Stamp collection

Shakespeare, as often, gets to the point: even if the Danish crown doesn’t bother us, the times feel like we’re being haunted by existentialist pests from the past.

At the same time, we agree with the old bard Bob Dylan: “The times they are a-changing” he muttered back in 1964, and he could not have described the current world situation better, although apparently with the opposite signs.

As Smart-Wines, we have been a successful agency without a warehouse in the market for 33 years, and we have been managing some of the most market-relevant wineries in our portfolio for many years.

We remain true to our principles – B2B is our business, seriousness with a lot of humor and binding handshake quality are guidelines that accompany our path, quality in all matters.

Supporting the market in all its facets is like solving Rubik’s famous magic cube with many more variables while juggling – always in motion.

After celebrating our twentieth anniversary in 2013 with our first stamp – as a complementary logo – we referred to our registered word-picture trademark “Smart-Buy” in 2014.

Since our design has been orange since 1993, we could not resist the little play on words in 2015. This does not necessarily mean the “orange wine”, even if some of our winemakers, such as the Foradori family or the Sattlerhof certainly provide some noteworthy examples of so-called “natural wines”. Perhaps it is because these winemakers have also produced very good wines before … And even at the Prowein 2015, there were still some puzzled inquiries, whether we had really been 20 years ahead of our time.

The inspiration for the 2016 ‘Sunday’s are better than others’ stamp was provided by our friends at Yardbird & Sunday’s Grocery in Hong Kong, committed to quality and service, one of the Pearl of the East’s cult eateries and thus a link between East and West.

In 2017 we dedicate the stamp to cod and clipfish or stockfish – the fish that symbolizes the culture of the Mediterranean and Atlantic ‘par excellence’. The economic and early industrial development of the Basque Country, Catalonia, Venice, but also the supply of the ship’s crews during the voyages of discovery to the New World, would not have been possible without this resource, this seemingly unlimited available and by the salting almost indefinitely durable food. Nor, of course, without the precious ‘In Cod we trust’ is the motto of Bruno and Max Colombo of the XEMEI and Bar Brutal in Barcelona.

In 2018 we celebrated our 25th anniversary: 1/4 century of Smart Wines! For the reduced design: Cheers to fivehightwo.

And in 2019 we celebrated the European idea: Vive l’Europe!

In 2020, it’s “Imagine … I’m not the only one …” (John Lennon)
Why “Imagine”? Striving for a better world is the first step to bring about change. Small steps are at the beginning of every path, together we can influence our environment. Working together in partnership and respect is critical to any journey, especially to success. Imagine …

2021 – Mut – Coragem – Coraje

Confidence creates courage, and courage creates opportunities for action. In our turbulent times, courage is a prerequisite for action. The challenges of our time will not be solved by fearful balking or timid crabwalking, courage is needed to move forward, to tackle things together. Courage to hope, to see the opportunity in a crisis. But courage requires the respect of partners and friends in order not to end up in overconfidence. Courage multiplies when it is shared.

“He who loses his wealth loses much; he who loses his friend loses more; but he who loses his courage has lost everything.”
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547 – 1616)
Spanish writer and civil servant, temporary slave in Algiers

Smart Wines 2022 – under the sign of the QR

The QR (Quick Response) code was originally developed in 1992 by Masahiro Hara and his team at Denso Wave, for marking components within Toyota logistics. One of the advantages of the QR code is that even if the code area is 30% damaged, the encoded data still remains legible. In 2007, the cult pop magazine Spex published a QR code for the first time in Germany, which led to the term “insight interface”. At that time, the code was already ubiquitous in Japan. After gaining an increasing foothold in Europe as well, it gradually faded into the background. Only to return finally and with full force:
Whether with the Corona apps and the Covid-19 tests, the registration on restaurant tables or generally in public spaces for the purpose of contactless data transmission, in this country the QR has been able to make a brilliant come back. That’s why we’re celebrating the QR in 2022 – and also promise the quickest possible response to all the questions and wishes of our partners!

30 years of Smart Wines

“per aspera ad astra” – through adversity to the stars.

In 2023 we will have arrived in the post-Covid19 era, and at the same time we are celebrating our thirtieth anniversary. Hence the stamp motto 2023. Because whatever time may bring, we’ll keep it with Buzz Lightyear: “to infinity and much further!”

Not caffeinated sodas, it is wine that has given man wings since ancient times, hence our message to Ground Control: the wild smart-wines ride continues!

“No one can know the future. One can only follow one’s instincts.”
Mister Spock, Star Trek

What do sunsets, Indian summer, the luxury brand Hermès, a citrus fruit called “Citrus sinensis L.”, the robes of Buddhist monks, the jerseys of the Dutch national soccer team, marigolds, and Smart Wines have in common? Orange! Since 1993, our design has been in this color. Time to take a look at it.

-Wines – Some like it HOT – We make it HOTTER!

Admittedly, we have a weakness for spiciness! When the palate aches and the pupils narrow into rattlesnake slits, the tongue desperately tries to escape, and the internal operating temperature rises to the point of an exploding supernova…

Tabasco, the most relevant player in this fiery market, served as inspiration for our this year’s
Stamps. However, our quality standards go beyond the ubiquitous sour-sweet-sour-spicy sauce.

Mega-sharp deals and Burn-the-stock promotions will accompany us in the new year like the lingering heat of dried habaneros.
We look forward to the new year with all its fiery Scorpion-Bhut Jolokia-like challenges.

And true Scoville fetishists have long known: The “merciless peppers of Quetzaltenango,” which are exclusively grown by “inmates of a”
Guatemalan insanity