One of the Finger Lakes Wine industry’s iconic brands is getting a new look. Anthony Road Winery is introducing a fresh, new label for its eponymously titled line of wines. Beginning this year, all new releases will bear a label meant to be stylish and modern. The new label prominently features an abstract art design. The previous Anthony Road label had been used for the past dozen years and was more traditional and understated in style.
According to associate winemaker Peter Becraft, the winery had been considering an update to the Anthony Road wine series label for some time before making the change. “For a long time, we had relied on a shiny, sheen and metallic look to attract customers,” Becraft said. “It ended up looking a bit dated, a bit disco.”
Feedback from clients, including international distributors, convinced the company that the time was right for a change. “We had gotten complaints from some of our clients as well as from potential clients. We were happy they spoke up. Their refreshing, honest comments were welcome.”
[quote]Finally, we feel like the quality of what is on the outside matches the quality of what is on the inside.” — Peter Becraft, Associate Winemaker, Anthony Road Wine Company[/quote]
A creative team of Becraft, general manager Sarah Martini Eighmy and tasting room manager Liz Martini Castner worked with a graphic designer to come up with potential designs for the new label. “We wanted something completely different,” said Eighmy. “We have noticed that with the new label, customers want to pick up the bottle. They want to hold it and look at it. That’s exactly what we wanted to accomplish.”
Becraft added, “Finally, we feel like the quality of what is on the outside matches the quality of what is on the inside.”
This is no small debate in dozens of wineries across the state, and it’s not the only new label. Rooster Hill features a set of labels that keeps the rooster front-and-center, while reducing some of the glossy sheen of the older labels. Other wineries have new labels in development. A strong label can catch a consumer’s eye, which is a huge first step, particularly for producers that plan to sell beyond their own tasting rooms.
The new Anthony Road label will be featured on all eleven wines in the Anthony Road series. The color scheme of each label reflects the color of the wine inside the bottle. In addition to the new graphics, each label also bears the winery’s motto of “Family, friends, passion.”
Anthony Road will be hosting a release party in May to officially introduce the new label design.