Good wine needs no bush

bush

Good wine needs no bush

A bunch of ivy was formerly the sign of a vintner's shop.

And at tavernys (withoute wene [doubt]) Thys tooknys [signs] nor thys bowys grene‥The wyn they mende nat.
[a 1430 J. Lydgate Pilgrimage of Man (EETS) l. 20415]

Wyne that is saleable and good nedeth no bushe or garland of yuye [ivy] to be hanged before. The english prouerbe is thus Good wyne neadeth no signe.
[1545 R. Taverner tr. Erasmus' Adages (ed. 2) 42^V]

If it be true that good wine needs no bush, 'tis true that a good play needs no epilogue.
[1599 Shakespeare As You like It (Epilogue) 3]

I was never better pleased than with a plain man's compliment, who upon his friend's telling him that he would like the Spectator much better if he understood the motto, replied, that good wine needs no bush.
[1711 Addison Spectator 13 Nov.]

‘Doesn't advertise much, does she, Chief?’ said Reed. ‘Relies on the principle that good wine needs no bush, perhaps,’ replied Masters.
[1983 D. Clark Monday Theory vi.]

Related to: public relations; reputation

ツタの枝 ((昔の酒屋の看板)) (Good wine needs no ～. 〈諺〉良品は看板無用）;