Koehler Winery

I was brought in by Koehler Family Wines to reinterpret their classic family crest through a more distinctive, illustrative lens, creating an identity that felt rooted in the brand’s history while giving it a fresh, contemporary expression.

Located in California’s sun-drenched Santa Ynez Valley, Koehler Family Wines is a family-owned winery focused on handcrafted, small-batch wines, with an emphasis on Rhône and Bordeaux-style varietals. The challenge was to preserve the heritage and character of the existing crest while introducing a visual style that felt more personal, artistic, and connected to the Koehler story.

At the center of the refreshed crest is the Koehler emu, a distinctive element of the family’s identity. I developed the illustration to give the emblem greater personality and craftsmanship, creating a mark that could work across wine labels and other brand applications while maintaining the recognition of the original crest.

The refreshed crest debuted across a new selection of Koehler wines, bringing together family heritage, place, and illustration to create a visual identity that feels both established and new.