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The Prophecy Wine Brand Review: Best Prophecy Wines!

The Prophecy Wine Brand Review: Best Prophecy Wines!

Wine labels always are important to pay attention to–most tell us if wine, is, for instance, Merlot vs Malbec; the wine’s country of origin, and, sometimes even some flavor notes and best food pairings. But with Prophecy Wine Brand, labels are even deeper in meaning.

Each design highly detailed and features vibrant colors and is made by Victo Ngai, a Hong Kong illustrator who was named an honorable mention for  Forbes “30 under 30” for artists and illustrators.

The design is not only colorful but rich with mythology. Every label from Prophecy Wine has a double meaning, deriving the idea for Tarot Cards, featuring goddesses, gods, priests and priestesses for each one of their different wine.

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The specific gods, goddesses, and priests are meant to be in line with the type of wine and region as well, in clever ways not everyone may realize. For instance, their Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand features the High Priestess who is the guardian of the unconscious and wears a green robe and is surrounded by the fruit that forms the wine’s main flavor notes.

Of course, as innovative as the concept is, symbolic labels do not alone draw consumers to the Prophecy Wine Brand. Rather, Prophecy Wine is part of a growing trend and change in the way we think about, purchase and consume wine.

In this article, we’ll discuss changes in wine trends, what they mean, and how a brand like Prophecy Wine fits those patterns. We’ll also review the brand itself, tell you if it’s worth your money, and then point you to the best wines Prophecy has to offer.

Why is the wine industry changing?

The wine industry, and who consumes wine and how, is in flux, and has been for some time. Not one factor accounts for emerging trends and changes, yet these trends are significant.

Every generation, industries are forced to adapt to some degree, and with wine, it is no different. Often thought of as refined but not as accessible, the trouble is marketing towards younger generations, and it seems many of the changes are tied to millennials.

But it isn’t all younger consumers the wine industry is trying to cater to–Gen X, those who are around thirty-seven to fifty-two years of age, are said to hold the most potential for helping grow the wine industry’s reach, at least as of now, followed by millennials.

How is the wine industry changing?

To stay competitive, the way wine is sold is changing. That isn’t to say that terroir and professionally aged wines aren’t still sought after. But what is happening is that more and more options are becoming available that are cheaper, more accessible, and drinkable for those with smaller budgets and maybe who have less experience drinking wine.

This can be seen in the following ways:

  • The rise of online ordering and also wine delivery services such as Drizly and MiniBar.
  • More wine blends, especially fruit-forward, light body wines and sparkling wines
  • More wine brands, giving customers options outside of terroir specific vineyards
  • Packaging changes: While a bottle is always a refined way to present wine, there has been a boom in different packaging choices, especially cans, which resemble other alcoholic beverages more and tend to not only be less expensive but seen as more practical and appealing to younger generations. In fact, while growth for wine as a whole was a mere three percent for 2018, canned wine saw an increase of eighty percent, according to data collected by Nielsen.
  • Bright labels and other marking strategies, to show that wine can seem energetic, vibrant and fun. Printed and designed labels, mostly on cans, really reflect the culture of a more relaxed relationship with wine and a way to make it feel more relatable.
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Wider selection, more states delivered (and Canada too!), a better refund policy, and an easier to use website. Drizly has clearly established themselves as the market leader and our preferred option here!

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Are there any other changes or challenges the wine industry is facing?

 Besides generational changes and new ways to market wine, wine is seeing another dramatic challenge, in the form of changing climates.

Search about changes in the wine industry, and next to every news story will discuss the possible devastation winemakers face when trying to grow certain grapes in regions that are seeing shifts in weather.

Heat waves, early frost, and changes in precipitation are just a few concerns. As global warming becomes a reality for grape growers, changes are being proposed to preserve centuries of winemaking:

  • The proposal to introduce new grape varieties. Though terroir is a tradition, most experts are trying to encourage new grape varieties to be grown in specific regions, especially new grape varieties known to be able to withstand hotter weather and harsh conditions.
  • Wine is being produced in less conventional regions.
  • Commodity wines and wine blends are becoming a necessity; terroir wines are especially difficult to manage during difficult seasons.
  • Different harvest methods and schedules. Harvest in some places come an average of two to three weeks earlier than they did during the 1980s.
  • Investment in researching grape diversity and new varieties.

How is this all related to Prophecy Wine?

Prophecy Wine blends a number of these ideas. While we’ll be discussing how in full detail shortly, Prophecy Wine clings to tradition in some ways, by introducing wines based on certain regions, yet the company itself is not situated in those regions, but outsources wines.

Wines are sold in bottles, yet those bottles include innovative and colorful labels and marketing that does seem geared towards a younger group of consumers.

