Roots Run Deep Winery is a high-profile Napa Valley wine company founded in 2005. Known for producing wines under the labels Educated Guess, Hypothesis, and Higher Education, they came to CF Napa Brand Design to redesign their Hypothesis brand.

From Roots Run Deep Winery’s Website: “The Hypothesis Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from one of best vineyards in all of the Napa Valley (The Money Road Vineyard in Oakville). This Cabernet is small in production and spends 18 months in French Oak barrels. The blend is primarily Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon, but also has Malbec and Merlot. The wine has incredible depth and complexity, delicious black fruits and amazing opulence. Hypothesis Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is a muscular wine that loves to be paired with food, but is sophisticated enough to stand on its own.”

Hypothesis needed to feel like it was a part of the Educated Guess brand family while maintaining a point of difference and quality cues that placed it between Educated Guess and their most premium offering, Higher Education.

Inspired by the wine formulas that are an integral component of the Educated Guess label, CF Napa Brand Design created a label design for Hypothesis Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon with the look of a smudged chalkboard. Formulas have been written and erased as if the winemaker is deep in thought in the midst of a breakthrough, testing each hypothesis to perfect the wine. The gold foil treatment of the wordmark and the minimal verbiage on the front further enhance the premium perception of the brand.