In 2005, after a wine tasting adventure in Sicily, the founder of Rhys Vineyards fell in love with the Italian varietals of Mount Etna. Perplexed as to why grapes such as Carricante, Nerrello Mascalese, and Nebbiolo were not as common in his home of California, he and his team studied the terroir of Mt. Etna and discovered that it is similar to the climactic conditions found at high altitudes in California. Rhys Vineyards established vineyards dedicated to growing these Italian varietals in a remote region of Sonoma County on a mountain boasting an elevation of 2,000 feet – Centennial Mountain.

From the Rhys Vineyards’ website: “The focus on Centennial Mountain is to show that with the right combination of climate, elevation and soil, Italian varietals like Nebbiolo, Carricante and Nerello Mascalese can produce extraordinary wines in California. One of the keys to this idea is the understanding that these Italian grapes excel in areas that have less of a diurnal temperature swing—like Centennial Mountain. In California, where French varietals dominate, the conventional wisdom has long been that grapes need major diurnal temperature swings to excel.

Featuring thin, rocky soils and located approximately 15 miles from the Pacific and at an elevation of 2,000 feet on a ridgetop in a remote mountainous region of Sonoma County, Centennial Mountain Vineyard benefits from a unique microclimate. Shaped by a rare combination of marine influence and high-altitude, it is a climate that is remarkably similar to Mount Etna and Barolo.’’

Similarly to how Rhys Vineyards combined the Old World with the New World, we developed a custom illustration with an old world feel encapsulated in a graphic “C” monogram, providing a unique window view of the high elevation vineyards of Centennial Mountain. The modern twist on traditional illustration creates a clean, contemporary feel to this iconic label.