The wine marketing wars have reached fever pitch these days, making it more difficult than ever to figure out what’s what when you’re perusing the shelves at your local wine merchant. Clever puns, brash typography, cute dogs, and graffiti-strewn labels all clammer for your attention, making the imagery of old French chateaux look as fusty and old-fashioned as a leatherbound book.

But while it’s certainly fun to show up to a party with a 2006 vintage Bitch under your arm, you don’t want to end up drinking some mouth-puckering plonk that’s all style and no substance.

To help you achieve the perfect vino double-whammy, we’ve selected 20 eye-catching domestic labels that are worthy not only for their aesthetic allure, but also because they happen to be superb wines. Ogle the artwork, then read the stories behind each design.

Written by Jonathan Cristaldi (@NobleRotNYC)