I was asked by Napa Valley vintners Carl Doumani and Steve Girard to design a package for their newly acquired grass roots winery in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Since it was a clean slate project, there were no design parameters. It was a dream come true for someone in my business.
I collected stamps when I was kid. I learned about one of the rarest stamps in American history, the Inverted Jenny. There was an error on its initial printing – the airplane was upside down. This stamp inspired the design of the Benton-Lane label. I even incorporated postal imagery into the capsule design.
It was unanimously approved upon presentation. That seldom happens. The package has stood the test of time since Benton-Lane’s initial Pinot Noir release in 1992. More varietals were added plus case designs for both the estate and reserve wines. The package was virtually unchanged for 27 years.
Huneeus Vintners purchased Benton-Lane Winery in 2018. Huneeus commissioned a design refresh of my original package. While I was happy that the update preserved many of the original design elements I miss the visual link to Inverted Jenny and the authentic feel of one of the world’s rarest stamps.
Project Highlights
- Designed package Benton-Lane, Monroe, Oregon
- Produced six varietal packages
- Designed three cases for estate wines
- Designed custom six bottle case for reserve wine
- Print management for all label and case projects
- Winery signage and other promotional projects
Date
2016
