Wine naming

[Jason Richardson]

Is it better to name a wine on the basis of its varietal designation (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) or to choose a random name for the wine and use that instead? Is there any common practice or sentiment which would indicate that having a varietal designation is a sign of quality -- especially for a new wine entering the market? We are launching a new wine in China where I don't believe there are any detailed naming restrictions or conditions.

Thank you for your help and advice.

Jason Ricardson
CMS Services
jasonrichardson@cmschina.com

[Randy Caparoso]

Specific varietal designation is not meant to be an indication of quality, it's meant to be an indication of accuracy. Whatever you do, or whoever you're selling to, in the long run you'll be better served by being as truthful as possible. If a wine is made predominantly by, say, Cabernet Sauvignon (75% or more), it will taste more of Cabernet Sauvignon and be of the general level of quality of Cabernet Sauvignon. Therefore, if you don't want problems later with a market flooded with false products (either yours or your competitors), you're better off policing YOURSELF rather than going for the quick buck.

Choosing a random or "proprietary" name, however, is a good way to go if you don't want your product to be constrained by varietal makeup. Then it's up to you to maintain your own standards of quality, beholden to no else's. In recent wine marketing history, neither proprietary nor varietal marketing would seem to have a leg up in terms of effectiveness. What sells best is quality in the bottle, no matter what you call it on the outside.

[Thomas]

I second Randy's words on this subject, and I add the following thought:

Proprietary naming gives your wine a unique identity. Sometimes, it is better to have a unique identity then to be just another varietal among thousands of varietals. But in China, who knows!