Developing the Calligraphy Wine Package

Once we chose a name, we started designing the label and package for Calligraphy. With technology, sustainability, creativity, and imagination, the options for packaging a wine are practically infinite. Just think of all of the decisions that have to be made: from label, closure (cork or screwcap), bottle shape and size, capsule, color, paper, and more. Our most important objective is to protect the integrity and long-term ageability of this beautiful wine and for the packaging to be sustainable and 100% recyclable.

How to choose a wine bottle

Because we are producing Pinot Noir, we knew we would use a traditional Burgundian-shaped wine bottle, the elegant curved from neck to bottom used for most often Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Now we had to decide on clear, amber, or green glass and what sizes we would bottle-standard 750 ml, magnums, and half bottles. We chose to use this beautiful antique green-colored bottle, which helps protect the wine inside from light and bottled in both standard 750 ml and 1.5 ml magnum bottles, and to go with a mid-weight, rather than a heavy bottle to achieve a smaller environmental footprint.

Designing a wine label

The label on a wine, or any product for that matter, is often the make or break for the purchase decisions we consider. Is it eye-catching? Does it stand out on a shelf? Does it convey the quality I expect for the price attached? Does it tell me what’s inside? 

I had the opportunity to collaborate with a truly exceptional calligrapher and artist Yana Boyko hailing all the way from the beautiful country of Ukraine. She is a master of her craft, and I was blown away by her incredible talent and skill. Together, we embarked on an unforgettable creative journey where difficult war times and uncertainties couldn't dull her dedication and passion. With her undeniable commitment, she meticulously handcrafted a special calligraphy pen specifically for our project. With painstaking precision and care, she used this unique tool to design our logo, breathing life into my vision and bringing it to reality, resulting in a breathtaking piece of art that perfectly captured the essence of our brand. The entire process was much like the creation of fine wine - every outcome was distinct and unique, with its own character and personality. And as each bottle of wine has its own story to tell, the final design of Calligraphy wines reflects this narrative.

Depending on the design of the package which could include a logo, a photograph, an illustration and much more, many different kinds of “labels” can go on a bottle including paper, metal emblems or labels, and inks printed directly on the bottle. Silkscreen is a stenciling technique for surface printing. A design is cut out of paper or another thin, strong material and then printed by rubbing, rolling, or spraying paint or ink through the cutout areas. We chose to use silkscreen printing on our label we wanted to make our wine bottle fully recyclable. The United States goes through about 8 billion bottles of wine per year and most of it ends up in landfill due to the glue on the label or the label itself. We decided to go the silkscreening route to be 100% recycled after use, just like a bottle of beer. We recommend removing the capsule that is on the neck of the wine bottle before recycling as it’s made of tinfoil.

Real gold was used in the logo, rather than gold-colored ink. We chose the old world, classic, Burgundy red for the accents on the label, as well as for the tin capsule.

We’ll share more about the bottling process and a full reveal of the beautiful package in another post. We couldn’t be happier with the look and hope you love it!

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