Wine Label Design

You only get one chance to make a first impression.

Trust an experienced, award-winning wine label designer to make the most of that moment!

Your label—like your logo—isn’t just art. It’s an investment. It has a job to do and should be judged by whether it’s doing its job. Research says that a label is responsible for between 50% and 75% of a wine purchasing decision.

You need to be visible, readable and memorable. 

Martinez & Martinez Wine Bottle

Elk Haven

If you peer through the negative spaces on the front label, you will see the view of the Yakima River and Red Mountain – the same view you’d see if you stepped outside the winery’s Benton City, Washington tasting room. And while you’re looking, take notice of the subtle elk’s face.

 

AWARDS
  • Double Gold Medal, 2022 Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • Best of Category, 2022 Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022, American Graphic Design Award
Martinez & Martinez Red Wine Label Design
Martinez & Martinez Wine Bottle

REVELATION by Goose Ridge

A wine brand honoring strong, capable women – Revelation Rose!
Illustration by Katie Small.
Martinez & Martinez Wine Bottle

Explohr

Walla Walla winemaker Rob Wohr came to us with only a concept for his brand. He wanted something that encouraged curiosity and inclusivity.
We worked with Rob to create the company name, brand imagery, tagline and two tiers of packaging—one for traditional wines and another for his “explohratory” winemaking adventures.
For the explohratory wines, we created a series of six designs which, viewed together, display the full spectrum of color. Both transparent and opaque holographic films were used to catch the light and draw the eye.

 

AWARDS
  • 2022 American Graphic Design Award
Martinez & Martinez Red Wine Label Design
Alma Terra Zinfandel Wine Label Design

Alma Terra

AlmaTerra is both a word and a concept created by geologist, soil scientist and former Washington State University Professor Alan Busacca. The ideas of terroir and love of the earth inform the process of creating these wines all the way from the soil to the bottle. Consequently, they inform the brand’s name and imagery as well.

The logo we created for AlmaTerra simultaneously reflects both the rocky volcanic soils of the Pacific Northwest and the beauty of our home planet. The design of these labels tie those themes to the beautifully dramatic Columbia Gorge AVA.

 

AWARDS
  • 2021 American Graphic Design Award
  • Gold Medal
    2021 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    Pinot Noir
  • Gold Medal
    2021 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    Zinfandel
Category 5 Wine Label Design

Category 5

The design of Category 5’s brand and packaging are a natural outgrowth of winery owner Jason Smith’s background in internet and network technology. Both logo and primary label feature a “diagram” (loose, but a diagram) of digital circuitry.

There are two delightful alternative label designs supporting and conceptually related to the Cat 5 brand: “Hacker Rosé” and “Firewall Red.” Each is created to resonate within the Seattle/Redmond area tech community, because geeks like their wine!

 

AWARDS
  • Gold Medal
    2020 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    Framework Red
  • Silver Medal
    2020 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    The Hacker
  • Pack Design Showcase
    Wine Business Monthly, October 2021
    The Hacker
Category 5 Wine Label Design
Warr-King Wines Syrah Label Closeup

Warr-King

This label design was inspired by the gracious hospitality and impeccable craftsmanship of the Craftsman era. A beautifully illustrated poppy complements the period-specific font and luxurious metallic inks that create both era and attitude.

Warr-King recently expanded its line of fine wines with two new label designs. The first, Tenacity, was inspired by the determined souls who follow their passion, don’t take no for an answer and refuse to let anything stand in their way. The second, Mouton Noir – French for Black Sheep – is characterized by the winemaker as “an outlier”: fun, but not what you would expect from their primary brand…which is an excellent reason to create a second (or third) label!
 

