Wine Labels in Braille

By Kate George

A wine producer from France is leading the way in making its products identifiable to people with vision disabilities. M. Chapoutier wines is now using Braille on all of its labels. The company, located in the Rhone valley, produces nearly two million bottles of different wines a year, including Chateauneuf du Pape.

The company’s aim is to give people with vision disabilities an alternate "means of identifying a bottle of wine, thus enhancing their appreciation of a great vintage."

The information on the label includes: the appellation (e.g. Hermitage); the name (e.g. Monier de la Sizeranne); the colour; the name of the wine producer (M. Chapoutier); and the town and country of origin (Tain, France).

The whole process took over a year to research and refine and involved modifying a special typography machine to print in Braille. The company is willing to share the research and methodology with other companies. Perhaps this will lead the way for other mass market products.

M. Chapoutier products are available across Canada. For more information, call the Canadian distributor, Phillippe Dandurand Wines, at (416) 368-3344.