What should I look for in a wine brand?

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When we review Prophecy Wine or any wine brand for that matter, we want to always be both fair and cautious. For once, Prophecy Wine, and wine brands like it, will not present the most expensive and thus most complex wine available. What they should deliver, however, is quality wine with transparency and deliver upon their marketing.

We need to take a look at the following:

  • Company history and reputation, as well as sales history if possible or applicable
  • Company philosophy, and to what degree it makes sense for the brand and its offerings
  • Customer policies, such as refunds, privacy, contact information and more
  • The overall level of transparency
  • Wine Selection, which includes: wine variety, price, sourcing/ origin information, information about flavor notes, overall quality
  • Other services or products
  • Customer reviews and company reputation.

We’ll also be looking out for any red flags, such as no information where the wine is from, or where it is produced; no information or inadequate information about grape variety; grandiose claims; and promises that do not deliver.

Prophecy Wine Brand: Is it worth it?

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 Now let’s take a look and review Prophecy as a wine brand and see if their policies and wine make sense.

How long has Prophecy Wine been around?

Purely by looking on their site, you won’t find much information about Prophecy Wine. Some wine brands, such as Josh Wine, will tell you about how the company began, and the person behind it; others, like Prophecy Wine, as less transparent. While you can find plenty of information about the illustrator, there is no information not only about the company’s history, but also who even heads the company. Outside of their site, there is a linked Instagram and that’s about it.

What is the mission, or theme behind Prophecy Wine?

Most wine brands and even esteemed vineyards put forth a central philosophy. For Prophecy Wine, it’s immediately apparent when you click on their main website, if rather lofty. They emphasize internal and external ‘beauty’, discussing the artwork that goes behind every label. In fact, most of the mission behind Prophecy Wine is spent explaining the meaning behind the artwork rather than the wine itself. They do claim that that artwork “reflect[s] the exquisite taste, character, and complexity of the wines inside” and also claim that they sell among the most compelling wines available worldwide.

Overall, their mission statement does not really say much about the actual wine, how it is selected, or the general appeal. In addition, the claim of bringing forth among the most compelling wines worldwide is a rather ambitious claim, one that likely cannot be substantiated.

Is there anything I should know about consumer policies?

And how do you order Prophecy Wine? In order to find information about privacy and terms of use, you must scroll down to the very bottom of the page and hover over the fine print.

  • There is a general contact form, where you’ll be asked to fill in your name, gender, date of birth, email, and zip code, with options to fill in more information. The form can be used for complaints, checking rebate status, and or product information. There is no direct physical address or email provided, though there is a general toll-free customer service number.
  • To order, you can check product availability by typing in your zip code. You’ll be provided a map of stores closest to you that stock a specific wine variety. You can also order specific varieties through online retailers, such as Total Wine. Prophecy Wine seems to be fairly widely available in general, but you do not directly order from them.
  • The privacy policy link opens up your browser to a new window. The link appears to be broken or does not currently carry any information. This is not browser-specific, but will not show any information no matter the browser you have.

What wine does Prophecy Wine carry? 

Prophecy Wine carries six wine bottle varieties, three of which are also available in cans.

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  • Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc: The Sauvignon Blanc is said to be from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Flavor notes include grapefruit, lychee, and are accompanied by mandarin orange and green apple. You’ll also notice some lightly mineral notes.
  • California Cabernet Sauvignon: Cabernet Sauvignon comes from various locations in California and is noted as a highly drinkable wine with a smooth finish, slightly oaky tastes, and raspberry, plum and blackberry flavor notes.
  • French Rosé: This Rosé comes from various parts of Southern France and is described as delicate, light, and refreshing. Prominent flavors include white peach, raspberries, and ripe strawberries.
  • California Pinot Noir: Said to feature the ‘best of California,’ this Pinot Noir also has an approachable and smooth finish, with red cherry and strawberry notes, along with a touch of toasted notes.
  • Delle Venezie Pinot Grigio: This Pinot Grigio is said to highlight ‘the best’ of the Delle Venezie region in Italy, exhibiting a crisp and refreshing profile, with light citrus and tropical notes and mineral touches.
  • Red Blend: Prophecy Wine Red Blend is created with grapes from Washington and Oregon. A bit of vanilla and baking spices accompany a medium body and red fruit.

Is there anything encouraging or concerning about the wine being offered?

