A Good Wine Label Tells a Story – Three Interesting Wine Label Stories for You

Barely hearing the name, we can already tell that this wine brand doesn't follow the traditional path. But contrary to what we might think, this brand wasn’t created by the trendsetting younger generation with unique ideas. Instead, it was founded by a couple in 1957.

In the 1950s, the two founders, Filippo and Maria Casella, migrated from Sicily to Australia. They started making wine using winemaking techniques passed down in their family. They wanted to use wine as a way to connect family and friends, bringing joy to gatherings.

Fast forward to 2001, their descendant, John Casella, took over the family business and wanted to take it to the next level. He understood Filippo and Maria's hopes for the wine they crafted and decided to create a fun and approachable brand that everyone could enjoy. And so, Yellow Tail was born. Since then, Yellow Tail has become popular in Australia, Europe, and both North and South America.

The success of Yellow Tail is closely tied to its fun label. Australia is known as the land of kangaroos, so choosing a lively kangaroo as the label highlighted the wine's origin. It’s playful and charming, making the wine feel more approachable. At first, the Yellow Tail label had a black background with a yellow kangaroo, but over time, different versions of the label were created to fit different products. The kangaroo has become the brand’s symbol, easily catching the attention of many, making it a true “brand ambassador.”

The Barefoot logo is simple, just a bare foot, reminding people of walking barefoot on the beach. We’ve seen labels with animals or cartoon characters, but a foot? That’s new and different.

This relaxed image makes it easy for Barefoot to change its labels to match different products. The label became a big part of their marketing, catching people’s attention and making them want to buy.

You might wonder why this wine is called Fat Bastard. What’s the connection? Actually, the name reflects the wine’s flavor. How did this happen? Let’s start from the beginning.

One day, renowned French winemaker Thierry had an idea to leave a barrel “on the lees” (yeast cells) to see what would happen. When he and British wine importer Guy Anderson tasted the wine, Thierry was thrilled and exclaimed, “Now this is a fat bastard!” This is a very British expression, meaning the wine has a full, rich taste. The wine had been left with the yeast in the barrel for longer than usual, which gave it a very bold and round flavor.

In 1998, the brand was officially created and named Fat Bastard. Clearly, like the other two wines we’ve discussed, this brand doesn’t follow the traditional path. Over time, young people became less interested in the classic wines with old-fashioned labels showing castles. They prefer fun, relaxed wine brands. Fat Bastard completely breaks away from the old-fashioned style, using a fun concept in both its name and label.

The label features the brand’s initials with a lazy, chubby raccoon, which matches the brand’s light-hearted idea.

And it worked! Fat Bastard really stood out, with annual sales in the U.S. alone reaching over 400,000 cases. This success is closely tied to the fun and unique impression it has made on the public.