LISA HANLEY

Riesling’s reputation on the line

Wines of Germany is the branch of the Deutsches Weininstitut (German Wine Institute) that represents all of the German wine sold in the U.S. Their job is to educate the American consumer on the qualities of their varietals and promote sales across the country. People often think of German Riesling as cheap sweet wine, so it was time to reinvigorate the varietal’s reputation and attract a new, fashionable audience. We did this by reinvigorating an annual program called Summer of Riesling. 

Starting summer off right 

The program’s branding reflected the young, vibrant side of Germany. The summer kicked off with an exciting consumer event in New York City that paired German wines with modern New York cuisine. Outdoor games, including a custom oversized Scrabble board, completed this summery launch event. 

Director’s cut

The Summer of Riesling logo is a spinoff of the Wines of Germany corporate identity. It includes the circular motif and typography present in their branding, but adds a cork-inspired distressed texture and an energetic angle throughout the mark. Blue is the predominant color in the event’s palette, but the logo was created to exist in a select handful of summery hues, all pulled from the Wines of Germany identity.

Credits

RF|Binder — David Weinstock, Krysta Hartono, Esther Aubry, Anya Ermakova, Jillian Goldfarb