Water 2 Wine caught our eye. Because there are an enormous number of label approvals. Water 2 Wine has more than 1,500 label approvals since 2004. Why so many? It turns out that Water 2 Wine runs franchised mini-wineries in nine cities around Texas, with one in California and one more in Colorado. The website explains:
Water 2 Wine is the Ultimate Wine Experience! Juice (or “must”), is made available from more than 100 vineyards in 12 countries, and is made into wine in our custom winery! The wine is sold by the glass, by the bottle and by the batch (approx. 28-30 bottles). Wine sold by the batch is made by customers, who return about 45 days later to bottle, cork, and custom label their wine with a label we help them create! All wines contain only minimal amounts of sulfites and no histamines and are available for tasting before purchasing.
It further explains the business and legal side:
The Franchise Fee for your first Water 2 Wine will be $35,000. This fee is part of the total initial investment and includes up to 3 weeks training at the franchise training center in Austin, TX. … There is a mandatory $5,000 Licensing Assistance Fee. The path to Federal and State licensing can be rigorous and present an obstacle to opening. We will work with you to accomplish this task. … Royalties are 4% of gross sales … Total initial investments … start at approximately $143,000.
The Pinot Grigio and Cabernet are produced in Round Rock, Texas and have no appellation or vintage-date stated.
In other cleavage news, there is Cleavage Creek Cellars, quite possibly a good way to support Breast Cancer Research.
Cleavage Creek Cellars donates ten percent of their gross proceeds from the wine sales to breast cancer research. After owner Budge Brown’s wife died of breast cancer in 2005, he decided to take action; he purchased the Cleavage Creek label, and in 2007 released his first vintage of wine. His intention was to help make a difference by funding research in the field, and so far according to their website they have donated over $38,000. This has garnered them national attention, including a feature piece on ABC’s Good Morning America.
The first vintage in 2007 featured eight different varietals, which means eight different wine labels. The labels are really, what caught the attention of the press. Each of the eight labels, prominently feature a picture of a real life breast cancer survivor. Her inspirational story can then be read on the Cleavage Creek Website.
The 2008 vintage featured six different labels, and six different survivors. An article in our local newspaper about a local survivor, Kathy Van Ripper, grabbed my attention. Hopefully, it has grabbed your attention as well.
So where can you buy the wines? Currently they produce at least 1600 cases of each wine, so they are not widely distributed. According to their website the wine can be purchased via the Internet or over the phone (assuming of course it is legal to receive wine shipped from California in your home state). The prices range from $18-$50 a bottle, and remember, a portion of that money goes to breast cancer research. As their labels say, “Live to love life.”
References:
http://www.cleavagecreek.com/ccstory.html#
http://www.cleavagecreek.com/ccgiving.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=5268097
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20081124/NEWS/811240306
Label: https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicFormDisplay&ttbid=08199001000388
How in the world can water 2 wine a commercial winery operating in the united states have a label that indicates Italian Amarone or French Chardonnay or Austrailian shiraz. Looks like they applied for exemptions from label approval, but do not think that this is legal. Even if the fruit the wine is made from is french or italian are there not laws that prevent this type labeling on wine produced in the United States. Furthermore, is Amarone a style that is protected under treaty with the EU.
TTB ID: 07061001000052
Great idea! Love how the wine industry is moving toward private label. It is no longer just a cool new way to strengthen trade brand equity, but it’s a smart economical decision especially with the current recession. Private label is how we can get rid of the huge supply glut forming by selling smaller quantities to a variety of players, breaking down the 3-tier and opening up the industry. Suppliers are going to have get rid of their current brand/label and take the loss, but in the end its a net win because they’re getting their wine sold.
Water 2 Wine seems to be grabbing hold of this opportunity and using their brand as an endorser of a private label strategy. Love the Bikinis label for Bikinis Sports Bar and Grill!