Fresno State wine competes in a varied category comprised of both older, more established brands, but modern brands too. The Fresno State Winery wanted to reinvigorate their brand and attract new consumers. The label had to stand out in the marketplace by exceeding price point, and look and feel expectations. However, it also needed to reinforce to the consumer that they are supporting students and their academic endeavors.
To give the brand a more proprietary look, the Fresno State Winery logo was refreshed and an illustration of the big vine was incorporated. This better communicated the core of the brand story, historic positioning, and the quality craftsmanship. Foil was applied to highlight "Fresno State" and embossing was added to the vine to give dimension and interest to the body of the label. With a look that had deeper roots, the design focused on the quality promise of the Fresno State Winery.
A limited edition blended bordeaux-style wine, Petrucci's Crush, honors Fresno State's founder Vincent E. Pretrucci. In 1948, Petrucci started the nationally-renowned viticulture and enology program at Fresno State and taught for over forty years. The illustration depicts Dr. Petrucci with an early manual grape crusher.
A vat of Sherry was discovered that had been in storage since the 1960's. Intricate detailing and screen printed gold metallic ink elevate the quality perception and communicates the detailed care that goes into this limited edition and hand numbered Sherry. A pewter label was later created to cover up a legality, yet further enhance the historic quality and prestige of this bottle.
All of these graphics were designed while employed at California State University, Fresno.