Bonamici Cellars

It’s the journey to a new place, something undiscovered, where anything is possible, anything achievable, as long as you have a good friend along the way. With this, the first vintage from Bonamici Cellars, award-winning winemaker Philip Soo has created a unique and innovative wine, blending the care of an old world artisan with the boldness of a new world explorer.

Hired Guns created a brand and packaging design that tells the story of two good friends taking off on the adventure of starting a winery.

Discover Bonamici – a trip worth making, a risk worth taking, for now you know that you’ve arrived.

Bottle of Bonamici Cellars wine, with a label that tells the story of two good friends taking off on the adventure of starting a winery.
Wine label design for Bonamici Cellars with a detailed illustration of two friends taking flight in a wine barrel attached to hot air balloons

“I want to compliment Hired Guns on the Bonamici Cellars label. It is so refreshing that I smiled spontaneously in joy when I saw it. It has been a while since I have seen such an effective label.”

John Schreiner, wine writer & columnist

Black and white illustration of two men flying in a wine barrel attached to hot air balloons. One is looking towards the horizon in a spyglass.
An illustrated detail from the Bonamici Cellars wine label: the sun, with a face in the middle, rays extending outwards, and an orange background
A high-contrast capsule that protects the wine cork, featuring a design that catches attention in a wine shop or liquor store

Recognition:

  • The DieLine

  • Packaging of the World

  • Retail Design Blog

  • Bronze in the Packaging category of the 2014 Summit Creative Awards

  • 2014 Los Angeles International Wine Competition: GOLD in the category of Art/Illustration (“Use of original illustration as the driving element of the package design”)

  • 2104 Los Angeles International Wine Competition: SILVER in the category of Modern Classic (“Best modern interpretation of a traditional style”)