Featured image for Wonderful Wine Co's Packaging Inspired By Commitment to 'Clean' Wine

Wonderful Wine Co's Packaging Inspired By Commitment to 'Clean' Wine

by Rudy Sanchez on 12/17/2020 | 4 Minute Read

Most people are familiar with the nutritional labels found on food packaging. Consumers rely on these panels to make decisions about the foods they eat and what foods to avoid. For folks with food allergies, medical restrictions, or moral objections to certain ingredients, food labels are a critical tool used to maintain their health and convictions. 

Unfortunately, some items we ingest, such as beer and wine, are not subject to food labeling restrictions.

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Editorial photograph

Often, wine isn’t merely grapes and water. Producers can add organic and inorganic ingredients to their wines without disclosing it on the label. Items such as animal by-products like casein get used to alter the characteristics of wine, a bummer for vegetarians and vegans. Though sugar isn’t allowed, some winemakers will add concentrated grape juice called “Mega Purple” to boost their wines’ depth and body.

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Chemicals such as dimethyl dicarbonate and potassium sorbate, the former a cold temperature pasteurizer used to prolong wine’s shelf life and the latter a substance that halts fermentation, are common additives that don’t have to get disclosed on the label.

To be clear, however, just because certain additives don't get disclosed does not necessarily mean it’s in a bottle of wine. Nonetheless, for those looking to be sure, transparency like Wonderful Wine Co’s is a welcomed alternative to being in the dark.

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Editorial photograph

Direct-to-consumer wine brand Winc saw a need for drinks that are more upfront about what kind of additives are used, launching Wonderful Wine Co. This new range is upfront about the ingredients of their wines, making it clear they add things like cellulose gum, a natural stabilizer, and bentonite used to clarify white wines.

Many vintners like to present a lot of details about where a wine comes from, not so much for Wonderful Wine Company. The brand provides little more than standard appellation like “Spanish Syrah,” deciding instead to focus on ingredients—a different kind of transparency and disclosure which might find more appeal among consumers more interested in avoiding certain foods and chemicals.

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“As health-conscious winemakers who care about the things we put into our bodies, we wanted to craft something that people could feel good about reaching for," said Winc COO Brain Smith. "Clean wine—grown without pesticides, bottled without added sugars, that’s vegan-friendly, low sugar, low carb, and low sulfite. 

"That’s a long way of saying it’s basically as good for you as wine gets," he added.

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Wonder Wine Co’s visual identity and the packaging, done in-house, plays on the transparency theme by using clear bottles. The labels voluntarily describe as much about the ingredients as allowed by law. Fun copy like “Tastes like dolphin rides” sidesteps conventionality, replacing the elaborate stories and detailed tasting notes that are more common on wine labels.

Colors are cranked up, with a bright and almost psychedelic gradient serving as a backdrop to celestial imagery, ray lines, and typography strong enough to stand in front of that big, chromatic energy.

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Editorial photograph

“Our campaign imagery is equally rich, depicting a life of balance – wellness, indulgence, and a little WTF,” Smith explained. “This brand aims to cut through the pretense and inaccessibility of the wellness industry by focusing on balance instead of deprivation and highlighting the magic of being alive."

It's those little moments, coupled with transparency, and several extra helpings of brightness, that bring a sense of wonder to the branding, leaving curious consumers with a distinct and bold line of wines.

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Photos by: Jack Strutz