Right from the get-go, I decided to use labels from OnlineLabels.com. They were the only company I could find that sells full-sheet labels -- I wanted to be able to print on my nice Epson printer and cut them with square corners. They offered free samples, and later even credited me for labels I had ordered that just didn't work with my printer.
The first year, we made a blend from seven red grapes and called it Lucky 7: Rebel Red. The "rebel" part is because we un-accidentally picked a few clusters of grapes that weren't on the "okay to pick" list from the grower... Oops!
We didn't harvest grapes in 2009 because we were traveling. But the following year, we made "Purple Haze" from Tempranillo grapes. It's a Spanish varietal that grows well here in the Central Coast of California.
The fall of 2011 brought us grape booty! We made another Tempranillo, this time with 25% of a Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blend. We called it "Bastard Spaniard" because the Spanish varietal was compromised by both a Bordeaux and a Rhone!
The grower/winemaker offered us Pinot Noir grapes as well. Even though we were pretty concerned about dealing with this delicate, high-maintenance fruit, our fabulous enologist, Sherrie, and winemaker Shannon both walked us through the arduous process. The wine turned out delicious!
I design and print labels for our friends who got us into home winemaking, and will post those at another time.
All of these labels look fantastic on the Waterproof Glossy labels from OnlineLabels.com. Check them out... oh, and their customer service is excellent, too.
Final Note: The harvest of 2012 yielded significantly lower Brix, but our newest red blend tastes fruity and not a bit light in body. When we name it and label it, probably late spring, I'll post here on my blog!
Cheers,
Sharine.
(All label designs by Sharine Borslien of BlipsWerx Productions, copyright 2008-2012)