AWARDS
  • 2017 San Francisco International Wine Awards’ Label Competition Medal
    Rosé label
  • 2018 American Package Design Award
    Rosé
  • Silver Medal
    2020 Lone Star International Wine Competition
    Tenacity
  • 2021 American Graphic Design Award
    Warr-King logo
  • 2021 American Graphic Design Award
    Red Wine Labels
  • Double Gold
    2021 Lone Star International Wine Competition
    Cabernet Sauvignon Label
  • 2022 American Graphic Design Award
    Lily Frances Petit Verdot Rosé
Goose Mountain Wine Label Design

Goose Mountain

Washington State has a new AVA: Goose Gap. It lies in between such celebrated appellations as Red Mountain and Horse Heaven Hills, within the Yakima Valley and Columbia Valley AVAs. Its defining geographical feature is the long, low ridge of Goose Mountain a perfect place to grow both wine grapes and fruit trees!

Goose Ridge Winery is near the bottom of the ridge, its vineyards sprawling toward the mountain in an amazing transformation of Eastern Washington’s desert into a lush, green agricultural paradise.

To honor this amazing setting and the excellent wines made here, we chose elements that signal luxury: super heavy, stout, tapered glass. An extra-large paper label was designed with a lovely texture. Rich color, deep emboss and matte gold foil were selected to embellish the design. A custom foil capsule features its own mark; a G with a feather through it.

Insider tip: Turned horizontally, the feather becomes an illustration of Goose Mountain.

 

AWARDS
  • 2020 Gold Medal
    Lone Star International Wine Awards
  • 2021 American Package Design Award
  • 2021 American Graphic Design Award
Goose Mountain Wine Label Design
above the curve wine label

Above the Curve

When two retired school psychologists buy a vineyard overlooking a bend in the Yakima River and produce a killer Semillon, the name “Above the Curve” fits on many levels! This label design reinforces the abundance of curves in both the Yakima River and in Psychological research and reporting, with which these winery owners have spent their lives. At the same time, this color palette conveys the subtle sophistication of this complex beauty.

 

AWARDS
  • 2021 American Package Design Award
  • GOLD MEDAL, 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Packaging, Modern Illustration
Tapteil Rose Wine Label Design

 Tapteil Vineyard

“Tapteil” is the Native American word for “narrow river”. In keeping with that theme, we designed a logo and wine label inspired by the Native American symbol for “sun, water, wind” — elements that make the Red Mountain terroir so special.

Tapteil Rose Wine Label Design
Cedar River Cellars Wine Bottle

Cedar River Cellars

Precision winemaking is a fundamental distinctive of the Cedar River Cellars brand. To bring that value to life visually we combined the color and concentric rings of a cedar with the graceful waves of a river. In consequence, we have a highly memorable brand combining the graceful curves of water’s natural course down a river with the geometric precision of the stylized illustration of both river and a cedar tree’s rings.

 

AWARDS
  • Gold Medal
    2020 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
  • 2021 American Package Design Award
Vintage Lane Wine Bottle

Vintage Lane

Lost Oak Winery wanted a second wine label with which to target millennial Texan women. Research indicated that members of this cohort are passionate about their boots, so we proposed a cooperative marketing strategy to Lane Boots. They agreed and supplied the wine’s brand name: Vintage Lane. Each varietal label is designed to feature a different Lane boot, with a corresponding fanciful name.

 

AWARDS
  • 2014 American Package Design Award
Vintage Lane Wine Bottle
Kolibri Malbec Wine Label Design

Kolibri

This entire suite of labels was produced using the same cutting dies and metallic paper to allow for a luxurious feel to the wine, but accomplished within a very cost-sensitive budget.

 

 AWARDS
  • 2018 American Package Design Award
Nirvana Wine Label Design

Nirvana

The literal meaning of the term Nirvana is “quenching”. How appropriate for a high-end wine brand rooted in the Buddhist tradition. We used an image of the tranquil lotus flower in developing their logo, complemented with mesmerizing mandalas on their wine labels.

 

 AWARDS
  • Gold Medal
    2019 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    2016 Syrah Label
  • Gold Medal
    2019 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    2015 Karma Red
  • 2021 American Package Design Award
  • 2021 American Graphic Design Award
    Moksha Rosé Label
Nirvana Wine Label Design
Tipsy Canyon Wine Bottle

Tipsy Canyon

As you run your fingers over the silver foil and deeply embossed waves of the Tipsy Canyon label, you are reminded of the other sensual experiences the winery provides from its home near the eastern shore of Lake Chelan: exquisite wines, a million-dollar view and exceptionally warm hospitality.

