This year’s Artist Series vintage is a 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon from grapes grown in California’s Sonoma County. It is decorated with a label featuring “Hill Street,” a work by pop artist Wayne Thiebaud. This colorful cityscape, created in the traditional Japanese Ukiyo-e-style woodblock print from one of Thiebaud’s earlier watercolors, was chosen because it fit two formats, Margie Healy, director of public relations for Korbel, says. It works well on the wine bottle, but also plays well in a larger poster size. Most important, Thiebaud’s work was chosen for its rich texture and bold color, qualities it shares with the wine it decorates. Designed by Armstrong & Associates (Santa Rosa, CA), the label is offset-printed in seven colors and foil-stamped in gold. Only 3껶 cases of the Artist Series were produced. The 750-mL wine retails for $70 per bottle.
