You know when you're looking at a bottle of Renegade wine because it's looking at you.
Walthamstow-based winery Renegade has been crafting bottles of vino for a decade — and while the contents are lip-lickingly delicious, the labels invariably set tongues wagging too.
That's because Renegade casts aside traditional motifs like chateaus/heraldic crests/chickens, in favour of close-up photos of people's faces. The winery explains: "As a UK producer, we wanted to celebrate the best thing about the UK. The weather? No. The people! Each label shows the eyes of a different person who lives in the UK. They may not be born in the UK, they may not have gone to school in the UK, but they're part of this country. They each form a key part of the rich tapestry that makes the UK special."
They are, if you will, putting mugs on bottles.
Every time Renegade makes a new wine from a new grape variety, from a new vineyard or in a new style, they require a new face for the label — and right now, they're recruiting models.
So what's the criteria?
"They are all random people, in the nicest possible way," says Renegade. "They are students, plumbers, researchers, the unemployed, the retired, newspaper editors, receptionists, teachers and HR executives. They are aged between 19 and 70+. They are white, black, Asian, mixed race. They are straight, gay, transgender, queer. They are from all walks of life."
All that's required of you is to fill in this short form, explaining why you want to be on the label (and make sure you're free for a photoshoot on 16 November 2026).
If you're successful, as well as having your close-up on the front of the label, your name/local Tube station will appear on the back (the majority of bottles feature Londoners, though you don't have to live here to qualify).
But the best thing about becoming a bottle? You'll be the face of your given wine for life; they'll even take a fresh picture every year, so you age with it.
Apply to become a bottle of Renegade wine by 1 November 2026.
