Since I view handcrafted winemaking as a worshipful art form, it’s sometimes depressing to realize that marketing plays such a large role in it. But I guess all wineries need to shout from on high in order to pay bills. One little- publicized marketing tactic is selling a less expensive second label. Second labels allow wineries to make use of grapes that wouldn’t otherwise make the cut for their flagship brand, and provide a cheaper alternative to consumers who can’t afford the designer prices.
There are plenty of reasons to appreciate this concept. Second label wines give us an opportunity to drink juice made by an expert winemaker we know and love, without the high ticket price. Most second labels retail under $15 per bottle, compared to $25 and up for their main brands. Making second label wines also lets a winemaker experiment on new grape varieties without risking his reputation.
Wineries realize there are two types of wine buyers: those who can fork out the bucks, and those who cannot. Second labels provide access to both. And it’s not like winemakers are scraping excess grapes off the winery floor; it’s just that they don’t want to waste their good but not great grapes. In addition, the fruit doesn’t necessarily come from the wineries’ estates. Thanks to the current glut of grapes and bulk wine, winemakers can snag high-quality products for less money than it would cost to grow grapes themselves, providing additional profits. Some winemakers even consider it a challenge to make great wine from average grapes rather than top-of-the-line fruit.
But why the secrets? It’s often hard to find the connection to the mother winery on the bottle. Many wineries establish their second label as a separate business, taking pains to obfuscate the connection between the premium and “discount” brands. The marketing people worry, sometimes legitimately, that the second label may get higher ratings than the flagship or that the second label stuff might be so lackluster that it taints the image of the premium stuff.
I haven’t seen the younger label beat the elder, but it has come close. I especially enjoy paying a quarter of what you’d pay for, say, Duckhorn, for their Decoy second label. Or Wallace Brook from famed Adelsheim Vineyards in Oregon. Other quality seconds: Kali Hart from Talbott, Migration by Goldeneye, Ghost Pines (Louis Martini), Shooting Star (Steele) and Hawk Crest (Stag’s Leap).
Even France’s Bordeaux, with its maze of chateaux and estates, sports some second label wines, named “second wines” in France. The savings on these can be in the $100s. Famed Chateau Lafite Rothschild calls its second label Moulin-des-Carruades, Chateau Latour’s is Les Forts de Latour, Chateau Margaux has Pavilion Rouge, and Chateau Palmer produces Alter Ego de Palmer.
Although it may feel like shopping at Marshall’s, choosing the second label path is the way to go if you’re watching your budget. The winemakers at these high-profile wineries only want to make the best wine they can, so we might as well take every advantage.
Recent second label wine reviews
Wallace Brook Pinot Noir
Kali Hart Pinot Noir
Shooting Star Black Bubbles
I’m a great fan of Bordeaux second labels. Some of my favorites are Carruades de Lafite (Lafite), Les Chenes de Macquin (Pavie Macquin) But perhaps my absolute favorite and bargain is the second label of the chateau that, in all honesty, should be a First Growth- Leoville las Cases. Pick up ‘Clos du Marquis’ wherever you can!