Wine labels talk
"This is not a marketing gimmick, this is more than marketing" , someone told us one day - (quote David B. New York)
Ever since we produce wine Audrey, cellar wine mistress 😊 and creative brain, designs for each vintage story telling labels. Influenced by what she observes, experiences she illustrates each vintage with 6 different labels. Most vintages are out of stock, but luckily recent vintages are available, and we can still remember and look back at the labels.
Six labels are an expression of the terroir and each vintage's impression on the palate.
The reason for having a series of six labels is to show the partnership used to make this a special wine: Vintner Joep Bakx, Mireille Bakx, artist Audrey Bakx, winemaker, terroir and climate.
2002 collection
Prussian blue, cadmium orange, burnt umber.......
These watercolour illustrations refer to the essence of the wine. The blues and blacks contrast with pink, reds and oranges to create an impression of the harvest. From the grapes ripening in the sun, through to the sorting table and finished wine, these provide an interpretation of the wine and its origins.
2003 collection
Abstract vines
These abstract paintings of floating rectangles symbolise the vine trunks, that can be seen to stretch across the vineyard, almost to the horizon. The series spreads out to catch blues and green encapsulating the sky and rains influence on the vine.
2004 collection
Simple necessity
This series represents daiy life at Clos Monicord. The simplicity of the labels are a juxtaposition to the hard work and toil that goes on in creating this wine. It is the simple joy of tasting the finished wine that makes it all worthwhile. The gilded lines add the touch of magic to the labels, to express the uncontrollable (terroir and climate), but invaluable elements in wine making that add a certain something to make this wine truly delicious.
2005 collection
Bordeaux's heritage's
This series pays tribute to the city of Bordeaux, and its position as a Unesco world heritage site. Each illustration highlights certain aspects of the city's architecture and surrounds. "La Grosse Cloche" of the Saint-Eloi church was built into one of the main medieval entrances to the city, and would be used to announce the start of important events, such as the beginning of the harvest. The copper lamps of the old Bordeaux where the wine merchants worked. The balcony of the Fernand Philippart street at the heart of Bordeaux, linking Place de la Bourse and Place du Parlement. The Column of the Girondins. The Boundary stones of the Place de la Bourse, that was the centre of commerce for this wine region. The Eiffel bridge in Cubzac-les-ponts spanning over the Dordogne, linking the right and left banks of the Bordeaux wine region.
2006 collection
Homage to the land
This represents the labour intensive work that's carried out in the vineyard: the thinning out of the vines intensifies the quality of grape; a tractor is used when necessary and when it will not affect the quality of grapes; pickers work hard to ensure the grapes are harvested at the optimum ripeness; the harvesting is done manually using secateurs to ensure there is no bruising; the last selective picking of the harvest to ensure a better quality before undergoing the de-stemming process; the equipment is cleaned and readied for the next day.
2007 collection
Molecular Aromas
L’émulsion de la violette - La sphérification inversée de la cerise - L’effervescence de la myrtille - La migration de la mûre - La sphérification de la framboise - La solubilisation de la réglisse
Molecular gastronomy has been an inspiration for this series of delicate and colourful water-colours.
The drawings are an interpretation of a chemical process used in molecular
gastronomy and they depict an aroma or a flavour one distinguishes during the tasting. The different aromas perceived in this vintage also coincide with the variety of fruit trees and flavours stemming from Clos Monicord.
2008 collection
Black and white stories
This collection of handmade fine line drawings is an interpretation on the image of wine that surrounds us in every moment we cherish. Wine is an element that has accompanied us in history through many centuries, together with famous quotes, sayings, scenes and symbols. The making and history of wine evokes of emotions that are depicted in different scenes. These can relate to all of us in the role of our story: past, present and future.
2009 collection
For you to draw
The 2009 collection of labels is entitled 'A vos crayons' or 'For you to
draw'. Each label shows a playful and educational puzzle inspired by different objects and tools used in the wine cellar at Clos Monicord. Each game is highlighted with fine hand drawings. These are printed using a hot stamped silver technique to remind on the one hand the grey pencil lead used for freehand drawing and on the other hand, the shiny aspect of tools and their
shimmering stainless steel. This series brings up a playful and lively touch during the hard working period of the harvest and fermentation.
