L etters
Throughline. Origins.
Part One. The Name.
The name Throughline arose organically through conversations with people throughout the wine industry, back when we were just wine consumers nurturing the seeds of a dream. The word (technically two…) would come up often in conversation in reference to so many things - our favorite wines, connections shared over bottles, the flavor profile of the wine from grape to glass. Later, as the dream became more real, Katie reminisced on these conversations and it clicked. We felt an instant connection to Throughline - it was the perfect name for our vision. A name capturing so many aspects of this project that we consider foundational.With the current quiet of cellar season upon us we figured it was the perfect time provide you with some insight into the process of developing the Throughline Name, Artwork, Colors, and Labels. We approached the creation of Throughline through the same philosophical lens as we do our farming and winemaking - naturally, thoughtfully, intentionally. The below provides a deeper dive into each aspect; every detail and decision carefully, and sometimes agonizingly, made to ensure that this place, our personalities, and our overall vision and ethos were represented in each aspect of Throughline. We hope you find them as beautiful as we do.Part Two. The Artwork.
Our artwork (and colors and labels) would not be possible without the unmatched talent of Jon Carr (https://www.jonny-electric.com/; jonny_electric on Instagram). We fell in love with some work Jon had done for another incredible local small business and have had the privilege to work with him to bring our own vision to life. Jon was able to take our steady streams of consciousness - thoughts, ideas, questions - and distill those into the beautiful, cohesive artwork for Throughline. For each of the primary logos - the word mark and the square - we wanted something that honored both the abundant natural beauty that surrounds us while also having a modern touch, an ode to our own stylistic sensibilities. Naturally, lines emerged as a theme. The word mark includes the classic touch of serifs, with a line running through several letters as a subtle reinforcement of both name and the theme of connection. The square logo again uses lines, taking inspiration from the topography of the vineyard, a topography so crucial to the health of the vines and the distinct expressions of the wines coming from Cancilla Vineyard.
Part Three. The Colors.
The colors took time. We moved to the vineyard in late 2021 and slowly took inspiration from the dynamic, seasonal changes we observed on the farm and vineyard all around us. Eventually, the colors showed themselves - with some polish applied by Jon.
“Hanging Moss”
Evokes the Lichen that clings to the native white oaks on the property, accenting the gray of winter with a a striking, almost fluorescent green.
“Dusty Rose”
For the Japanese roses that climb plants around the property in the springtime, as well as a nod to Portland’s moniker as the Rose City - the city that we fell in love with on our first visit back in 2018 and called home for the first year we moved out here.
“Oak Green”
Represents the ever present abundance of green not only at our Site but across the whole Willamette Valley, with its varying shades of green changing throughout the year.
“Coal”
For the color that Douglas Firs take on along the tree lines at dusk, clinging to the last bit of day light as the late summer sun sets behind them.
“Lynx White”
An homage to the delicate pistils of the grape clusters at bloom during springtime; a fragile time that brings new hope for the upcoming growing season.
The design of our Labels started in parallel with the design of our Colors and Artwork – the goal being a holistic and consistent vision of what we wanted Throughline to be. The process included spending time with an array of beautiful and disparate mediums, everything serving as inspiration or discouragement. Always considering how our decisions would ultimately translate to how you feel when you open a bottle with family and friends.
We knew we wanted our front labels to be clean, simple. Recognizable as Throughline without feeling like they needed to shout it. With each vintage, the primary label colors shift – coal and moss for 2021, moss and white for 2022. Each duet inspired in some way by the vintage it represents. Each label also incorporates unique topographical lines, inspired by our primary Artwork and a constant reminder of the importance of place, of the privilege of getting to nurture this vineyard.
The back label prominently displays the Throughline square, the lines reflecting its counterparts on the front label. Below that highlights additional detail on provenance – Vineyards and AVAs. Some labels will also note “Made with Organic Grapes”, highlighting our commitment to responsible farming. Use of the phrase requires organic certification for the vineyard where the grapes were grown, including our estate vineyard, Cancilla Vineyard. But certification schemes are nuanced, complicated discussions, less important in our minds than the actual intent and practices of the farmer. Some labels will bear the phrase, while others will not. What will be consistent is that every wine we make will be from grapes grown under these philosophical beliefs.
At the end of the day, the journey to create the labels was as rewarding as the final product. To us, they embody so much more than simple markers of what is in each bottle; they represent ourselves.
