Sicilian winery Donnafugata shows you can judge wine by its label, with designs inspired by local art
Innovative marketing makes most of the fact that a wine’s label can have an impact on sales
A recent news story claims that “the secret weapon in the $63 billion wine market is often an eye-catching label”, adding that in a saturated marketplace, producers need to grab any opportunity to catch people’s attention. Here in Hong Kong, one local wine importer says that, with the ubiquity of social media, “Instagrammable labels”, coupled with tasting notes, can help fuel sales.
In short, while an attractive or intriguing label will not make a wine better, it can make people more interested in trying a drop, as Gabriella Rallo of Sicily’s Donnafugata winery knows full well.
Rallo has captured the Italian island’s history and culture with her wine labels. Inspired by the art and literature of Sicily, and the Arabic influences that made an impact on its unique culture, she commissioned artist Stefano Vitale to create whimsical and eye-catching paintings conveying the wines’ personality.
Donnafugata’s reds employ nero d’Avola, the signature red grape of Sicily. The name means “black of Avola” and refers to a town in Sicily’s southeast. In the past, nero d’Avola was used primarily as a blending component, adding colour and body to thin wines from northern Italy, but Donnafugata has been a pioneer in making modern wine styles of international quality using indigenous grapes.
Nero d’Avola possesses a dark, inky colour, firm tannins and high acidity, and it is growing in popularity with producers focusing on sustainable viticulture in light of climate change and extreme weather conditions. The grape ripens after summer’s peak, is resilient to heat and drought, and retains acidity.
Donnafugata Nero d’Avola Sherazade, Sicilia DOC 2015. HK$178
