# Da Sangwitch Stop



## sangwitch (Apr 7, 2007)

As much as I love designing labels I wanted to come up with something that is generic, and by generic I mean quick and easy, for labeling everyday batches. 


I have too much wine in productionto design a new label each time I bottle.Below is the design I decided on using. If the label looks vaguely familiar to you it's because I blatantly ripped off the look and feel from Coaster. And to that I can only say, (besides thank you of course), that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!













The colors, varietal and abv are easily changed in minutes. I also created two backgrounds that I can chose from just to shake things up. Here's the other...








EDIT: Here's the link to my inspiration: http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2835*Edited by: sangwitch *


----------



## grapeman (Apr 7, 2007)

Great idea Sang!






How much do you have in production nowadays? Have you got back in the routine at home yet or are you still traveling a lot?


----------



## Wade E (Apr 7, 2007)

Coaster your be plagerized from every direction. You have NW using your
1 of 30 and Sang using the whole basic design. Talk about be
flattered!


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 7, 2007)

appleman said:


> Great idea Sang!
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Let's see... I just bottled a Riesling and I have the following:


Ready to bottle
6-gal Pinot Gris
6-gal Bergamais
6-gal Shiraz
6-gal Chianti

5-gal Black Currant
3-gal chocolate orange port
3-gal elderberry
2-gal Welchs grape
2-gal Welch's white peach
2-gal ancient orange mead
1-gal blueberry mead


In some stage of cooking
5-gal Ginger Peach mead
5-gal Tart Cherry mead
5-gal Blueberry mead
3-gal muscadine


Not yet started
6-gal Australian Verdelho
6-gal Australian Grenache
3-gal red ice wine
6-gal Spanish Tempranillo/Cab (arriving next week)
(2) 5-gal mead (flavor TBD)


I'm leaving for Peru again on Monday so I'm not sure what I can manage to get bottled this weekend with all the chores I have to do and tomorrow being Easter. I will post from my travels this time and try to showcase some wines that I try.


----------



## Wade E (Apr 7, 2007)

Thats a pretty impressive list Sang!


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 7, 2007)

wade said:


> Thats a pretty impressive list Sang!


Thanks Wade. Feel free to come down and drink some anytime you want! Actually... I'm due to be up your way soon to see my family. I'll let you know as those plans develop.


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 7, 2007)

I had to make some adjustments. The labels above are 4" x 3" and too small in my opinion for the big bottles. They look perfect on the small bottles though. Anyway, after some experimentation I've changed the size for the bigger bottles to 4" x 5". 






Here's the image I used for the background, which I found thanks to Wade and his post about posters.com:


----------



## grapeman (Apr 7, 2007)

Impressive list Sang. I wish you a good trip to Peru again. When I was in school I went to Peru every day



Now my boys go there too!(Peru, NY).
Have fun and I'm looking forward to the pics.


----------



## Wade E (Apr 7, 2007)

Well then in that case feel free to rumage through my basement and have
a drink on me! Please do inform me as to when youre heading my way!


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 7, 2007)

I'm doing some winechorestonight and one of those choreswas bottling my Black Currant whichI hadsplit between (1)3-gal and (2) 1-gal carboys. So I get the bright idea of picking up the 3-gal carboy and shaking it to release any risidual C02. All's well until I attempt to place the carboy back on the table and it slips out of my hand. I watched in horror as the carboy slid off of the kitchen table and landed on my slate floor. Both me and my wife cringed as we waited for the explosion of wine and glass, but surprise... the carboy bounced and started chugging out wine on the floor. I quickly snatched it up, caught my breath and poured myself a glass while I waited for the shaking to stop (that would be my hands). We ended up getting 24 bottles so I'm guessing only one spilled out on the floor. And no... I do not have an orange handle on that carboy. It is one of a few that I have not purchased handles for yet. Did I learn my lesson? Nope. I just got done shaking up my 3-gal elderberry.


----------



## Wade E (Apr 7, 2007)

Id be careful with that carboy now as it might have a crack that is near invisible to the eye.


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 8, 2007)

busy night...


Bottled:

*Black Currant* - (Vinter's Harvest) This is one of the best I've made so far and I owe it all to Wade and Waldo. If it wasn't for them raving about how good the black currant is I never would have tried it (or it would have been quite some time). Thanks guys. This has a high alchohol content, but handles it quite well. I can imagine this in a port style or back-sweetened. I will experiment with both styles at some point, but for now I bottled as is and am quite happy with it. 


*Pinot Gris* - (RJS Grand Cru) I've got some issues with RJS kits, which I won't get into here, but I decided to try this one because it's one of my wife's favorite and she's good to me. : ) I am very pleased with the way this came out... it has all of the typical varietal flavors... lemon, apple, pear. Very nice!


racked:


*Chocolate/Orange Port* - (RJS) I've had the pleasure of tasting some fine ports thanks to the ol' expense report benefit, but this one is just not there. Maybe it's because i've sampled so much tonight (hic), but right now I'm not liking this one. Hopefully it'll mellow out as time goes on, but if not... I may be having a contest of some sort to pass it out!


