Monte Creek rebrands with new labels

Photo: Monte Creek Winery

The wines being released this spring by Kamloops-based Monte Creek Winery all have new labels, representing one of the most effective label redesigns recently by any British Columbia winery. The story-telling labels that have been on every vintage since 2013, the winery’s first, have been replaced with labels that ooze elegance and sophistication – the sort of labels that fine restaurants would have on their tables.

“When we moved into the Thompson Valley, it was quite a new area for viticulture,” general manager Erik Fisher recounts. Monte Creek Ranch, as the winery called itself initially, is a 10-minute drive east of Kamloops and is one of just four wineries in the Thompson River Valley. “The community was not as wine involved, or as developed in its food and wine culture scene,” Erik says. “We

felt like we really needed to embrace our surroundings. We did have a lot of interesting and unique story lines to communicate. We talked a lot about the lineage of the property and the pioneers that developed this region. We even got into talking about the infamous Billy Miner, the gentleman bandit. The last Canadian train robbery, for all intents and purposes, took place on our land in 1906. We thought, how great is that! That is a story line that we probably should embrace.” The mustachioed visage of Miner appeared on many labels, most prominently on a blend called Hands Up Red. “We gained a lot of support from the residents in our immediate area,” Erik says. “They really embraced what we were doing. There is a lot of pride in this region.”

However, Billy Miner and his back story did not resonate that well in big urban markets. The wines were selling but not as fast as they should have. “There was a really big disconnect in urban centres with our brand,” Erik explains. “We felt that the juice was good and we felt there was great value for the money. We did a lot of things to get attention in the marketplace - albeit a very noisy market place. But the average consumer in an urban market like Vancouver or Calgary was picking up our bottle and going: ‘These guys seem like they have a lot to say; I just don’t know what it is. There is this elderly gentleman, Billy Miner, on the label. Is he the winemaker? Is this wine made in a barn? Is this some kind of a dude ranch? What is going on here? I don’t know if I feel comfortable bringing this to a dinner party’.”

The rebranding began with dropping “Ranch” from the winery’s name. “When we went through a number of exercises as group, it was clear and obvious that our three core values right from that start were quality, innovation and sustainability,” Erik says. “It is not like we changed from what we were doing then to what we are doing now. But we have gotten completely out of livestock. None of us ride horseback. I shouldn’t say we are completely out of livestock. We have chicken ‘tractors’ and pigs to eat the compost from our restaurant, but we certainly got out of cattle.” He continues: “When you looked at our former labels, they really perpetuated that ranch image … that we were very much like a working ranch in the western sense. None of us were wearing belt buckles to work and riding on the weekend. We did not feel the label really signified who we were and where we wanted to go. We felt we needed a new, fresh aesthetic that spoke more genuinely about who we are and what we think we represent, and that ideally is fresher and more premium to the consumer. So far, it has been very well received.”

Monte Creek wines now are released primarily in two tiers. Ancient Waters, the small lot tier, refers to the geological processes that shaped the terroir. “The ancient waters left behind the broad spectrum of soils that create diverse flavour and character in our fruit,” the winery notes. The higher volume Living Land tier signifies the regenerative agriculture techniques employed by Monte Creek.

The new labels have been designed by Adrienne Van Haeren, the sole owner of Signify Designs in Woodstock, Ontario. She happens to be Erik’s sister but, more to the point, she has been a successful designer for other packaged goods. This is her first foray into wine labels, and likely not the last. Pristine and uncluttered, the labels are anchored by a monogram which should be timeless. The elements of the monogram include an M and a C, symbolic of the winery name but also of the local ancient lakes. An elusive V represents the land while the parallel lines in the logo represent vineyard rows. The barely discernible thumbprint echoes handcrafted wines.

Here are notes on some of the current releases.

Monte Creek Riesling b> Living Land Series 2021 ($21.99). This delicious, well-balanced wine begins with aromas of lemon and lime. The intense flavours include lime, green apple and hints of peach. The finish is long, zesty and refreshing. 92.

Monte Creek Chardonnay 2020 Ancient Waters Series ($29.99). This is an elegant wine, beginning with aromas of apple, peach and a hint of butter. These elements are all echoed on the palate, along with stone fruits. This is an appealing, fruit-forward Chardonnay. 91.

Monte Creek Rosé Living Land Series 2021 ($18.99) This is a robust, dry rosé made with Cabernet Franc and Marquette juice. It has a medium-dark hue. It begins with aromas of watermelon and cherry, leading to flavours of cherry and cranberry. 90.

Monte Creek Pinot Noir Living Land Series 2020 ($24.99). This is a full-flavoured wine, beginning with aromas of cherry. On the palate, there are notes of plum, cherry, spice and a hint of licorice. 90.

Monte Creek Cabernet Franc 2020 Living Land Series ($22.99). This is 91% Cabernet Franc and 9% Merlot, aged in oak. It is a bright, aromatic red with vibrant aromas of raspberry and blackberry. The palate has juicy flavours of cherry, blackberry, raspberry and spice. 90.

Monte Creek Blueberry Wine NV ($16.99). This wine presents in the glass with a deep scarlet hue, with blueberry aromas that jump from the glass. Fresh berry flavours carry through to a dry finish with a hint of spice. This is a versatile wine, suitable as an aperitif, superb with cheese and good wherever else your culinary imagination takes you. 90.