First, there are a few encouraging aspects. For one, every wine does have a general country or even region of origin, in some cases more specific than others. While more details would be even better, for a wine brand it’s decent information. The next positive is that every wine has flavor notes that mostly fall in line with what you might expect, but added notes for individual touches of interest. Now onto some more concerning points:

  • Main features of wine are not noted. For five out of six wines, there is no mention of the body. There are only hints as to the level of acidity (words such as crisp), tannins or structure, and how dry wine is. Most wines tell mostly major flavor notes.
  • There is no additional sourcing information. While perhaps a bit peculiar for a wine brand, it would be a bonus to have a section discussing more the regions they source from, as well as grape varieties and how they sourcing works.
  • There isn’t information about the grape variety. Where it isn’t evident, we are given little information about what grapes were used to produce the wine.
  • An emphasis on the label design more than the wine itself. While there is nothing wrong with describing the innovation behind the colorful design, it seems a lot of space is taken up describing the labels, as opposed to more information that could be provided about the wine.
  • Other missing information includes the method of production, tasting notes for food pairings and more. While it is not uncommon for a wine brand to leave some of this information out, there is in general precious little information we’d like to see. The overall wine descriptions do provide some guidance, but the general theme is less information than we’d like.

How well is Prophecy Wine received as a brand amongst consumers?

To be sure, Prophecy wines average three to four out of five stars amongst a myriad of reviews. The number of reviews and decent if not stellar feedback. Of the six wines they offer, four are rated with above-average feedback. Customers largely described a wine as drinkable, pleasant, and great for gift giving. A few were surprised that these wines were on the more dry side, but liked them as also options for mixed drinks. The general idea seems to be, that, for the price point, the wine was pleasant, if not complex.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Prophecy Pinot Noir vegan?

The Prophecy Pinot Noir is not vegan friendly. The company uses some gelatines and fish-based proteins as well as milk or eggs. This might sound weird, but it is actually a very common part of the millennial winemaking technique. However, these products are extracted from the wine by filtration before bottling.

Who is the artist behing Prophecy Wine art?

The artist behind the mesmerizing label art and whole branding of Prophecy Wine is Victo Ngai, a New York-based illustrator from Hong Kong with an award-winning career.

Where can I but Prophecy Wine?

Prophecy wine is easily purchased online to get it delivered directly to your house. You can order it from Drizzly or The Barrel Room.

Do you recommend Prophecy Wine? 

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As a brand, Prophecy Wine certainly has its drawbacks. Lack of information about company history, details about wine sourcing, and lack of a physical address and information, in general, are all concerns.

That said, this is a wine brand, not a finely aged wine of prestige. For those reasons, and because of the decent customer and professional reviews, we can say that it not the worst you can do, but also certainly not the best in terms of wine brands. Josh Wines, for instance, maybe a better alternative.

Best Josh Wine? 2017 Chardonnay | Wine.com

Balanced with aromas of tropical fruits and citrus married with subtle oak notes. The palate is bright and fresh, with lingering flavors of juicy yellow peaches, lemon oil, and crème brulee. Definitely THE best Josh wine in our opinion!

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Priced at an average of under twelve dollars a bottle, you could also make the argument that decently pleasing flavors are reasonable.

That said, if you do like the sound of Prophecy Wine, we recommend going with the highest rated wines, which include:

  • Pinot Noir: Prophecy Wine Pinot Noir retails for around eleven dollars a bottle on Vivino, though prices may vary depending on where you shop. It’s been described by customers as fruit-forward, smooth and light with a pleasant finish and berry notes.
Prophecy Pinot Noir | Vivino

Red wine from California · United States. This Pinot Noir delights the senses with a bouquet of toasted oak and ripe raspberry. Plush and smooth, the mouthfeel is round and filled with luscious layers of red cherry and strawberry that are complemented by notes of brown spice.

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  • Prophecy Wines Prophecy Pinot Grigio: This Pinot Grigio has been described as light and crisp with citrus notes that customers have noted is useful for mixed drinks as well. The flavor notes lend itself to pairing with appetizers.
Prophecy Pinot Grigio | Vivino

White wine from delle Venezie · Italy. This Pinot Grigio offers the best of the high altitude delle Venezie region. Flavors of light citrus, tropical fruit and mineral notes offer crisp, refreshment and are complemented by delicate floral aromas.

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  • Prophecy Sauvignon Blanc 2018: Sauvignon Blanc that is light and uncomplicated but pleasing, the variety of citrus notes, including lychee add some interest and make it a nice wine for entertaining.
Prophecy Sauvignon Blanc | Vivino

White wine from Marlborough · New Zealand. Showcases the best of New Zealand's renowned Marlborough region. Aromas of grapefruit, lychee and lime zest lead to flavors of mandarin orange and green apple, followed by delicate notes of mineral and white tea.

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The Prophecy Red Blend is also a well-rated option, though the lack of information about what makes the red blend makes it a less ideal option.