Last month, we asked the Sisterhood the eternal question: is bigger better? We were speaking, of course, about our PromisQous wine label. 

PromisQous was one of the Wine Sisterhood's two inagural wines, launched in June of 2008.  (The other was Middle Sister). The style we selected for the wine was a blend--a blend of mutually attractive grape varieties--hence the name.

OK, sometimes we have too much fun around the clubhouse. At any rate, after some time in the market and some good success, we were hearing a few comments from our trade partners that perhaps the name should be bigger.

If you ever wandered into the wine section of your favorite retailer and have been confronted with the "wall of wine" you'll understand the importance of having a label "pop" out 'acha. A wine label is your tiny little billboard on the shelf often surrounded by hundreds of other tiny little billboards saying "pick me, pick me".

And we can all agree that it's often the label that is the deciding purchase factor. So, wines have a little space to make a lot of impact--really at the point of purchase, just a couple of seconds. So your label must work as hard as it can. This is especially holds true in the supermarket setting, where unlike your local wine shop, there likely won't be an expert there to offer guidance.

For our May survey, we showed the sisters four versions of the PromisQous label--the original, and three additional versions which enlarged the name incrementally--all the way up to 120% of the original font size.

According to our survey results, the winner was the label with the largest name. In this version, the name PromisQous appeared 120% of the original size. (The version is shown upper left). Runner-up was the original label (shown lower right). Votes in favor of the original praised it as elegant and refined. Those who favored the larger version liked its impact and read-ability and believed the larger size would help to cut through wine wall clutter.

In one of our favorite quotes of the survey:

"Size DOES matter especially when speaking of pro*mis*Q*ous. If ya got it flaunt it!"

Are there any other ways you think wine labels could work harder to help in the buying decision? More technical info? Less technical info? More pairing suggestions? Quick recipes? Do you read back labels? Add your comments and us know.

Thanks to all who took the May Survey and sat in on our design meeting. And be sure to take our June survey and weigh in on if you think the world is ready for a Middle Sister Moscato.

Hey, Wine Sisters.  We've just made it easier than ever to join in the conversation and take the monthly survey.  Now, you can just click on the link on the left, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to register your wine opinions. And when you take the survey, you'll be entered to win a Target gift card!.

This month's survey asks you about a wine that's been around for a long time, but has recently surged in popularity. Moscato is the Italian name for a light, white varietal with low tannins and soft acidity made from the Muscat grape. Vinified in a off-dry style, but not by no means heavy or syrupy, it's a refreshing quaff. Served well-chilled, it's especially pleasing to drink as we move into the warm, summertime months.

With aromas and flavors of apricots, white peaches and orange blossom, Moscato is typically enjoyed as an aperitif or a sipping wine. You can also serve Moscato with the final course. A pairing with fresh peach cobbler and homemade ice cream or with a plate with soft, mild cheeses and farmstand fruits and nuts of the season would be delicious.

Off-dry wines such as Moscato and Riesling are also classic pairings with foods that are spicy or fiery, such as many Asian and Latin dishes which contain chili peppers and other strong seasonings.

BTW: here's a wine pairing "rule" about wine with dessert: make sure the wine you serve with dessert is as sweet or sweeter than the dessert. The theory is this: sweet desserts can make dryer, more tannic wines taste stronger. If you love chocolate with red wine, as many of us do, make sure it's a softer, fruitier red. Reserve your big, bold, pricy trophy cabs for the meat course. 

Tawny port, which is considered to be medium-dry to sweet, is one of our favorite pairings with sweet summer fruit tarts or gallettes, especially those with nuts such as almonds or walnuts either ground into the crust or toasted and sprinkled on top. The nutty, fruit flavors in the dessert and wine mirror one another other. Mirroring flavors is a classic wine pairing principle.

Ironically, one of the most famous June pairings--champagne and wedding cake--is one of the least successful. Unless the champagne or sparkling wine is quite fruity and made in the demi-sec, or partially sweet fashion, sweet wedding cake will make the finest champagne taste bitter. Kind of like taking a swig of O.J. after you've brushed your teeth. So save the Dom Perignon for the honeymoon and offer your guests a toast with a fruity, off-dry sparkling Asti Spumante or Moscato d'Asti--yes, Moscato with bubbles!.

We're thinking about adding a Moscato to our Middle Sister portfolio.  We've discovered through our conversations with you at wine tastings that many of you do prefer an off-dry wine. Please take our June survey and let us know if you'd like to see an off-dry Moscato join the Midde Sister family.