611 Enterprise Court, Livermore, CA, United States of America, 94550

http://www.vintage99.com

925-294-5270

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Let’s celebrate the magic of wine in 2024

Last night while I was sleeping, my heart beat 38,400 times. I didn’t ask it to keep beating through my slumber, nor did I thank it when I awoke. I just took my heartbeat, and my life, for granted. Shame on me.

We do the same with wine. Sure, we enjoy the aroma, bouquet and taste. But we rarely reflect that this magical elixir is a natural farm product…a land preserver…a reflection of place and time…an artistic statement…a liquid food…a Biblical focus…a poetic inspiration…a cultural phenomenon…an economic engine…a noble beverage with humble roots which brings people together around the world.

Wine is magic. So why don’t we tell people?

Natural magic

It’s easy to fret about the future of wine. Boomers are aging, younger generations are opting out, spirits are innovating and there are increasing warnings about the dangers of alcohol.

 It’s deja vu all over again. We’ve been here before, and we’ll be here again in this cyclical, boom-and-bust-and-boom industry. But we don’t have to just stand by and sulk. We can broadcast the magic of wine.

Vines grow down and up. Down into the soil to absorb water, up to gather sunlight, so the grapes in between can grow and ripen and, with their mix of juice, sugar and yeast, turn into wine. Magic!

 “Wine is sunlight, held together by water.” —Galileo

Vineyards preserve the earth, enhance the landscape, and attract millions of tourists to rural regions. The 269 American Viticultural Areas in 34 states, and the vintages printed on labels, remind us that every wine is a reflection of place and time.

The wine community’s focus on sustainability confirms its commitment to protecting and enhancing our planet. The creation of cold hardy “Minnesota” varieties has actually increased the Earth’s capability to host vineyards and produce wine in regions once deemed inhospitable. Magic!

Human magic

There are nearly one million acres of grapes planted for wine, juice and fresh fruit. Grapes are the highest value fruit crop in the United States, and represent 36% of the value of noncitrus fruit crops.

Vineyards are also vital to human well-being, supporting thousands of American jobs in agriculture: 55,902 in independent vineyards, 44,079 in suppliers of agricultural products and 9,194 in local communities — 109,175 total in 2022.

Wine country tourism also fuels the agricultural economy, with more than 49 million tourists and $16 billion in tourist expenditures in 2022, supporting 155,035 jobs and filling local tax coffers in all 50 states. Magic!

Wine’s economic impact on the American economy in 2022 totaled $276,073,312,709 — $276 billion! That included 10,637 wine producers, 1.84 million jobs, $95 billion in annual wages, 49 million tourist visits, $16 billion in tourist expenditures, $22 billion in total taxes, $14 billion in federal taxes, and $8 billion in state and local taxes.

That humble fermented grape juice is liquid gold.

Shared magic

 “A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry.” —Ecclesiastes 10:19

Wine is mentioned in the Bible 247 times. Of those, 40 are negative, mostly warning against abuse; 145 are positive, often in the context of meals, blessings and worship; and 62 are neutral, mostly describing situations. With a few notable exceptions, such as John the Baptist, Daniel and members of a few sects, wine was also widely consumed at daily meals and communal feasts, and it’s offered at sacrifices and blessings.

“A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.” – Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Wine is also an integral part of daily living for many people — an ingredient in cooking, an aperitif, a meal accompaniment and a family bond. Restaurants are rated not just on their cuisine, but on their wine lists. Entire books are written on which wines go with which foods, but the rules are made to be broken because it all comes down to what wines people like best.

 Wine, to me, is passion. It’s family and friends. It’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It’s culture. It’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.” —Robert Mondavi

In the major wine-producing regions of the world, that magical beverage not only graces the landscape with vineyards, but also the table in concert with other locally grown ingredients. It is as natural a part of meals as the bread and olive oil, a social lubricant facilitating friendship and the spark of family warmth.

Universal magic

Perhaps most important, wine brings people together. Wine is used to launch ships, toast peace treaties, celebrate births, graduations, weddings, holidays or just the joy of being together with family and friends.

If music is the universal language, wine is the global toast. So let us take a moment away from this troubled world to wish each other a more peaceful and joyful future in whatever language is appropriate:

Cheers (English)

L’chaim (Hebrew)

Slainte (Irish Gaelic, pronounced SLAHN-juh)

Serefe (Turkish, cheh-reh-FEH)

Kanpai (Japan, Kan-pie)

Salud (Spain, Sah-LUD)

Prost (Germany, Prohst)

Sante (France, Sahn-tay)

Saude (Portugal, Saw-OO-de)

Geonbae (Korea, Guun-bae)

Skal (Sweden, Skawl)

Gesondheid (Afrikaans, Ge-sund-hate)

Ganbei (China, Gan-bay)

Yamas (Greek, Ya-Mas)

Wine is Life.”  —Petronius

Let’s celebrate the magic of wine in 2024.

About

Now in two Locations:

611 Enterprise Court, Livermore CA 94550 (925-294-5270)

3663 Regional Parkway, Santa Rosa CA 95403 (707-978-3007)

 

Vintage 99 the Wine Label Specialist since 1999!

No one understands the critical importance of the wine label more than the dedicated staff of Vintage 99 Label. For us, producing a wine label is still a unique craft just like the process of winemaking itself. For over 15 years the most skilled wineries in the industry have trusted Vintage 99 to tell their story and deliver the quality, service and value that an exceptional wine deserves.

Just a few of the ways Vintage 99 Label offers more to its clients:

- Unmatched leadtimes of 10-12 days, not 4-6 weeks

- All three printing processes: Offset, Flexo & Digital

- In-house Graphic Design

- Two locations to serve you: Livermore, CA and Santa Rosa, CA

- Highly experienced Customer Service Team

- Competitive pricing

Call 925-294-5270 for a non-obligation consultation and quote of your label project.

 

Contact

Contact List

Title Name Email Phone Extension
GM Northen Ca Operations Gary Cane, Santa Rosa Ca garyc@vintage99.com 707-888-5271
Sales and Marketing Brian Lloyd, Livermore Ca brianl@vintage99.com 707-775-7421
Client Services Tammy Dias, Livermore Ca tammyd@Vintage99.com 925-294-5270 103
Regional Account Manager Jeff Stone jeffs@vintage99.com 707-758-4423

Location List

Locations Address State Country Zip Code
Vintage 99 Label 611 Enterprise Court, Livermore CA United States of America 94550

List of Locations