation of labels for Montes' line of Chilean wines featuring Ralph Steadman's artwork, and discover the drama behind JUSTIN Vineyards' struggle to get their wines to market. Familiar wines appear alongside a terrific selection of lesser-knowns with creative labels, giving ample opportunity for the inspired to learn more about the wines or artists behind the labels. A terrific way to spend time with a bottle of one of the featured wines, and a great opportunity to find a new favorite for the cellar. Photos. (Oct.)