2010 collection
Vitis vinifera, mon amour
The series of labels is entitled ‘Vitis vinifera, mon amour’. This collection of handmade drawings are made with indian ink, water based ink, acrylic ink and watercolour.
This series is an observation and reflection on the natural cycle of the vines. The different steps are shown throughout the different seasons of the year and therefore the six representations are visually linked together. The vine and the man live a metamorphosis together as each picture expresses the symbiosis between the vine and the human being. One can compare the relationship between the vine and the man to a passionate love story. The vine is embodied and suggests the presence of a feminine character. Inspite of the rustic and rough features of a vine the drawings reveal strongly its feminine side throughout its development until the final maturity.
2011 collection
Biodiversity
This series of 6 wine labels represents the fauna and flora to symbolize the biodiversity at the vineyard. Mechanical de-weeding, ploughing the soils and sowing grains such as barley, oat, wheat, vetch every other row on the plots of vines has tremendously increased the biodiversity at the vineyard over the past years. Every other parcel planted with vines and other one parcel planted with grains as well as some copses and hedges are beneficial to the local fauna and work
as a wildlife refuge, a feeding area, a nesting place. The 6 black ink line drawings each depict a hoopoe, a squirrel, a pheasant, a dragonfly, some ladybirds and a deer together with details of de different grains planted on the parcels of vines. They represent the animals of the earth and the animals of the sky in front of a golden circle that shows either the shiny sun the shimmering moon.
2012 collection
Les oiseaux
Alouette lulu, Bergeronnette grise, Grive musicienne, Mésange charbonnière, Pivert, Rouge-Gorge
The Clos Monicord vineyard is cultivated in a sustainable manner and is home to local flora and fauna, which have been able to re-establish themselves and flourish. This series features the birds present in the vineyard. On each label, a portrait of a bird, its name in French and Latin (lullula arborea, grey wagtail, motacilla alba...), followed by a quirky saying in French and English, which highlights the lexical field linked to birds: "A glass of wine in the hand with a friend is worth more than a bottle in the cellar" , "As scarce as hen's teeth, a good wine is hard to find", "A bird must fly with its own wings, let wine open imagination and dreams"
Collection 2015
“When food meets wine”
Discover our favorite recipes that match well with this vintage. The drawings represent the main ingredients of the recipes.
In total there are six labels and each one of them is declined in four different background colours. Your wine case will always look different than your neighbour’s!
2016 collection
Nothing is lost, everything is
transformed
For the 2016 vintage of our labels, Audrey worked on all the plants that
surround us and that we use daily in the process of creating wine. They
deserved a place on one of Clos Monicord's six-label series!
By observing them and drawing them to give them an important place, Audrey wanted to recreate a kind of herbarium, visible on the tables.
The printed labels therefore feature an Indian ink design. The choice of
white and matte paper emphasizes the textural aspect of the paper. As opposed to matte, we have letters that form colorful watercolor words with selective varnish. Color intensities and brilliance vary depending on the viewing angle.
The impression of volume is reminiscent of the dried plants that we collect in our herbarium.
With each drawing, Audrey associated a text. It recalls both the real name of the plant, its Latin name, and a combination of syllables to create an imaginary name.
These words have a playful resonance and echo the many ridiculous or incredible names coined by the crop protection industry. This is a little nod to agriculture that promotes biodiversity and respect for the environment over synthetic agriculture. These are trendy themes, which everyone seems to
appropriate in their own way.
As small winegrowers and producers, we can only want the best of our vineyard plots for our friends and consumers.
2018 collection
When life gives you grapes, make wine
The 2018 series of labels started from the desire to put forward a part of the philosophy or worldview that affects the practice of agriculture in order to improve and amplify good practices. From civilizations to civilizations, the peasants and great masters of biodynamics practice agriculture and activity according to the lunar cycle.
The 2018 labels are an ode to nature and the moon..
On each label one of the moons has a silver gilt. You may or may not have one or two full moons in a wooden case of 6 bottles.
Monicord Malbec
The label depicts joy ay work like a father and daughter working hand in hand during winemaking.