How to Make Wine Labels

Posted on February 25th, 2009 by Elaine

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If you’re going to make wine, you must label the bottles properly to prevent confusion on your wine rack. Aside from letting you set apart the different wine variations, labels also show your artistic side. Here’s how to make wine labels.

What You’ll Need:

Computer with printer
Scissors or paper cutter
Software for making wine labels
Plain or adhesive paper
Liquid latex glue or super glue
Spray coatings
Internet access (optional)
Scanner (optional)
Digital camera (optional)

Procedure:

Open your computer, and run the software program you’re going to use for your wine labels. Examples of programs include Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, FileMaker Pro and Microsoft Access. There are also Internet sites that allow wine label software downloads.
Think of the layout you want for your wine label. It’s best to draw the structure first on a blank sheet of paper, before constructing it on the software program.
The text of most wine labels include the wine content, the vintage year and its history. Make sure the font you chose is readable.
If you want an image, you can simply draw your own and combine it with the text in the software. Photographing your own image is also a good idea, giving your bottles a more stylish flair. If not, you can just browse the Internet for images. There are sites where you can get images that you can use for free.
If you’re satisfied with the design you’ve created, save it on your computer so you’ll have a backup, in case something goes wrong.
Put a plain sheet of white paper onto the printer and print out a sample label. Check if it suits you, and make sure there are no typographical errors. Cut the label out, and see how it looks on a wine bottle, and if there are improvements to be made.
Once you’re satisfied, load the adhesive-backed or blank labels, and print out the labels.
Wait for the ink to dry. When it is, coat the labels with a spray-on waterproof sealant. This prevents the ink colors from running. You can use spray varnish, polyurethane, acrylic sealers, and top coat spray.
Stick the labels to the bottles. Adhesive-backed paper only need to be peeled and pasted, but if you have blank labels, you have to dab a bit of thin glue on the opposite side of the paper. Press it lightly on the bottle, and wait for it to dry. Make sure you don’t use too much, or the glue will soak through the paper.
When the glue dries, you can stock your wine bottles properly.

A true winemaker also thinks about how his or her wines look in their bottles. If you’re into wine making, keep these steps in mind when making wine labels, and you’ll surely end up with a tasteful masterpiece, inside and out.