What makes a wine fine?

‘Land is really the best art’ thought artist Andy Warhol. If your taste – and bank account - runs to luxury wine, you would surely agree. For a humble agricultural product, grapes have sure done well. Turned into wine, they stimulate, embolden and inspire. Luxury wine has the luxury brand playbook totally covered. It presents a masterclass from which we can all learn. Mythology, mesmerising origination stories embracing nature, identity, sustainability, passion, style, art, history, culture. It is investment vehicle, innovator, elixir of the gods, religion, HNW hobby, cultural signifier… it is a luxury sector par excellence, with luxury brand narratives that are deliciously perfect. Bottled poetry borne of the land blended with deep soul. Oh, and the product tastes pretty good too.

I’m interested in what makes wine fine. How rarity, production methods, terroir, and history contribute to luxury status, and what the emotional, psychological and social drivers are for ownership and drinking.

Firstly, a fine wine means the holy word: Terroir. Let Hugh Johnson explain: “Terroir, of course, means much more than what goes on beneath the surface. Properly understood, it means the whole ecology of a vineyard: every aspect of its surroundings from bedrock to late frosts and autumn mists, not excluding the way a vineyard is tended, nor even the soul of the vigneron.” It’s a thing. Wine lovers get it.

Fine wine also means limited production, exclusive vineyards, or rare grape varietals, or vineyards grown in unique conditions e.g. soil composition or climate. Add quality, exceptional craftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail, and sticking to traditional methods, like ageing in oak barrels, and you have a recipe that delivers distinctive tastes, complexity, and character. All of which significantly increase a wine's value.
Ageing is a good look. Getting older has its benefits, though I haven’t seen them yet. Well-aged wines, particularly from famous vintages, gain prestige and higher prices due to their limited availability. Fine wines also mean prizes, from competitions and critics which justifies premium positionings.

Scarcity is another good look and a reliable pillar of luxury brands. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti wines are some of the most expensive in the world because of their combination of very high quality, reputation, exclusivity, cult status and consequently supply and demand. The domain's flagship is the Romanée-Conti Grand Cru which cots thousands of euros per bottle. Production is only 5,000 bottles per year. The 1945 Romanée-Conti sold for $558,000 at auction last year.

Heritage. In spades. We all know reputation over time underpins the luxury category. Heritage here applies to regions or maisons that have demonstrated longevity and consistent demand, like classified Bordeaux properties, Burgundy Grand Cru sites, or Champagne.

Wine brand marketing

And then there is luxury brand marketing. The building blocks are long histories, impressive reputations, and either family farmer generational craft-based, or passionate- new- owner stories, associated with the winery or region. Though outsider/disruptor founder stories have their place, as seen in the rosé sector which is full of celeb owners. Also, Asian ownership. An estimated 160 chateaux are now under Chinese ownership, up from 30 in 2012. The vast majority of acquisitions have been in Bordeaux.

You know how the marketing works in practise: impactful label designs, evocative fragrant copy, luxurious packaging, and unique bottles elevate physical experience and create exclusivity. They are hard to do well, do sincerely and with respect especially to the winemakers, the creators. Here are some example luxury branding case histories of our own.

In his book "The Art of Looking", art critic Robert Hughes discusses the role of sensory experience and critical judgment in both art - and food - appreciation. He connected the two believing complexity, origination, historical context and cultural significance make for the whole experience. So, here’s the whole experience:

Psychologically, fine wine is rich territory indeed. Freud never wrote about wine, but his famous artist grandson Lucian created the label for Chateau Mouton Rothschild 2006. (Whilst on art Warhol also shilled for the same Chateau designing their label for the 1971 vintage).

Brand association with culture, status and success. Thus, perfectly showing how owning and drinking luxury wine goes beyond the physical act of consumption. Owning a limited-edition or highly sought-after wine has its own sweet taste of high self-esteem, brag value, and sense of accomplishment.

Not to say the wine itself isn’t wonderful. The taste experience of a well-crafted, complex wine can be truly joyful. It can be a temporary indulgent escape from the everyday. It might revive memories or cultural traditions. Sharing with people connects and bonds. Never mind breaking bread, open the bottle. That togetherness thing happens quicker. It is a more flavoursome way than Hovis to signal generosity and like-mindedness.

For some – and we see this in many luxury sectors like cars, watches and jewellery – fine wines are a platform for acquiring and displaying expertise, knowledge, and cultural capital. Knowing your wine is a mark of sophistication and discernment. At its worst this means the butt of a hundred stereotypes. At its best, wine is ideal for all Pinot Noir philosophers, intellectual aesthetic adventurers, and curious searchers for new truths in new glasses from new places, varietals, and vintages.

Fine wine is indeed luxury. Part of its appeal has always been its almost primal human desire for connection to nature. We talk much about narratives and stories but, in truth, wines have it effortlessly. Origins in agriculture. Connection with Mother earth and its cycles. Sensory experience. Cultural significance. Let’s end with a poetic perspective on the interconnectedness of man and nature. “Each blade of grass has its spot on earth whence it draws its life, its strength; and so is man rooted to the land from which he draws his faith together with his life.” J.Conrad.

So, Cheers. Salud. Santé. Saúde.

Here's to developing successful drinks brands

You can read more about our drinks experience here and that of our close creative associates Studio Parr, the award-winning design studio specialising in premium drinks.

Our collective experience includes Chivas, Beefeater Hayman, Talisker, Kylie Minogue, Estandon, Esporao, Hatch Mansfield, Neleman, Ehrmanns, Marques De Riscal, Albourne Estate, Hoffmann & Rathbone, Accolade Wines, International Wine Shippers, Grange vineyards, Johnnie Walker, Talisker, Jack Daniels, Stolichnya. Adnams, Siren, Tuborg, Tiger, Carlsberg/Heineken, Diageo/Guinness.

To get in touch do drop us an email. We'd be delighted to meet for a coffee, either face-to-face or virtually to discuss your brief.