Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

8 Second Labels From Top Wineries You Should Pay Attention To

By

A lot of wineries have a sibling operation and in many cases, the lesser-known one is where real deals can be found.

The general second wine concept was born abroad, in places like France where there are established hierarchies for wine. If a blend couldn’t make the cut for, say, Grand Vin status, it could enter the market as something else, at a lower tier.

wine glasses barrel
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In the United States, a second label has become a savvy way for wineries to increase awareness. Sometimes, a smaller, high-end producer will start an entry-level label that focuses on larger-production wines. They function like business cards and gateway drugs, introducing consumers to the brand and hoping they’ll someday take the plunge into some of the label’s higher-end material.

Recommended Videos

Other times, the second label is so obscure you’d never know it was related. Wineries do this as a side business, often operating the second label on a larger scale with the hopes of grocery store and large retail placements. The cheaper cost of the wine cuts into profits, but America loves a reasonably priced wine and if a producer makes enough of it, there are profits to be had.

Related

Alternatively, more established names will start a reserve or higher-end operation as their second label. It can be to showcase their best juice or experiment with new varieties, styles, blends, or appellations. Sometimes, an established name will look to an emerging part of the wine map and start a new operation there, under a different name. In this case, they’re often only related in terms of prestige and legacy, but sometimes the two labels — as physically far away as they may be from each other — will share a winemaker, or at least a specific winemaking philosophy.

Regardless of the exact nature of the alternative label, they tend to spoil the wine enthusiast. Here are a few to put on your radar:

Cloudline

Cloudline
Image used with permission by copyright holder

An entry-level effort from the famed Drouhin family of France and Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Dundee Hill, Cloudline is a purveyor of drinkable $20 Pinot Noirs.

Delamotte and Laurent-Perrier

Delamotte and Laurent-Perrier
Image used with permission by copyright holder

These Champagne producers are directly related to Salon, responsible for what many believe to be some of the best bubbles on the planet. And the work from Delamotte and Laurent-Perrier comes in at much, much more reasonable price points.

Overture

Overture
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Overture is the alt-brand to storied California producer Opus One. It’s a less expensive way to experience real Napa Valley knowhow.

Résonance

Résonance
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Résonance is the first operation outside of France for négociant Louis Jadot. While the wines aren’t cheap, they offer learned New World riffs on two varieties the family is very familiar with in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Guidalberto

Guidalberto
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It’s not easy to get your hands on a premier super Tuscan like Sassicaia. Play it safe and opt for its other label, Guidalberto.

Jayson

Jayson
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Second label Jayson is from respected and longstanding California vintner Jayson Pahlmeyer and worth seeking out for full-bodied but balanced reds.

Caravan

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Caravan is the offshoot of Darioush and offers relative steals from northern California.

Guild

Guild
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Another Oregon operation that delivers quality at a very reasonable price, made by a talented trio of winemakers from Helioterra, Grochau Cellars, and Vincent Wine Co.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
What You Need to Know About Serbian Wine
serbian wine guide

Wine and the locals who enjoy it have endured quite a bit in what is now Serbia. After a troubled past — both in terms of wine production and general conflict — the country is looking to make a name for itself. Not bad for a young Balkan nation born in 2006, in the ashes of a lengthy spell with communism.
In the era of Yugoslavia, this part of Eastern Europe was known well for its wines. Larger producers made enough of the stuff that it made its way around the continent. By the 1970s, the area was operating at peak scale, making something to the tune 600 million liters per year. It was among the top ten wine-producing countries on the planet, not entirely surprising given that the Former Yugoslavia was quite large, geographically, consisting of not only modern Serbia, but Montenegro, Kosovo, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Macedonia.
About a decade later, the region began to fragment and the ripple effect eventually consumed much of the wine industry. However, as of the 2000s, the Serbian wine scene has shown solid signs of recovery, with smaller, artisanal-minded producers joining some of the larger-scale dinosaurs of old that managed to weather the storm. With little going head-to-head with very large, there’s a fascinating mix of good, interesting wines as well as some poorly made, commercial wines coming out of Serbia.
About 65% of what’s planted are white grapes, the rest red. The Romans kickstarted the region’s viticultural campaign long ago. Today, a few intriguing native varieties remain, like Smederevka (white) which got its start along the famed Danube River. There’s also Prokupac, often turned into a rosé, but known increasingly as an intriguing medium-bodied red. Wine critics believe this variety may have the best chance of becoming Serbia’s calling card for imbibers. And there’s Mézes Fehér, a sweeter white that can also be made into an interesting orange wine. More recognizable varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Blanc live here, too.
There are quite a few growing areas within Serbia’s borders but the three major regions include Central Serbia, Kosovo, and Vojvodina. It’s a cool and fairly mountainous country, with many suitable slopes and protected growing areas. Smaller operations especially are looking to share uniquely Serbian flavors through carefully crafted wines.
While the industry expands, important trade gatherings like the Beo Wine Fair in Belgrade continue to turn the international wine community’s head toward Serbia. Look for more options to pop up at your local boutique bottle shop or wine-loving restaurant.
Ready to dig into Serbian wine? Here are a few to try:

Vino Budimir 2015 Tamjanika Zupska

Read more
What’s Moldovan Wine? Here’s What You Need to Know
A red wine glass and wine.

We know full well that Europe does a lot of wine. And that extends beyond the usual cast of characters such as France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Portugal.
The continent is full of smaller countries that are having their say in the global wine conversation. Many, like Moldova, have simply slipped through the cracks due to a relatively small production scale, abstract varieties, historical strife, or some combination of all these factors. Yet, there’s much to pay attention to wine-wise coming out of this East European nation wedged between Ukraine and Romania.

Moldova is among the top 12 countries in Europe and the top 20 worldwide in terms of wine production. Relatively small but touting a good number of vineyards, the country is one of the densest by viticultural standards on Earth. And the majority of its wines are exported, with a good parcel landing in various U.S. markets.
Winemaking as a trade began here around 5,000 years ago. Trade with the Greeks and Romans only bolstered an interest in the stuff and soon the region had a thriving industry. By the reign of Stephen the Great in the 15th century, neighboring East European countries relied on Moldova for a steady stream of wine.
Moldova is among the top 12 countries in Europe and the top 20 worldwide in terms of wine production.

Read more
Hidden Barn releases its popular Madeira Finished Bourbon
This is the third release of Hidden Barn's popular Madeira Finished Bourbon
Hidden Barn

If you’re a fan of unique finished whiskeys, you’ll be stoked to see what Hidden Barn Bourbon is releasing. It’s the distillery’s third annual Madeira finished bourbon, and it’s called Hidden Barn Perfect Harmony because it’s all about balance between the sweet corn flavor of the whiskey and the added Madeira wine flavors.
Hidden Barn Perfect Harmony Madeira Finished Bourbon

It starts with a bourbon whiskey made with a mash bill of 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley. It was first matured in charred American oak barrels for six years before being finished for seven months in Madeira casks.

Read more