The most sought after wines
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Innovative beverage brand Most Wanted Wines just launched the first-ever “Most Wanted Collective” last month. The Collective is five artists who each received a wine label as a canvas to express themselves freely. The goal was to celebrate diversity and open conversations about gender, race, accessibility and inclusion.
Launched in 2015 by Cheltenham-based distributor and brand owner Off-Piste Wines, Most Wanted Wines aims to democratize the world of wine by sourcing and making available the world’s most sought-after wines. Their range now includes twenty wines in a variety of formats, including the popular Rosé de Provence and Barossa Valley Shiraz. Always on the lookout for innovation, Most Wanted was the first brand to successfully launch canned wine at multiple retailers in 2017, with Pinot Grigio and Pink Pinot Grigio Fizz cans now the market-leading canned wine brand in the world. UK.
artists who designed Most Wanted Wines labels
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The five new wines from the Most Wanted collective include Most Wanted Cabernet Sauvignon, Most Wanted Chardonnay, Most Wanted Malbec, Most Wanted Pinot Grigio and Most Wanted Shiraz. Each bottle is labeled with a story from one of five artists: London-based street artist Jelly J; street performer duo, Nomad Clan; illustrator, Dorcas Magbadelo; painter, Chris Hawkes and DJ/rapper/fashion designer, Pete Obsolete. Most Wanted is not new to the art world. The brand has a series of unique collaborations including Art Battle Manchester and Cheltenham Paint Festival. Most Wanted also makes a monthly donation to Creative Debuts’ Black Artist Grant, an unconditional financial grant that provides support for ethnic minority creatives who are systematically undersupported in the arts.
The most sought after wines
Anthony Jones/Getty Images
Dorcas Magbadelo creates colorful and bold products inspired by her Nigerian heritage that celebrate black women, including greeting cards, art prints and jewelry.
Jelly J is a London-based street artist known for her figurative paintings featuring iconic oversized eyelashes. His vibrant murals can be found around the city as well as commissioned walls, restaurants and establishments.
Manchester artist Pete Obsolete describes his style as ‘creative illustration’ and enjoys combining lyrics, symbols, portraits and patterns in his paintings, album covers, interior design for walls and custom designed murals and sneakers.
Chris Hawkes’ work presents a very feminine style as an act of rebellion against the machismo of painting. Figurative, abstract and autobiographical elements mingle with images drawn from the history of art and contemporary culture.
Nomad Clan is Cbloxx and AYLO, an internationally acclaimed street art muralist duo based in the North of England. When the pair collaborate, the fusion offers unmistakable style. Each mural has a strong meaning to the environment in which it is set and often their work is inspired by local history or folklore and often exposes socio-economic issues – for example the demise of industry and the lack of jobs and social deprivation of the city centre.
Most Wanted Wines has also released a series of short films, accessible exclusively via a QR code on each bottle. It’s a chance for customers to get closer to the artists, to discover their stories and the truth of the creators themselves. Rachel Archer of Most Wanted Wines said she wanted to provide “these artists with a platform to freely tell their story on our labels – without labels”.
The Collective series is available from select UK retailers and limited edition prints of the label’s artwork are also available to buy on art platform, We Built This City.
