Circulus Wine
The Brief
Circulus Wine is a boutique, family-run winery in Portarlington crafting a selection of cool-climate, maritime-influenced wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cab Franc, and Syrah. They adhere to organic principles and a philosophy of minimal intervention, letting the site and the vines speak for themselves as much as possible.Acquired by John and Kim White in 2021, they had a strong vision of where they wanted the brand to go, but needed support to help get it there. Far from just another winery, Ruck was engaged to breathe life into Circulus Wine and create a brand system that did justice to both their incredible personal story and their premium, elevated product offering.
The Solution
Ruck kicked off the process with an in-depth discovery workshop that gave us the insights needed to develop a considered and intricate strategy framework. This work then evolved into the creation of a bold and icon-driven visual identity, leaning heavily into circular themes with each varietal having its own unique circular icon. The primary icon is made from two uniform spirals centred to one another, creating a striking visual effect that can represent the lifecycle of an ecosystem. The structure of the labels is loosely based on the Golden Ratio/Fibonacci Sequence, with the graphic living in the hero block, and mandatory information cascading below. It’s a confident and striking design system, and the iconography extends into other key brand applications such as wayfinding, menus, and website design.Finally, Ruck was also responsible for producing several content shoots as well as the development, UX/UI design, and copywriting of the Circulus Wine website, created on Shopify.