Far out! Marketing beyond the label

Photo: Matt Turner

Breaking all our usual rules, Jim Barry Wines’ commitment to their funky marketing campaign was too good not to share. Photographer Matt Turner captured Tom, Sam and Peter Barry embodying the ’70s style of Watervale Riesling’s new limited-edition label, commemorating 50 consecutive vintages.

The 1970s was a decade of disco, colourful counterculture and for Clare Valley, the birth of Jim Barry Wine’s Watervale Riesling. As such, the family-owned winery decided to mark the milestone with a temporary transformation of the popular wine, with a groovy ’70’s inspired label, paying tribute to its birth year of 1974.

Third generation winemaker, Tom Barry, said while the style of the wine has evolved over the 50 years, the quality of the fruit has remained the same, and he is sure their consumers will love the funky new label, which pays tribute to the vibrancy and ethos of the times.

“The fruit for this wine was originally sourced from a property owned by my grandparents, Jim and Nancy Barry, in Watervale,” he said.

“When my dad, Peter, and his brothers purchased the historic Florita vineyard in 1986, production was able to increase considerably.”

Sales and marketing director, Sam Barry, said the winery is very proud of how this brand has grown over the years.

“The Watervale Riesling has been a constant in our portfolio since our winery was built in 1974, and indeed, it is the only wine that we have consistently produced every vintage since then,” Sam said.

Proprietor, Peter Barry, believes it is a privilege to make Riesling in the Clare Valley and is glad that it has never become ‘popular’ in mainstream winemaking, ensuring the integrity of the variety.

*The family without their 70s garb. Photo: Matt Turner*

“My father, Jim, was a pioneer of dry table wine in the Clare Valley and saw a future of varieties like Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet. I am grateful to my parents for their hard work and foresight, which has afforded us the opportunity to make this wonderful variety for over 50 years,” said Peter.

On the 2023 Riesling vintage, Tom Barry said the wine is packed with flavour and phenolic ripeness, with great acid. “The balance achieved between fruit concentration and acid is outstanding,” he said.