Can typography influence the wine you choose?

You might be surprised to learn that there are over 140 000 fonts, yet in reality only a tiny proportion are used regularly. Each typeface and font family has a different voice, and these voices are as diverse as the styles of wine in the world.

Serif?fonts suggest tradition, respect, trust, reliability and formality.

Sans Serif?fonts suggest a?modern, clean, universal, open, informal or progressive brand.?

Slab Serif?fonts suggest?boldness, contemporariness, confidence, strength and masculinity.

Handwritten?Script?fonts portray?elegance, affection, creativity, personality and femininity.

Decorative or?Display?fonts are?unique, expressive, quirky and eclectic.

We’re instinctively drawn to some wine bottles more than others. Yes, we might be looking for a particular variety, wine from a certain region or country, and often at a specific price point, and while the overall design of the label (shape, size, colour and imagery) all influence us, we often overlook the importance of typography. And yet fonts are a key factor in engaging with consumers and conveying a brand’s quality and personality.?

It’s important to note that each generation identifies with different styles and that when designing a brand logo, product name and packaging, we need to look at where a brand wants to position itself and ensure that the fonts used are appropriate. We’ll be looking at this in more depth in our next article.?

At Barlow & Co we are passionate about wine AND type, and in order to go 'beyond the label' we translate each wine's story into a unique voice. Email us at [email protected] if you are looking for a WSET-accredited team to help with your next project.