Custom Wine Labels

The right size and shape label for your bottle

This list will help you find the correct shape of wine label for your wine and your bottle type. These are the main types of wine bottles and the best size and shape labels to go on them.

Bordeaux – The most popular wine bottle shape, and the most versatile. It is used for many different types of wine, and because of its size it can accommodate many different label shapes. This bottle is used for white wines, also Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Labels can be up to 6.5" high.

Burgundy – This bottle has sloping shoulders so the height of labels needs to be lower than for those on a Bordeaux bottle. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is typically bottled in this type of bottle. Labels can be up to 4.5" high.

Alsace or Mosel bottle – These bottles are slender with sloped shoulders. Rieslings and other dessert wines are typically bottled in this bottle. Labels up to 4.5" high. Also pay attention to the width - choose a narrower label like 3.25"w x 4"h

Rhone – Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache are bottled in Rhone bottles. It is similar in look to a Burgundy bottle, but is not as big around. Labels up to 4.5" high.

Champagne – These bottles have the signature concave base of thick glass. The pressure of the sparkling wine necessitates the thick glass and the shape. Labels up to 4" high.

Your unique wine

Position your wine as the top choice among all the others on the shelf. Your wine has its own unique characteristics. Highlight its characteristics by pairing it with a label that perfectly expresses its unique qualities. Direct customers to your wine with professionally printed labels that express the essence of your wine, and your winery. A strategic use of design, shape, colors, and materials will help your wine stand out among the rest, and help customers choose the right wine for their use. Check these guidelines to learn more about how to create the perfect wine labels for your wines.

How many labels?

A few wine labels

Are you a small winery with 25-200 bottles of wine - or do you have a special event you are bottling for with a small number of bottles? If this is you, your best choice is cut-to-size labels, sheet labels, or roll labels. These are all easy to apply individually by hand.

• Cut-to-size labels are individually cut and are easy to pull of and apply to bottles.
• Roll labels are designed to fit most label dispensers. You can specify how many labels are on each roll, depending on how many you order. Rolls of wine labels come on 3" cores. Cut-to-size and roll labels are available with the same choices of materials. Choose from many options. Several materials are specifically designed for wine labels. All are self-adhesive, some are waterproof (good for ice buckets) and several are textured which creates the look of a handmade paper.
• Sheet labels come about 6 labels to a sheet, and are also easy to pull off and apply to bottles. They are available in paper, or in vinyl which is waterproof, removable, and repositionable.

More than a few wine labels

• Roll labels are designed for large quantities of labels. They are designed for machine application, and can be produced on a large variety of materials.
• You can specify the number of labels on each roll.
• Variable data allows you to customize each and every bottle.
• You can get labels two-up, alternating front and back labels for machine application.

Which material?

• Cut to size labels for wine come in bopp (polypropylene) or a variety of papers
• Roll labels for wine are printed with materials normally used for beverages: Bopp(polypropylene), which is tearproof, waterproof, and oil-resistant. The design and colors remain vivid even with exposure to moisture, water, oil or refrigeration. Bopp is a hard, shiny surface that prints rich and vivid colors. Also popular are textured papers in smooth, laid or vellum. These create a rich, hand crafted, custom look for wine bottles. Textured wine label papers are not waterproof.
• Sheet labels come in premium paper which is least costly, is not waterproof, and is tearable; or vinyl, which costs slightly more, is waterproof, tear-proof, repositionable and removable. If your labels are for a onetime use for giving away or selling, use paper labels. If you are planning on re-using the bottles, choose vinyl labels because they are easy to remove.

How to send your wine label file to print

There are three easy ways to send your labels to print:

• If you want to use your custom art:
  In the 'get started' section above, choose options from dropdown menus, then click "UPLOAD YOUR DESIGN". Be sure to read custom art specs for designers for helpful instructions.
• If you want to use one of our design templates to create your label:
  In the 'get started' section above, choose options from dropdown menus, then click "CHOOSE FROM OUR DESIGNS". Once you have selected a design, customize it by adding your colors, words and images
• If you need a large number of labels or your project is complicated:
  Click on 'get a quote'. A helpful rep will contact you quickly and make sure your labels are set up to run perfectly.

Wine label FAQs

Q. What is the ideal size for wine labels?

A. See guidelines under "The right size and shape label for your bottle". Be sure the height you choose is no taller than what is in these guidelines for your bottle shape. If you choose a label that is too tall for your bottle, it will pucker at the top. Also keep in mind that wine labels go AROUND a cylinder, so if your design is very wide, you will have trouble seeing the art on the left and right sides. Best to choose a narrower label. If you choose a wide label, make sure the design is in the center and does not extend too far to the left or right. You can use the sides very effectively for color or styling effects.

Q. What is the most durable material available for custom wine labels?

A. The most durable material is BOPP for rolls, or vinyl for sheets. Both of these are waterproof, oil resistant, and take color beautifully. Vinyl is repositionable

Q. Can I remove the label from the bottle and reapply it again?

A. You can reposition vinyl; it comes off most easily when warmed with submersion in warm water, or with a few minutes under the blast of a hair dryer.

Q. Is there a minimum quantity for an order?

A. You can get as few as 6 wine labels