In vino veritas

When it comes to wine, the name is important, but you do not go by the name alone.

The two labels show an almost bird’s eye view, or high perspective, of two groups of people interacting while enjoyinga drink- Charlene Vella

There is much more to take into consideration when choosing a bottle of wine. Nonetheless, a label will help any brand stand out.

This is precisely the case with Marsovin’s 1919 range, whose bottles carry labels reproducing works of art by leading Maltese artists.

The 2010 vintage of red and white 1919 wine bottles are graced with two paintings by Celia BorgCardona, Malta’s favourite people watcher, who has, for this purpose, targeted wine drinkers.

The 1919 range is important to the winery for it commemorates the year when 16-year-old Anthony Cassar started what would later become Marsovin.

The two labels show an almost bird’s eye view, or high perspective, of two groups of people interacting while enjoying a drink. The main difference between the two labels is that one displays a more formal social gathering, and the other centres on the street theatre that the morning march provides, a major highlight of the Maltese feast.

Within the latter is an obvious reference to a particular saint venerated in Victoria.

The different contexts emphasises the versatility of wine, or, I should say, the omnipresence of wine or any other alcoholic beverage found at any/most local social gathering.

The viewer is clearly being given a vantage point in these paintings.

In the two paintings, the oil medium is handled expressively with the bold brushstrokes that are typical of Borg Cardona.

In some instances, outlines are delineated boldly in black, while in others, the figures dissolve into the background.

Although seemingly sketchily applied, the paint still makes up a bold composition where there is also room for attention to detail.

Enough detail is applied in order to make out the subject, but this is often enough to recognise who is being portrayed when it comes to figures.

What is always striking about Borg Cardona’s work is the importance given to space, whether that between figures, or that around them.

With such paintings enlivening the labels of two of Marsovin’s wine bottles, we are enjoying two of life’s pleasures in one – art and wine.

With both, there is virtue in their quality. Like wine, art cannot sacrifice on quality. With wine, you can tell of its worth when savouring it, although tastes differ.

As with wine, tastes in art differ too, but class never falters.