Linne Calodo: The Mad Scientist

Design: Makers & Allies
Location: United States
Project Type: Produced
Client: Linne Calodo
Product Launch Location: United States
Packaging Contents: Wine
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Glass bottle
Printing Process: Digital printing, spot varnish, sculpted emboss

Obscured by the surrounding hillsides, Linne Calodo Estate is found in the heart of the Willow Creek District of West Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast. Their wines are shaped by the land where they were grown and the personalities of those who grew them. Neither contrived nor forced, these specimens are always intriguingly unexpected. Our branding, packaging, and digital work for Linne Calodo reflects the work of their owner and winemaker. While inspired by the natural world where the wines begin, our designs embrace the otherworldly effects that only a true artist, or perhaps a mad scientist, can impart on the final blend.

A delicate balance of art and science, Linne Calodo releases seven to ten blends annually. Nature dictates production, forever adding an element that’s just outside of our control. Our branding for Linne Calodo represents the calculated risk of winemaking: the confluence of control and chaos that results in some of the world’s finest wines.

Inspired by the vineyard’s rugged terroir and the humble nature of the winemaker, the labels for Linne Calodo’s rebrand were created from charcoal rubbings of the vines. Like the wines themselves, each rubbing is a unique expression, dictated by the movement of nature and human touch. These are some of the highest regarded wines in the Paso Robles region, and due to their exclusivity, the wines are sold through a tight allocation to a cult-like, in-the-know audience, allowing for experimental, art-driven front labels to showcase the personality of each blend.

Outside the realm of packaging, it was our product design that set the direction for our web design, linnecalodo.com. Linne Calodo’s digital experience is textural, mysterious, and inspired by the natural elements of the estate and winemaking process. It’s wine viewed through the lens of science fiction, giving insight into what’s behind the curtain without ever fully giving away the secret.