The Donum Estate came to CF Napa to create a unique gift box for their ultra-luxe Black Label Pinot Noir. The wine was for the Hong Kong market and a very limited release – only 25 cases were produced. The box needed to accentuate the exclusivity of the wine and reflect an Asian sensibility and appreciation of the ritual of gifting.

CF Napa curated a high-touch unboxing experience for the Black Label Pinot Noir. The gift box displays a photograph of the winery’s “Zodiac Heads”, a sculptural exhibit by Ai Weiwei, featuring his personal interpretation of the 12 Chinese animal heads that represent the signs of the zodiac.

“Originally designed in the 18th century by a pair of European Jesuits and once decorated the Yuanming Yang imperial retreat in Beijing, these sculptures were stolen in 1860 when the palace was ransacked by French and British troops. They are now priceless artifacts, coveted by international collectors, and have been popping up in Western auction houses. This prompted the artist to produce his own sculptural replicas, which combine Eastern and Western art in a single object and question ideas about authenticity and ownership.

As a special commission, Ai has designed a series of wine labels for Donum based on the Circle of Animals, so that each vintage corresponds to the Chinese animal for that year, beginning with the Year of the Horse in 2014.”

The box was finished with a string closure with a custom-crafted cast metal coin bearing Donum Estate’s seal. Upon untying the string, the box opens like a book to reveal the wine tube that encloses the bottle in rich purple paper. The pig head icon is stamped in gold foil on the tube to echo the wine label and connect back to the iconic “Zodiac Heads” art piece.