*Elderberry* - (Vinter's Harvest)This one has kind of a weird smell, but tastes great. I'm not sure how to describethis wine other than fruity and smooth. This is another one I wasn't thinking about making until my wife's grandfather asked me for it. I'm naming it in his honor: Paw Paw's Old Time Elderberry Elixer.I'm working on a great label forthis wine. 


*Blueberry Chamomile Mead* - This one is tasting much better than last time I took a nip. The fruit flavors are starting to shine a bit as are the honey notes. This one tasted like jet fuel a couple months ago. I'm planning on oaking this and probably sweetening, but at the moment it's just going to sit.


*Tart Cherry Mead* - Same as the blueberry. The tart cherry with the sweet honey is a nice contrast. It's not there yet, but I can taste this is going to be a favorite.


*Ginger Peach Mead* - Same as the other meads... the fruit is starting to assert itself. The thing with this one is it tastes a bit flat. I think this would be a good one to sparkle rather than be still. 


*South African Shiraz* - I racked this one, but didn't taste it. I'm a little buzzed at the moment.






I realized that I have another wine that I have not started, but didn't add to my list above and that's the German Gewurztraminer. 


so much wine, not enough time!


----------



## Joanie (Apr 8, 2007)

I'm tired just reading all that, Sang!!! I think I need a nap!

Congratulations on your bouncing baby carboy!


----------



## jsmahoney (Apr 8, 2007)

Great idea with one master label Sang, and I like the label. Good assortment of wine too!


----------



## Wade E (Apr 8, 2007)

I think the Black Currant is 100% so far everyone who tries it likes
it, and so far Ive heard alot of people on different forums not being
crazy about the Chocolate Orange Port but it just sounds so dang
interesting. The Blueberry Cham. and Tart Cherry melomel just sound
plain awesome. I will be starting another Blueberry melomel after
Waldos recipe last year as my gallon never made it to far. This time
maybe I can hide a bottle as Ill be doing a 5 or6 gal batch.


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 8, 2007)

Wade, I know what to bring with me to CT now! I want to get some black currant growing out back. I think I read somewhere that Waldo has some planted now. And I'm pretty sure Coaster grows it as well. yum. 
I woke up this morning and racked the muscadine so now I can go away and not worry about any of the wines. I got everything done that I wanted to get done. There are still some that can be bottled, but I'm out of time.


----------



## Wade E (Apr 8, 2007)

Sang, Jobe just planted a bunch and I believe ordered even more.
Someone on this forum is like a drug pusher! Sorry to get all of you
addicted!


----------



## Coaster (Apr 8, 2007)

Wow, I'm flattered. That looks great. 


What a great collection of wines too.


I bottled several this weekend (as I mentioned in another thread I had family in town for Easter so I enlisted them to help).


*MM Soave* - dry white table wine (be drinking this by myself)


*WE Muller Thurgau* - going to reserve judgment on this one. Not sure if I was thrown off by tasting so many yesterday or not but it seemed "bad" like it had spoiled or perhaps something was contaminated. I'll check a bottle later this week to see if it was me or it.


*WE Piesporter* - excellent piesporter characteristics, not going to last long.


*IM Green Apple Riesling* - Hot Hot Hot. I bumped the ABV to 12.5% and it tasted hot but I am sure this won't make it thru the summer either.


*Welch's Peach* - sooo good. Not light colored like I was expecting, but darker peach color (I added a lot of stuff to this http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2595&amp;PN=1) This was suppose to bea quick one, but like appleman said, it takes a while to clear even with Super Klear.

*WE Ice Wine* - Already drank the first bottle. My wife's all time favorite.


*Vintner's Black Currant* - nice and fruity, very distinctive taste.


*Vintner's XX Black Currant* - I split the 6g batch and bottled half as is (above), for this three gals I fortified with 375ml of Everclear and 375 of Brandy. Got a bit of a cough syrup taste but I think overall it tasted better than the other version. We'll see how it ages out.*Edited by: Coaster *


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 8, 2007)

That sounds like a great list David. The Ice wine is a favorite of my wife as well. I have a red ice wine that I haven't started yet (nor ever tasted). i'm looking forward to that. The XX sounds interesting!


----------



## Coaster (Apr 9, 2007)

I just got my first Red Ice wine kit this weekend! 


Not I have a bunch of empty carboys and need to start the following kits over the next couple of weeks.


WE Cab Franc Red Ice Wine
VR Bergamais
MM La Bodega Port
MM Masters All Juice Chardonnay
WE LE Gewurtz
IM Strawberry White Merlot
IM Blueberry Pinot Noir
WE Oregon Yamhill Country Pinot Noir*Edited by: Coaster *


----------



## rgecaprock (Apr 9, 2007)

Dang, Sang,


No wonder you need a master label. Very nice!!!!


