THE STORY
Pursuing Pinot is the blog and social media presence of California-based writer and wine enthusiast/influencer, Catherine O’Brien. Make no mistake, this isn’t just some random little hobby. Truth be told it started out that way, but it’s become a respected and well-read resource for casual sippers to adventurous oenophiles.
As such, Catherine wanted to elevate Pursuing Pinot’s identity to a place equal to what readers had come to expect from its content. The new brand needed to feel sophisticated but not lofty. FYI, Catherine refuses to use words like ‘connoisseur’ in her writing because, as she says, “it’s pretentious.” You gotta love that.
THE SOLUTION
While Pursuing Pinot exists solely online, Catherine keeps it old school when it comes to her approach to writing. You’ll often find her walking a vineyard or at a hip L.A. wine bar with pen in one hand and pad in the other. That says a lot about her–she loves the craft of writing as much as the subject matter. That's why a fountain pen seemed perfect for the centerpiece of the new logo. From there the inspiration for the mark’s other graphic elements flowed like ink from an inkwell. In the negative space, forming the two nibs of the pen tip, you'll see an inverted pinot noir bottle. Out of the hidden bottle, a drop of wine—or is it ink? A lovely little visual double entendre. From there the tagline was born—Each drop tells a story. And we can't forget the customized “u" beneath the brandmark that doubles as a stemless wine glass. I also did some “pursuing of pinot” myself by exploring the red wine color scale (yes, there is such a thing) as the inspiration for the final color palette.
I adore being a designer. I have a similar adoration for wine. When Confucius said “Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’m pretty sure he was talking about this particular project.
Pursuing Pinot is the blog and social media presence of California-based writer and wine enthusiast/influencer, Catherine O’Brien. Make no mistake, this isn’t just some random little hobby. Truth be told it started out that way, but it’s become a respected and well-read resource for casual sippers to adventurous oenophiles.
As such, Catherine wanted to elevate Pursuing Pinot’s identity to a place equal to what readers had come to expect from its content. The new brand needed to feel sophisticated but not lofty. FYI, Catherine refuses to use words like ‘connoisseur’ in her writing because, as she says, “it’s pretentious.” You gotta love that.
THE SOLUTION
While Pursuing Pinot exists solely online, Catherine keeps it old school when it comes to her approach to writing. You’ll often find her walking a vineyard or at a hip L.A. wine bar with pen in one hand and pad in the other. That says a lot about her–she loves the craft of writing as much as the subject matter. That's why a fountain pen seemed perfect for the centerpiece of the new logo. From there the inspiration for the mark’s other graphic elements flowed like ink from an inkwell. In the negative space, forming the two nibs of the pen tip, you'll see an inverted pinot noir bottle. Out of the hidden bottle, a drop of wine—or is it ink? A lovely little visual double entendre. From there the tagline was born—Each drop tells a story. And we can't forget the customized “u" beneath the brandmark that doubles as a stemless wine glass. I also did some “pursuing of pinot” myself by exploring the red wine color scale (yes, there is such a thing) as the inspiration for the final color palette.
I adore being a designer. I have a similar adoration for wine. When Confucius said “Choose a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’m pretty sure he was talking about this particular project.
