Wine labels and consumer culture in the United States

Abstract

The US has been the world’s largest wine market since 2010 and is the number one country for wine consumption. This general growth in production and consumption reflects a change in the US consumer base, with the rising importance of millennials. To attract all profiles of consumers and be visible, winemakers have to find the right label. It is my contention that the current trends in label designs in the US are oscillating between culture and nature. On the one hand, various trends in label designs are using American popular cultures, reflecting the culture of consumers, commodifying it and often erasing all traces of “classic” wine culture. On the other hand, there is a global development towards the promotion of a more “natural” and “authentic” product. This “back to nature” visual trend values the intrinsic qualities of the wine.