Whether at influential wine tasting events or on the table at home,
wines submerged in ice buckets often come out with waterlogged,
damaged, or askew paper labels. A new substrate, Ice Bucket Label™ by
Labeltronix (www.labeltronix.com), dries up any soggy label problems
that can ruin the mood and appeal for a fine wine.
“The Ice Bucket Label from Labeltronix looks great all the time,” says
master winemaker Jon McPherson of South Coast Winery, Temecula, CA, the
first user. “Now no one has to worry about the label falling off or
about poor-looking labels in the wine-tasting room or at home.”
After a successful short-run test in February 2008, South Coast has
been transitioning to the new labels with each label reorder. The
labels debuted for its four-product line of sparkling wines in 750-mL
bottles, which retail for $18 each, and for its table wines, which sell
for $14 to $24. The new labels mimic—and cost the same as—its paper
labels. The material also runs seamlessly on its labelers and at the
same rates as before, up to 45/min, according to McPherson.
The labels use a proprietary structure based on a 2 to 3 mil
polypropylene base material. Labeltronix points out that a “special”
adhesive and varnish in combination with the facestock gives the
material its ice bucket advantage. The PP is reverse-printed
flexographically in four colors plus spot colors, and it includes
foil-stamp decoration.
McPherson, who is enthused about the label’s durability in all
conditions, including cross-country shipping, calls the label
“bulletproof.” He says, “I am considering going to this for all our
products just because of the way it holds up. The labels are
incredible, they have great tack, and they don’t bubble like other
plastic labels.” Next, he is looking to see if a metallized finish can
be transferred over to an Ice Bucket Label, and is considering its use
even for red wines, which don’t need to be served chilled.