 

 AWARDS
  • Silver Medal
    2019 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    Rosé Label
  • Silver Medal
    2021 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    Melange Noir Label
Mount Dorado Wine Label Design

Mount Dorado

This label was designed to jump off a retail shelf, yet still maintain the perception of value with clarity and subtle simplicity. The back label communicates the story of the search for El Dorado — a mythical city of gold and diamonds.

Mount Dorado Wine Label Design
Winchester Estate Winery Malbec Wine Label Design

Winchester Estate Winery

This client is in the process of converting a family farm into a vineyard and a winery – AND a Pheasant conservancy! To illustrate that unique aspect of their identity we created an exquisitely stylized pheasant illustration, executed with copper foil and a tiny pop of bright green to accentuate the neck feathers.

Alexandria Nicole Jet Black Wine Bottle

Alexandria Nicole Cellars

Alexandria Nicole Cellars came to us with a striking concept for a second label for a particularly dark, dark red wine that they called “Jet Black.” You can see the result: Black background, silver lettering and a stylized letter “A” to break through any visual clutter that may be about.

Alexandria Nicole Jet Black Wine Bottle
Stave and Stone Wine Label Design

Stave & Stone Wine Estates

Elements of the Stave & Stone Wine Estates brand, labels and packaging, are drawn from the sport of archery: bow staves, fletches, arrows and quivers. Second labels have been created for Quiver (the carrying “case” for arrows when hunting) and Artúr (a tribute to the owner’s father, Arthur Fletcher).

 

AWARDS
  • Gold Medal
    2020 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    Artur Label
Mibrandt Vineyards Wine Label Design

Milbrandt Vineyards

In creating a tier of single-vineyard of wines, Washington State’s Milbrandt Vineyards asked us to create a label specifically for this release of Tempranillo from their extensive vineyards in the Wahluke Slope area along the Columbia River. Subtle elegance and a very high-end label paper help create that image of substantial luxury.

Mibrandt Vineyards Wine Label Design
Cicada Cellars Texas Tempranillo Wine Label Design

Cicada Cellars

A relatively new winery from the High Plains of Texas, Cicada Cellars, worked with us to create branding and packaging for their lineup of wines. Their fanciful names are the best: “Chill Pill” and “Truth Juice” always get a great reaction!

 

AWARDS
  • Gold Medal
    2019 Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
    2015 Blue-Eyed Red
Martinez & Martinez Wine Bottle

Martinez & Martinez 

Martinez & Martinez asked that we “age” the logo that we did for them back in 2013 and incorporate an element of their family heritage—a sugar skull—into the design.

Another interesting element included in the background is a hand-written letter written from one generation of the family, emphasizing the family’s heritage.

 

AWARDS
  • 2020 Bronze Medal
    Lone Star International Wine Label Competition
Martinez & Martinez Red Wine Label Design

Cosmo Bitches

Obsession Rosé is the first release by Cosmo Bitches, a brand targeting young, affluent, fun-loving ladies. The winery’s name came from a chance comment between the owners of Southern Cross Winery in discussing likely consumers of a particularly excellent Rose’ developed by their winemaker. It seemed perfect, so they brought us the name and supporting visuals…

We particularly enjoy the way that they gold emblem and pillow-embossed leather detail call various luxury brands to mind.

Illustration ©Lana Leonteva

 

AWARDS
  • 2021 American Package Design Award
Martinez & Martinez Wine Bottle

Carmelo Vineyards

There were interesting aspects to designing Carmelo Vineyards’ wine label. One was that the winery owner already had an idea and provided us with a napkin (literally) sketch of two horseshoes and a rose.

Another angle was that the wine would be sold only in a co-owned restaurant. Not competing visually with hundreds of other wines in a retail wall or aisle setting allowed the use of more subtle techniques to create a sophisticated look and feel. For instance, printing the labels on metallic film created the sensation of a foil label while retaining the lighter feel more appropriate to a Rose’.

