I am so guilty of excessively using exclamation points. If you read the “About Me” section of this very blog, I even confess/brag about it. I refer to my predilection as deploying an “overabundance” of them.

A quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald has stuck with me:

“An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke.”

In this crazy day and age of texting and social media, not using an exclamation point can come across as sarcastic, cold, or detached. You type “Congratulations[flurry of exclamation points]” rather than “Congratulations.”

In The Guardian, Elena Ferrante, author of the excellent 4-book series Neapolitan Novels, takes on the exclamation point, saying:

“Of all the punctuation marks, it’s the one I like the least. It suggests a commander’s staff, a pretentious obelisk, a phallic display. An exclamation should be easily understood by reading; there’s no need to insist with that mark at the end as well.” 

Later:

“But I still think that ‘I hate you’ has a power, an emotional honesty, that ‘I hate you!!!’ does not.”

I highly recommend reading the whole column because it makes serious points about language, meaning, and power.

Inspired by Ferrante, I would like to talk about a wine. This is much less weighty matter, but here I go.

I like this wine. It’s really good.

Siete Red (No Exclamation Points)

First of all, I dig this label. So. Much. I am very tempted to finish a sentence about it with a punctuation mark that would convey an exuberant mood. Furthermore, I might repeat the use of this mark three to five times for maximum impact.

Sigh.

The Siete Red is from Rioja. It’s a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, and 10% Mazuelo. The grapes are organic, which is great. Due to  no oak being involved, this Spanish wine is very welcoming and open. But the Siete is beyond pleasant, with a little bit of earthiness that leads to a spicy, fruity kick of a finish.

Who wouldn’t love to bring this wine to a party because it just looks so cool? Everyone would pour themselves a glass. Additionally, it’s not too pricey. I got it for 14 bucks at Dandelion Wine.

If you’re also a fan of label design and some of the considerations both artistic and practical behind their creation, please read my Q&A with Randall Grahm of Boon Doon Vineyards. Or find out what five graphic designers thought of another Spanish wine label. Finally, get to know a creative agency that chimed in on a label and wine discovered via my blog.

Tags: affordable spanish wine, best spanish reds, best wine label design, best wine labels, label lust, spain, Spanish Wine, unique wine labels, wine labels