At the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival’s Grand Tasting at Chelsea Piers (Sept. 30-Oct. 2), Ravenswood wine’s Sonoma County-inspired booth stood out among the rows of wine tasting tables. It harked back to the brand’s tasting room in the Mayacamas Mountains with rugged wood panels and wrought iron elements, including an old army cot turned photo installation. Consumers were prompted to have their photo taken by staffers dressed all in black with dangling raven-inspired feather earrings. The photos were instantly printed so that consumers could write a message about what rebellion means to them. The theme tied to the brand’s legacy of “ruffling some feathers,” a play on its raven logo and a history of “screwing with tradition,” like using the Zinfandel varietal when it wasn’t popular to do so. It also tied to its mantra of inclusiveness in wine. The pictures were then clipped onto the cot. The installation was to travel back to the brand’s tasting room in California for display. The effort was part of the brand’s re-launch as it returns to original, authentic blends (Old Vine and Est 1976 bottles) in its Vintners Blend tier.

“The best way to explain the new blends is to allow consumers to taste them,” Lisa Pyrczak, marketing director at Ravenswood, Toasted Head and Blackstone, told Buzz. “Our research tells us that wine can be intimidating, because of so many choices, brands and varietals, so we’ve found that the best way to demystify wine and make the experience feel inclusive is to be out in the markets and interacting on a personal level.”

To further demystify wine, Ravenswood had on-hand its founder, winemaker and industry icon, Joel Peterson, to share his stories and sign a branded poster as a gift to consumers. Agency: Grand Central Marketing, New York City.