ECHINOCTIUS: A Stellar Blend of Art and Wine

Valerii Sumilov's Exclusive Wine Series: A Masterpiece in Packaging Design

Valerii Sumilov, a renowned designer, found inspiration for ECHINOCTIUS in the product itself - a wine of the highest quality. With a limited batch of only 2270 bottles, this wine represents a high level of mastery by its creator, Constantin Stratan. Sumilov's long-standing collaboration with Stratan has already garnered international acclaim, with their project '5 elemente' winning the A' Packaging Design Award in 2013.

ECHINOCTIUS is unique in many ways. The design reflects the exclusive character of the author's wine and communicates the deep meaning in the product's name. The label's form, original and contrasting between day and night, wraps the bottle around its entire circumference, forming an enclosed system of interaction, where one element emerges from the other. The design encapsulates the contrast between night and day, black and white, open and obscure.

The production of this label involved advanced printing techniques, with high-quality art paper by FASSON MAILLE BLANC of the FASSON RICH collection chosen for the task. Tactile (volume) varnish was applied not only to the vine’s name but also to the author’s signature, ensuring the quality of the product. The label, with dimensions of 249 mm in length and 100 mm in width, is glued around the bottle’s entire circumference, forming a continuous line.

The design process was not without its challenges. Understanding the bulk of responsibility associated with the project was the most difficult aspect. Creating a modest design that reflects the high quality of the product, keeping continuity with the previous products from the same winemaker, reflecting the product name's essence, and confirming own professional qualification were the hardest things about this project.

This project is unique in many ways. The design had to reflect the unique character of the product in question – exclusive author wine. Besides, there was a requirement to communicate the deep meaning in the product’s name – superlative, solstice, contrast between night and day, black and white, open and obscure. The design had the intent to reflect the secret hidden in the night: the beauty of the night sky that amazes us so much and the mystic riddle hidden in the constellations and the Zodiac.

This Design was awarded Golden in A' Packaging Design Award in 2014. Golden A' Design Award: Granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.