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Debut Of Wingnut Zinfandel Showcases Winning Student Design Three Thieves...

The Three Thieves (http://threethieves.com) have been called a lot of things, but predictable isn't one of them. Drawn in their own separate ways to the off-beat and the non-conformist, their various (ad)ventures together in the wine world have all embodied more than a little of the eccentric. This time, for their Wingnut Zinfandel (http://threethieves.com) project, they not only put together a wine that showcases all the joyful contradictions of old-vine Zinfandel; they put a roomful of young design students to work brainstorming the label.

Chief Thief Charles Bieler (http://threethieves.com) turned to up-and-coming designers at the Portfolio Center (http://portfoliocenter.com) in Atlanta, a leading communication arts school, to create the wine's visually stunning label. While co-directing a semester-long course on wine label design at the Center, Bieler challenged his students to create an image that captures the essence of the term Wingnut--loopy, weird and oddball, the Thieves' idea of a badge of honor. As Dave Whitling, the 23-year-old student who created the winning design, explains, "the essence of a 'wingnut' isn't about a particular style or movement, or even a particular person. But rather, it is a spirit, a pure unbridled passion." He continues, "the guys behind Three Thieves are doing just that--bucking the system and charting their own path in an industry steeped in tradition."

Whitling's spirited design will grace the Wingnut bottles, gaining him a two-quarter scholarship, awarded by the Thieves. Portfolio Center designer Rachel Strubinger came up with an inspired additional touch: Wisdom Corks, each inscribed with a piece of very unconventional wisdom. Things like Winston Churchill's sunny view of himself: "We are all worms. But I believe that I am a glow-worm."

This wine inside is another example of Thieves' co-founder and lead winemaker Joel Gott (http://threethieves.com)'s skill in turning his vineyard contacts in Amador County, prime Zin country in the Sierra Foothills, into a treat for the daring palate. Dense but still lively, juicy and spicy, headed for over-the-top and reined in at the last minute with great balance--pure Zinfandel personality, slightly zany.

The Wingnut Zinfandel will retail for $12.99 nationwide.

Three Thieves (www.threethieves.com (http://www.threethieves.com)), developed by Charles Bieler, Joel Gott and Roger Scommegna, is the leading brand of Rebel Wine Company, a St. Helena, California based joint venture between Three Thieves and Trinchero Family Estates. Known as much for their innovative packaging as for the wine that is in it, the Three Thieves have distinguished themselves through their originality and vision. Collaborating with Trinchero Family Estates, Napa Valley vintners since 1947, the Thieves have solidified their commitment to quality at a reasonable price, an adage that binds the companies.

Portfolio Center (www.portfoliocenter.com (http://portfoliocenter.com)), the oldest and best-known school for communication arts in the country, was founded in 1977. It is a progressive school that respects tradition, yet is constantly evolving to stay ahead of a dynamic industry driven by cultural shifts and technological innovation.

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