Wine Brand With Controversial Image Shifts Focus to Prisoner Reform

This wine brand is now dedicated to using its platform to support bail and incarceration reform. (Photo: The Prisoner Wine Co.)

A wine company with branding imagery that appears to glamorize tropes of incarceration is shifting its focus to prisoner reform, reported The Spirits Business.

The Prisoner Wine Co., a Constellation-owned spirits producer, is well-known for its edgy label and overall creepy aesthetics. The unique style has played a role in its rise in popularity as consumers reach for eye-catching bottles. Beyond its labeling, the wine itself is well-received, with its flagship red blend ranking as the U.S.’s third-best-selling wine in the over $25 category, according to reports.

However, it has been noted that The Prisoner Wine Co.’s branding could be considered distasteful.

“I was struck by how distasteful it seemed that the St. Helena tasting room was outfitted in shackles and prison cell-like bars, and that the company released wines with lurid names like Derange and Eternally Silenced — all of which seemed to trivialize the harsh realities of mass incarceration in our society,” said San Francisco Chronicle wine critic Esther Mobley.

Other wine bottle imagery depicts numerous scratches on cell walls and chained-up individuals.

In an effort to shift its marketing message and branding, The Prisoner Wine Co. is now committed to prison reform, as detailed on the brand’s website.

“We are acutely aware of the responsibility we have in using The Prisoner’s platform to drive awareness and action,” the brand wrote.

The brand has also announced its collaboration with artist Chris Burnett to launch an annual series of limited-edition wines entitled Corrections. Proceeds from this series will go to Rubicon Programs. The non-profit organization provides aid for impoverished communities that have been “disproportionately impacted by the ills of the U.S. justice system.”

The Prisoner Wine Co. also partnered with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) for the 2022 premiere of the association’s “Game Change Game” documentary.

“Our partnership with the NBPA is just one way The Prisoner is working toward social and racial equality and amplifying voices committed to a more just and inclusive society,” the wine company wrote.

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