Behind the Label: Private Label Wines with Plata Wine Partners' Alison Crowe, Ep 94

There's more to a wine label than meets the eye

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Most of us buy wine in the store and when we do, we picture that bottle coming from a small winery nestled among the vines somewhere in wine country.But did you know a growing chunk of popular labels don't have their own winery or winemaking team?

They are private label wines contracted out to a third party winery who supplies the grapes, the winemaking team and creates a company's vintage vision.

A great example that most of us can relate to is Costco’s Kirkland Brand or Trader Joe's wine. We're exploring the world of private label wines with one of the best in the business.

Alison Crowe is Vice President of winemaking at Plata Wine Partners and she helps create more than 100 labels for clients near and far.

If you've never heard the term private label when it comes to wine, you may be surprised to learn that many of the most popular wine brands are made by talented winemakers whose names or wineries are not on the label. In fact, Alison says she translates the beauty of a vineyard through the medium of wine.

We'll set the record straight on how private label wines are made with quality, even sustainably sourced grapes. And we'll take a deeper dive into this very important part of the wine business.

Wines tasted in this episode: To find these wines and more visit the store on Plata Wine Partners.

• 2022 DeKrème Cuvée Brut, Monterey County

• 2021 Butterfly Fields Pinot Noir, California

• 2020 True Oak Estate Red Wine Blend, Napa Valley