In the beginning was Cuvée Franciacorta Brut 1990. The year was 2005, and the Premio il Mosnel "Questione di Etichetta" (il Mosnel’s "The Matter of a Label" Prize) was born, organised in the historical il Mosnel wine cellars in Franciacorta, under the sponsorship of ADI (Associazione Disegno Industriale). The goal was to find a very special label for a wine that, given the exceptional quality of its vintage year, its lengthy maturation in the cellar, and its limited quantity--a mere 300 numbered magnums--, represented a true collector’s rarity. That first year witnessed the participation of great figures in the design world, among them Giancarlo Illiprandi, Italo Lupi, and the recently-deceased and almost mythical Bob Noorda. Its success guaranteed a future to the solidly-founded project of Franco Origoni and Anna Steiner.
In 2008, the Premio il Mosnel QdE returned to the stage. For this second edition the successful initial debut served as a good model, with only slight modifications. The vintage of Cuvée di Franciacorta Brut of course was new, now 1998, but the number of magnums was nearly the same (360), as was the sponsorship of the ADI. Its participation ensured the participation of young but highly-respected designers, and the winners this time were the Hangar Design Group of Alberto Bovo and Sandro Manente.
2010 marks the maturity and continued growth for the Premio il Mosnel QdE. Starring once again are il Mosnel of course, with a new prestigious cuvée, and the ADI, whose stature has brought new participating designers into the competition for the award, as well as enormous creativity. But there are some attractive new developments as well. The first is Franciacorta DOCG Pas Dosé Riserva 2004, true star of the competition: for the third year in a row, an exceptional vintage, and for the first year appearing in two different sizes and in more substantial quantities. This year the invited professionals and design studios had to adorn 400 numbered magnums, plus another 4,000 750-ml bottles, these latter numbered as well. This year, though, the challenge went up a notch: the designers had to design not only the wine label, but its entire ancillary packaging as well, both for the magnums and the standard-size bottles.
All of the submitted designs can be seen on il Mosnel's blog:
www.quellicheilvino.it. The prize jury has already rendered its judgment, but il Mosnel invites all Internet-connected wine-lovers to express their own opinion and to vote online for their favourite design.
This competition among designers will spark into life again every time that the growing year, expert efforts, and winemaking passion will gift us with new vintages of Riserva QdE, each worthy of bearing a unique label “d’autore,” each a work of art that proudly encompasses other works of art. The first to collect and admire, the second to taste and enjoy.