The Newsroom · The Craft
The Craft
On the physical decisions that separate the heirloom label from the souvenir.
See the the craft program →Designing the Back Label: Compliance and Storytelling
On the small space on the back of the bottle that has to carry the federal warnings, the AVA disclosure, and the family's story.
Foil, Emboss, Paper: What Makes a Wine Label Read as Heirloom, Not Souvenir
Notes from the studio on the three physical decisions that decide whether the bottle on the cellar shelf reads as treasured or tossed.
Embossing Depth: The Touch Test
On the small variation in deboss depth that separates a serious label from a flat one.
Designing the Crest
A field note on what a crest is, what it is not, and why the studio's heraldic-research pass starts with the surname rather than the design.
Inks That Do Not Fade in Cellar Storage
On the specific ink chemistry that survives multi-decade cellar conditions.
Bottle Glass Color: The Visual Decision Under the Label
On the choice of glass, often invisible to the customer, that changes how the label reads.
Letterpress vs Digital: A Label Maker's Perspective
On the two printing technologies the customer encounters, and the visual differences that survive at small format.
The Quote Line, A Short Guide
On the line of italic serif under the brand name, what works there, what dies there.
The Capsule: A Small Decision the Customer Forgets to Make
On the foil sleeve over the cork, and why it matters more than most customers expect.
The Cork as a Design Element
On the small piece of bark at the top of the bottle that almost no one considers, until they do.
The Watermark on Cream Paper
On the small detail that almost no one notices, and that finishes the label.
The Octagon Label: History of the Eight-Sided Format
On the cut shape that the strongest estate labels use, and where the form originally comes from.
Reading a Wine Label From Across the Table
On the visual hierarchy that lets a guest, at fifteen feet, register the label as something serious, and what most labels get backwards.
Custom Cap Sleeves: When to Bother
On the longer foil sleeve that covers the top of the bottle's neck, and when it is the right addition.
Why Cream Paper, Not White
A short studio note on the single most consequential paper decision, and why we do not stock white at all.
Why We Print at Six Hundred DPI
On the resolution at which the label prints, and why higher than industry standard.
Foil Stamping vs Cold Foil: How To Tell Which Is On A Label
On the two foil techniques the customer encounters in the wild, and the small visual difference between them.
The Single Most Common Label Mistake (And How to Avoid It)
On the design pattern we see most often go wrong, and the small discipline that prevents it.
Why Trajan, As a Default
On the typeface that the strongest estate labels use, and the small reasons it does the work.
Antique Gold vs Champagne Foil: A Side-by-Side
On the two gold tones the customer can choose between, and the small contexts that favor each.