The distinctive Sturt Desert Pea label of Charles Sturt University's (CSU's) award-winning wines has a new, more sophisticated look.

To update its image in the competitive marketplace, the CSU winery has modified the design and colour of labels that have appeared on the University's wines since 1990.

The Pea is now smaller and less stylistic, while not reducing its effectiveness, according to CSU Winery marketing manager Graham Cossey.

The labels also have new background colours of blue and cream for limited release wines and cream for the standard range.

The black label for "one off" releases will remain the same. This label currently appears on only one wine: the Cellar Reserve 2000 Pinot Gris, from fruit that has been grown in the University vineyard since the beginning of the winery in 1976.

 "The student who planted the vines was the first graduate from the wine science course, Evan Ward, who is returning to CSU from New Zealand for the 25th anniversary of wine education this Friday 29 June," Mr Cossey said. 

Mr Cossey said the new labels will make it easier to differentiate between standard and limited release ranges.

The label changeover is being introduced gradually and should be complete by January 2002.

In 1990, when the old label was introduced, the CSU winery was producing 3 000 cases of wine per year. This year, it will produce 18 000 cases. [ See the background paper ]

Over that time, distribution has also dramatically increased, with the CSU label found in all major capital cities, along the eastern seaboard of the United States and in Europe.

Mr Cossey said he has had an excellent response to the new labels.

"Selling agents Australia-wide have been very positive about the change," he said.

In other plans, the corks and gold capsules used in future bottling will also bear the CSU brand.