SPAR wants to label locally

UK convenience retailer SPAR is hoping to roll out a trial wine labelling scheme where the wine descriptions are translated into local dialect.

The trial scheme will cover UK dialects such as Scouse (Liverpool), Geordie (Newcastle), Welsh and Scottish onto its labels’ tasting notes.

Under the proposed scheme, the tasting notes of, for example, a Merlot listed in SPAR would have two versions in Newcastle.

Original: "A truly great Merlot which is ablaze with succulent blackcurrants and blueberries. This Merlot has legs like a thoroughbred, strong and forward, which tantalises your palate. Its full bouquet is a delight for your nose and will leave you yearning for more. This isn’t a wine for the faint hearted."

Geordie translation: "A canny Merlot ableeze wi succulent blackcurrants an blueberries. This Merlot has legs leik a thoroughbred, strong an forward, tha sucks the leif oot of yer palate. Its stowed bouquet is a delight fer yer nose an will leave yee clamming fer moor. This ain ne blash."

SPAR has also posted a YouTube clip of its accents specialist talking through each dialect for the same wine label. Click here to view the video.

SPAR’s wine controller, Laura Jewell MW said the industry should be working harder to make the complexities of wine more accessible, given they are "too often confusing and complicated. We want to cut through that, using real words that our customers use when they talk about a great glass of wine.

"Ultimately our wines will speak for themselves, but in the meantime it’s time to speak people’s language," she added.

SPAR has 2,600 stores across the UK which are frequented by 12 million consumers a week. It brings in an annual turnover in excess of £2.6 billion.

Jane Parkinson, 02.11.2009