Martinez & Martinez Red Wine Label Design

Dettagli

The Dettagli brand was created for Italian winery Cantina Cortecchia, for a line to be exported to the United States. Stunning ceramic pieces created by a family member were photographed for use in the label designs, with each varietal featuring a different piece.
 

AWARDS
  • 2021 American Graphic Design Award
  • Bronze Medal
    2021 Lone Star International Wine Competition
    Label Design Award
Martinez & Martinez Wine Bottle

Capital Call

Defy the odds, seal the deal and celebrate the wins with a glass of glorious Capital Call Cabernet Sauvignon by the Gorge Wine Company, headquartered in the gorgeous Columbia Valley AVA.
Each bottle is numbered to reinforce the limited availability.

 

AWARDS
  • 2022 American Package Design Award
Martinez & Martinez Red Wine Label Design

Lacewing Cellars

The Lacewing Cellars brand is built around the Law family’s commitment to sustainable farming practice, including the use of Lacewing insects to feed on harmful vineyard pests.

We designed their label around a stunning photo by Stephen Dalton. A realistic iridescence was added to the wings by applying a transparent holographic film during the printing process.
 

AWARDS
  • 2022 American Package Design Award
Sunshine Valley Vineyards Award Winning Wine Label Design

Sunshine Valley Vineyards

This wine was initially sold in the United States, but the intended destination market from the start has been China, with its emphasis on corporate gifting. To establish SVV wine as luxury gift, we kept the design clean, subtle and low-contrast, and created metallic elements to differentiate it from other, lower cost wines. Once the wine AND label design won enough prestigious awards to establish its credibility as a high-end California wine, the move into the Chinese market began and has continued since,

 

AWARDS
  • Best Overall Package
    Wines & Vines Packaging Expo
    2015
  • 2014 American Package Design Award
Sunshine Valley Vineyards Award Winning Wine Label Design

Live Happy Lane

Live Happy Lane is a new winery in Greenville, Texas. Many of the brand’s labels feature mulit-media works of art by Ashley Ellis. These delightful pieces are made of upcycled items such as shot-gun shells, forks, straws and keys.
 

AWARDS
  • 2022 American Graphic Design Award, “SWAG”
  • 2022 Gold Medal & Best in Category Silver, “BE BOLD” Montepulciano
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Gold Medal & Best in Category Silver, “Mesmer-eyes” Red Fleld Blend
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Gold Medal, SWAG
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Silver Medal, “STUD”
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Silver Medal, ”Southern Therapy” White Wine
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Silver Medal, Encore Dessert Wine
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Silver Medal, Le Bouquet Sparkling Rosé
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Silver Medal, Barbera
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Bronze Medal, Reserve Tannat
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
  • 2022 Bronze Medal, “ SWAG” White Wine
    Lone Star International Wine Competition, Wine Label Division
Alexander Huang Wine Label Design

Alexander Huang

Developed for a chain of tasting rooms across China, this luxury Napa Valley wine speaks to a culture that esteems Western luxury. This is  especially true when it comes to corporate gifting in China. That part of the Chinese market was specifically called out as the primary target in the process of developing this wine label design.

Alexander Huang Wine Label Design

Complete Your Brand

COLLATERAL

Wine Club Application
Business cards and Stationery
Company and/or facility rental Brochures
AVA maps
Posters
Sales sheets
Powerpoint presentations
Facility Rental Brochures
Presentations
Magazine Ads
Online Ads
Radio Ads

ADVERTISING

Rack cards
Magazine, online and radio advertisements
Point of purchase materials (signs, shelf talkers, displays)
Bill boards

PACKAGING

Cartons
Gift boxes
Gift bags
Growlers
Hang tags
Keg labels

WINE EVENTS

Retractable banners & displays
Branded table covers
Branded farmer’s market tents

VINEYARD NEEDS

Varietal signs
Vineyard signs
Sponsor-a-vine signs
Photography

TASTING ROOM NEEDS

Branded drinkware
Tasting room concepts
Coasters
Apparel
Signage
Custom tissue paper
Name tags

WEBSITES

Websites (including e-commerce)
Bottle images

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