Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard - A world of wine & wonderment
ART DIRECTION
GRAPHIC DESIGN
PACKAGING CONCEPT
Located in a remote piece of Virginia in the US of A you can find all sorts of peculiar pleasures, at the Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard managed by the Pelly Family. The Pelly's have created a world of wine and all kinds of wonderment. For grapes and humans alike. The house and grounds have a rich history stemming all the way back to 1857.
In the 1920s, “Archie” Chaloner - the owner and proprietor of Merrie Mill, was known for welcoming the community to his home and property. Hosting parties at the dance pavilion, recreation at the first public pool and screening films at the first movie theater in the region. Chaloner was an american writer, activist and philanthropist who by many was deemed a bit looney. He was declared clinically insane on March 13, 1897. A New York court recommended that he be permanently institutionalized, however Chaloner escaped the following year and went to a private clinic, where he was deemed able to function in regular society. The story of "Archie" Chaloner is a colorful one, which tells tales of ups, downs, community, insanity, family drama and even murder*. It all contributes to deepen the meaning of the colorful space it is today.
The Pellys have realised that everything tells a story, each detail matters and the more of them the merrier. When the history of the place is embraced, the place is allowed to thrive once again, just like the vines that grow in the rare Manteo soil. Contuning the heritage and tradition of hosting events on the grounds and allowing for the "looney" to have a place was the main building blocks when I collaborated closely with the team at Joe Smith to create the perfect packaging solution. The labels are wonderfully maximalist and packed with meaning and stories. With a gin-label like approach, rather than traditionally wine-like, we aim to appeal to the wine enthusiasts, the looney, the butterflies, the spiders, the nobles and the ne’er-do-wells. For they all have a place at Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard.
The Pellys have realised that everything tells a story, each detail matters and the more of them the merrier. When the history of the place is embraced, the place is allowed to thrive once again, just like the vines that grow in the rare Manteo soil. Contuning the heritage and tradition of hosting events on the grounds and allowing for the "looney" to have a place was the main building blocks when I collaborated closely with the team at Joe Smith to create the perfect packaging solution. The labels are wonderfully maximalist and packed with meaning and stories. With a gin-label like approach, rather than traditionally wine-like, we aim to appeal to the wine enthusiasts, the looney, the butterflies, the spiders, the nobles and the ne’er-do-wells. For they all have a place at Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard.