Ramona


----------



## NorthernWinos (Apr 10, 2007)

sangwitch said:


> I had to make some adjustments. The labels above are 4" x 3" and too small in my opinion for the big bottles. They look perfect on the small bottles though. Anyway, after some experimentation I've changed the size for the bigger bottles to 4" x 5".
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I like your idea for using the same format over different wallpaper...Here is a Black Currant that I love...think it would make a nice backdrop for a Black Currant wine label...








I would love to find nice light colored wallpaper for manyordinary fruits to use on labels....


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 10, 2007)

NW - I took the picture of grapes, cut out the words and then put it on a new "layer" within the label. Then I set the opacity of the layer to 35. Layers also allow me to make quick and easy changes to wording, etc. 


A lot of graphics programs do not use layers and so will not have the capability. I'm not sure what you're using, but if you (or anyone else) have a graphic youwant lightened, just send it on and I'll lighten it and send it back. There are also a few other photoshop users that I'm sure would do the same. 


by the way, here are two more black currant graphics I found. One of which I used on my BC label by turning the grapes layer off and adding the black currant layer. (I also set the opacity on the one I used to be low so that it's faded in the background).












And here is the changed label. You can see that I chose the 2nd graphic and also that I made a couple slight ofchanges to it.





*Edited by: sangwitch *


----------



## Wade E (Apr 10, 2007)

Nice Sang, I like that BC label and have so much to learn on this Adobe CS that its not even funny, but I laugh anyway!


----------



## NorthernWinos (Apr 10, 2007)

Nice sang....I really like the Black Currant label.... Did you print it on mauve paper????*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 10, 2007)

Wade - I'm only scratching the surface of that that program can do. It's incredible. There are tons of tutuorial websites that offer a lot of good tips.


NW - I put that mauve color on there because it was looking plain with out any background color. BTW, I didn't notice the sun and the bubbles on your black currant graphic until now. That's cool. I must have been tired when I first looked at. I travelled all day yesterday.


----------



## Waldo (Apr 10, 2007)

Great looking label there sang....I like it


----------



## sangwitch (Apr 14, 2007)

How y'all doing?Acouple of shots of the coastline down here in Lima. I took this with my phone so the quality is a bit off... 





















*Edited by: sangwitch *


----------



## Wade E (Apr 14, 2007)

Nice pics for a phone and that looks beautiful! Enjoy yourself.


----------



## grapeman (Apr 15, 2007)

Great shots there Sang. Wish I were there with you. That looks like a pretty busy beach. Keep the pics coming-phone or not. Thanks


----------



## Joanie (Apr 15, 2007)

Beautiful, Sang!!!!!!


----------



## sangwitch (May 2, 2007)

I've been drinking some mate de coca while in Peru and had the idea of making some wine or mead with it, but figured I better do some research to make sure there areno active ingredients in the tea bags. 


Anyway... while looking around the web I came across the followingsite,which I found to be quite interesting. About a quarter of the way down the page it starts talking aboutcoca wine... 


http://www.cocabonsai.nl/Default.aspx?tabid=116


----------



## NorthernWinos (May 2, 2007)

My...you wouldn't have to leave the chair and still have a good trip...


----------



## sangwitch (Jun 17, 2007)

A couple pics from Peru...


Here is a shot of the ancient city of Machu Picchu...






The mountain you can see in the background is Waynapicchu. Since the Lord went through the trouble of placing it there for all to enjoy I figured the least I could do was climb it. : )


Here's a shot of Machu Picchu looking down from the top of Waynapicchu.






There are ruins at the top of Waynapicchu as well. Here's a pic looking down at some "stairs" that I used. It's hard to tell from the shot just how steep and small these stairs are. The following shot is looking over the side. It was important to watch your step.


----------



## Joanie (Jun 17, 2007)

How long did it take you to climb to the top?


----------



## sangwitch (Jun 17, 2007)

a couple of hours I guess. it was very steep, but not technical in the sense of mountain climbing... just astrenuous hike.Well worth the views though!


----------



## grapeman (Jun 17, 2007)

Oh my God, I'm getting dizzy just looking at the pictures! With my uneasiness with heights, I would have a hard time with that climb! what doe picchu mean? It seems to be repeated. Hard to believe they could work at those heights to build such a temple and city.


----------



## Wade E (Jun 17, 2007)

Awesome pics Sang!


----------



## NorthernWinos (Jun 17, 2007)

I got vertigo....


----------



## Waldo (Jun 18, 2007)

I feel like i've been down in my cellar too long after looking at those pics..I don't do Heights very well




Besides, didin't God say, "Low, I will be with you always" so I figure he wants me to stay Low.



*Edited by: Waldo *


----------



## scotty (Jun 18, 2007)

Your magnificent photos give me the wanderlust. I truly enjoy seeing how well traveled some folks are.


----------

