Asís’ elegant identity for IGNEA mirrors the conditions and tasting notes of the wine they stock

Buenos Aires-based design studio Asís have collaborated with IGNEA, a wine club and shop run by a select team of sommeliers specialising in low-intervention wines – such as organic, natural and biodynamic styles. Appropriately named after the soil-enriching rock type that also contributes to the tasting notes of their wine, Asís took this notion alongside the themes of mineral purity and wild unpredictability associated with the latter to craft a subtle and sophisticated visual identity.

Championing simplicity and vibrancy in tandem, the unpredictability of IGNEA’s brand not only speaks to the concept behind the aesthetic but also provides a charming break from the noisy and ostentatious graphic tropes associated with wine brands. That being said, the resulting design is one of contrasts, beginning with the punchy and shapely wordmark. “For the logotype, we designed a bespoke wordmark with sharp and bold letterforms,” Co-founder Francisco Andriani tells us, “that made a characterful flared-serif that works as a hero through the graphic applications,” he adds, enforcing a powerful juxtaposition.

This typographic fluidity is likewise mirrored in the hand-rendered illustrations that accompany the typography, embodying the earthy factors that affect the production of wine, such as soil, stones and landscapes. Crafted with a contrast of stroke weights, similar to the wordmark, the illustrative pieces beautifully capture the notion of impurity of nature and movement – injecting the identity with a powerful and unapologetic human presence.

Supporting both the bespoke wordmark and illustration is a harmonious combination of colour and type, beginning with the use of Graphik as the secondary typeface. “We chose Graphik because of its purposeful and elegant plainness,” Andriani explains, “it is a modern classic that works very well in the dynamic typographic compositions we wanted to build,” he adds, noting, “it also looks beautiful in all-caps.” The primarily monochromatic colour palette then bolsters this system – a choice made to reference the low intervention of the wines, as well as to reduce printing costs and lessen environmental impact.

“The secondary palette has a functional character,” Andriani notes, suggesting its use to distinguish and embody the different characteristics of the brand. “We sought colours that are somehow representative of each collection,” Andriani adds, hinting at themes of seasons, volcanic grounds, local regions and more. “We were inspired by elements or ingredients reminiscent of tasting notes and aromas,” he concludes, “such as fruits, flowers, herbs, and earthly tones, linked to the rocks and the soil,” bringing the brand together in a flourish of functional and lively tones.

Asís