Labeling

We had a bit of a false start labeling today. Katie put together a design we were both happy with and had been sitting on since we started making this batch over a month ago. We even got fancy label paper with glossy labels that was supposed to be compatible with ink jet printers. Turns out, not so much. A couple of test labels that we printed two weeks ago still had wet ink, so we bailed on that. Instead we broke out labels that we had planned on using for later batches, and we're both happier with the new design. The original had all the same information and basic layout but no pictures.


We decided to call our brand Hackmans' Uphill Hike because when we were in Switzerland Katie made the observation that it seemed like every time we went on a hike it was always uphill. My response was, "We're in the Alps, what did you expect?"

Since we started our first batch the day before my 30th birthday and we both turn 30 this year, we called this batch Turning Thirty. According to Winexpert, the company that manufactured the kit, the Australian Cabernet/Shiraz is "[t]he blend that made Australia famous. Cabernet Sauvignon's structural intensity perfectly complements the ripe fruit and chocolate flavors of Shiraz, for rich, complex and hearty red wine of outstanding character. Big, bold and dark a luxurious treat." We'll see if it turns out that way.


We have two more kits on the way this week, a Riesling and a Supertuscan. We're looking forward to making them both. We've switched the schedule up and will be starting the Riesling next week. That way we'll have two batches ready to drink by the 2010 Hackman Open; the Supertuscan will take a while longer to make and be ready to drink. The big challenge we're going to have making this many batches is going to be scavenging enough empty bottles.