Valley Oaks wines from Fetzer are now appearing on wine shelves nationally in place of the familiar Sundial, Eagle Peak and Echo Ridge wines from Fetzer.

Most Fetzer wines are top sellers in all wine categories, but over the years since the Mendocino winery's founding in the beautiful North Coast of California, nearly every Fetzer wine received its own special name such as Sundial, Eagle Peak or Echo Ridge.

Now, these wines, along with others, are all presented in a new-look package labeled as Valley Oaks, the name given years ago to a historic Mendocino ranch where vineyards, organic gardens and a country Inn provide a warm and welcoming homeplace for Fetzer wines.

Feedback from retailers and wine buyers has been positive.

"We started with the notion that Fetzer wines had become a bit confusing for consumers," explained brand director Doug Gillespie. "While we considered new labels and package ideas, consumers helped remind us just how special Fetzer's Homeplace in Mendocino really is, and how and why Fetzer wines are enjoyed not as a special treat, but as part of everyday life."

The Valley Oaks name is prominently featured on the new, classic looking label, which notes "the beauty of our home at Valley Oaks inspires our natural approach to winemaking." Fetzer is the wine industry's largest grower of organic grapes, and is an environmental leader in sustainable business practices, both important to wine drinkers. But the over-riding theme for the launch of the new Valley Oaks wines is captured in new advertising that proclaims "Every Day Deserves A Great Finish."

"Fetzer wines bring consumers a sense of renewal in every glass," explained Gillespie. "While wineries spend a lot of time trying to explain how wines are made, and who makes them, we believe that Valley Oaks wines provide a sense of personal reward that sometimes can be as simple as relaxing at the end of the day in a favorite easy chair in a quiet corner with a glass of Fetzer wine." Much of wine advertising is confusing or too similar, he believes.

Instead of telling consumers that a Valley Oaks Sauvignon Blanc expresses the terroir of Lake County, for example, new Fetzer advertising describes the wine as having delicious notes of sunset and crisp evenings by the fire with nuances of porch swing and trees. Wines can be woven around a delightful concentration of me time advises another line.

Instead of a lingering nose as often described by wine critics, Fetzer's Valley Oaks wines are more apt to be described as causing lingering conversation.

Food and wine pairing ideas, recipes and other lifestyle advice from noted Fetzer Culinary Director Chef John Ash are found on the website, where the curious can learn more about how wines are made and who makes them. Visits to the Fetzer website have increased dramatically since the new package was introduced this Fall.

Gillespie notes the Valley Oaks wines are the identical, award-winning top quality wines that were bottled in the other names, "although we've had a few people tell us the Valley Oaks wines were clearly different." He included a quality seal on the front of the bottle that notes Wine and Spirits magazine has selected Fetzer as a Winery of the Year nine times.

"Sometimes labels change just to update a tired look, but Fetzer's new label is really a process of renewing our connection to our customers," he said. "Fetzer wines come from a real place, and everyone at the winery shares strong beliefs about the natural way we farm our vineyards and make our wines."

"From the earth to the table captures a part of what makes Fetzer resonate with wine drinkers, but great tasting flavors remain the key to what has helped make Fetzer one of America's most popular wines at any time of the year," said Gillespie.