Wine Labeling Showcases History, Benefits Byway Organization

Custom-label wine sales earned a byway organization more than $5,000 in profit.

Who:

The late Dain Torguson of Planning & Design, Inc., Algonquin, Illinois, was a high school classmate of Jan Stowman, secretary of the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway in North Dakota. Torguson, an artist and graphic designer, provided the vision and start-up funding for a project to custom label wine for retail sales to initially benefit the all 60’s High School Reunion Committee. Due to the project’s success at the reunion, the Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway became a secondary beneficiary.

What:

An artist-designed label, illustrating the High Line Bridge, a locally, nationally and historically significant railroad trestle - one of the 10 tallest and longest in the US, was placed on bottles of two types of wine that sold at a high school reunion event, a restaurant, and a liquor store.

When:

Hi-Line Wine was sold only in 2000. The program was intended to be the start of a series of custom labeled wines for the byway, however, the artist who initiated the idea died unexpectedly after the first year of the program. In 2005, the byway committee was considering restoring the program as “Taste of the Valley,” possibly in cooperation with a local winery operation. See also How.

Where:

The wine was retailed at an all-60’s class reunion event, a local restaurant, and a liquor store.

How:

Artist Dain Torguson bankrolled the project, designed the historic Hi-Line trestle label, and ordered the labels, single and double-size boxes and packing materials for one and two-bottle packaging.

Labels for a double box of wine measured 5 1/8 inches wide by 7 1/8 inches high. The actual wine bottle labels measured 3 1/8 inches wide by 4 1/8 inches high and had the same images but with a reflective silver tinfoil appearance.

Thirty cases of White Zinfandel and twenty cases of Chardonnay were ordered. The local liquor distributor did not charge for display materials or handling. The group only paid for the wholesale cost of the wine and associated liquor taxes. The bottles and boxes were hand-labeled by volunteers and committee members.

Torguson signed and numbered a limited quantity of the bottles. Byway Committee members gave bottles away as promotional items. Byway Chairperson Bobby Koepplin purchased a couple of cases to save for sale as collector’s items.

Torguson talked another classmate into helping with the project. The wine was sold at the classmate’s Valley City City Lights restaurant, at the one liquor store serving the community with a population of 8,000 people, and at a well-attended all-1960’s class reunion event.

The vision for continuing the program may include labels of historic Rainbow Bridge and of an 1881 restored Northern Pacific superintendents coach known as the Rosebud.

Funding Potential:

The wine was purchased through a local distributor at the wholesale price of $2.95/bottle. The liquor store did not take any percentage of the purchase price for handling or display space. The wine, which would typically sell for $15-20/bottle in a restaurant, was retailed by the byway organization for $12.50/bottle plus applicable liquor taxes. The entire purchased shipment of 50 cases was sold with sales evenly spread between the liquor store/restaurant and the reunion event.

Expenses included the costs for shredded parchment for boxing bottles, boxes, wine bottle and box labels, shipping costs, and radio and newspaper advertising. As mentioned, earlier, design, planning and some expenses were donated.

After expenses, the byway organization netted $5,329. The money was put toward purchasing the historic Rosebud coach and development of the Byway Portal/Rosebud Visitor Center.

Why Wine Labeling:

• Generates funding by offering purchasers a tangible product for their money.

• Offers the opportunity to increase byway awareness with a custom-label product.

• Provides a product with appeal to culinary theme travelers.

• Provides opportunity to partner with regional businesses.

Resources:

Sheyenne River Valley Byway – no info on labeling on site

Check the web for software for designing your own product labels and for sites offering information on purchasing wine glasses and other accessories for related sales

Photo Credit:

Photos courtesy of Bobby Koepplin, Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway.