Venturi Schulze Vineyards

For those well-versed in the local wines of British Columbia, and specifically Vancouver Island, the name Venturi Schulze Vineyards is known for achieving excellence through natural processes: they don't use pesticides, herbicides, or even irrigation. One of the oldest vineyards on Vancouver Island, they have been working diligently since 1988 to produce pure products: no pesticides, no herbicides, and no compromise in the vineyard or in the winery.

Hired Guns Creative began working with Marilyn Venturi in her capacity at the Wine Islands Vintners Association. Upon talking to her and tasting her wines, level of craftsmanship and care that went into their production was immediately clear. It wasn't long before they were working with Marilyn on a rebranding effort. Venturi Schulze had long relied on strong word of mouth and a dedicated local following to sell their fine wines. Now it was time for "The Guns" to help visually propel the Venturi Schulze brand.

Richard and Leif made several trips to visit the Venturi Schulze acreage. They were inspired by the commitment to old-world cultivation methods and breathtaking landscapes. Sitting down with Giordano, Marilyn's husband, and the mind behind most of the vintages, and Michelle, Marilyn's daughter and an integral part of the Venturi Schulze business, the boys of Hired Guns immediately knew they had to do something special.

They went back to the office with their notes and sat down to discuss the direction and message they wanted to convey with the rebranding. Words like "timelessness" and "exclusivity" were mentioned frequently. They felt privileged to work with such artists and wanted to pass that on in the branding. After much brainstorming, Richard came up with a remarkable logo combining eye-catching simplicity with an earthy, organic wildness. It speaks for itself and the Venturi Schulze crew could not be happier.

"We asked Hired Guns to come up with a logo for us incorporating some elements that we had used since we started our winery 20 years ago. What we got was something completely different that could only come from the imagination of someone who can think outside the box. Richard had somehow captured the essence of Venturi Schulze in a way that we could not have done. He saw that the elements we had asked for may have had meaning to us, but they would not have enhanced our image through the eyes of our clients. I am thrilled!"

~ Marilyn Venturi