Our Labels

So when it came time to design the logo and wine bottle labels, Raymond and Donna decided that Hotie, carrying baskets of grapes on his back, would be a very appropriate image to represent the Old World, hands-on philosophy of a small family farm vineyard and winery with personal attention to every facet of growing grapes and crafting wine.

 

The Castleberry’s son, Raymond, Jr., designed the images of Hotie and Dulcinea that graced their wine bottles. Over the years, they had fun adding details to the image for the various wines and blends, such as the conquistador helmet on the Donkey Hotie Red, the eye-patch on the One-Eyed Jack, and accessories on Dulcinea to portray her as a girl.

 

Claire has continued that tradition, but has updated Hotie and Dulci’s images with the help of Michael Austin. His innovative art on our labels, and our playfulness in naming our wines, sets us apart and makes us memorable.

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Michael Allen Austin is an award-winning illustrator, best known for his work in children’s books. Among the many titles he has illustrated are Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg, written by Lori Mortensen, The Horned Toad Prince, written by Jackie Mims Hopkins, and Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, by Carmen Deedy. In addition to his experience in publishing, Michael has contributed illustration work to companies such as Kellogg’s, Crayola, and Hallmark, as well as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Please visit www.michaelallenaustin.com to see a portfolio of Michael Austin’s work.