Planet of the Grapes: A Tale of Two Wine Labels

Cinnabar recently introduced a new label design for its estate and single-vineyard wines: Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and two wines from Monterey County’s Santa Lucia Highlands, Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir and Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay. The Central Coast Chardonnay, Paso Robles Merlot and Mercury Rising will continue to bear the cream-colored label with the blue stripe containing icons of the sun, moon, stars, planets and grapes.

The genesis of the new label began with Owner Tom Mudd. Always searching for new and improved ways of doing things (it’s the engineer in him), Tom wanted a more upscale look for his very best wines. “The new label is more representative of the quality of wine in the bottle,” says Tom.

Created by Mauricio Arias of Arias Associates (Palo Alto), the new label maintains the theme of “winemaking as a model of modern-day alchemy” that Tom established when he planted the vineyards in 1983. “Rainwater permeates our mountain vineyards and is transformed into extraordinary grapes with the help of sunlight and soil,” says Tom. He named the winery in honor of the beautiful mineral Cinnabar once believed to be the catalyst for converting base metals into gold.

The new label features the winery name in classic small-caps lettering and a shield composed of three concentric rings. The outer most ring contains symbols representing the 12 constellations of the Zodiac. Clockwise from the top, they are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

The four Latin words outside the square describe the four “elements” from which (it was thought) all matter was made: Aier (air) at the top, Ignis (ignition, as in fire) to the right, Terra (earth) on the bottom, and Aqua (water) on he left.

The symbols circling the inner ring represent the seven “heavenly bodies” other than Earth that were known to Man in the 14th Century. Clockwise from the top, they are the Sun, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Venus.

In the center, the letter “C” is for “Cinnabar,” and as only Tom Mudd can say, “It rightfully belongs in the center of the universe.”

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