Inspired by the founder’s dynamic life story and its parallels with winemaking, Force & Grace wines was created as a celebration of the bold pursuit of true passion and artistry.

Joseph Carr has a long, successful history as a vintner of the acclaimed Joseph Carr Wines and best-selling Josh Cellars Wines. After thriving in the premium wine space, he developed, in partnership with Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits and Jean Hoefliger, a portfolio of wines inspired by Fine Art which highlight the beauty of California through world-class winemaking.

The team commissioned forceMAJEURE to create this new range’s positioning, story, visual identity, and packaging design – a complete vision of the brand that stays true to the founders’ ethos while providing the quality and luxury cues to make this brand the wine of choice for connoisseurs.

forceMAJEURE’s first step was a strategic phase of work to identify a visual and verbal territory, uncovering compelling truths from Joseph Carr’s history and extraordinary life journey that could forge a new emotional connection with consumers, resonate in the modern luxury market, and establish quality credentials.

Brand creation, Creative Strategy, Naming, Visual Identity, Packaging
Design, Art Direction. Photography by Neal Grundy.

Joseph Carr has had a storied career in wine as a sommelier, a wine executive, and, eventually, a vintner.  But it’s an earlier period of his life that was the source of inspiration behind Force & Grace. Born into humble beginnings as a son of a lumberjack, Carr went to college on a wrestling scholarship, only to be drawn into the world of fine and performing arts, leading him to study modern dance and ballet instead. This unexpected, yet bold move informed a lifelong dedication and patronage to the arts, and indirectly introduced Carr to the world of wine.

Dance is a beautiful metaphor for winemaking. Both crafts require passion, commitment, and precise attention to develop. They demand a perfect balance of contrasts- of power and control and of elegance and sensitivity. This overarching idea was brought to life through naming strategy, portfolio architecture, and packaging design that would match the brand territory.

The naming exercise led us to explore the inherent qualities of Carr’s creation through the lens of dance: Force & Grace is the perfect tribute to the life and achievements of Joseph Carr. And it is an ideal introduction to the spirit of this premium wine collection.

The label graphics are built of expressive colorful and textural fabrics, captured in anthropomorphic movement. Each variant within the range employs a unique depiction of choreography, illustrating the fluidity, richness, and smoothness of each blend.

The range was created with a two-tier approach, with the entry tier comprised of the Carneros Chardonnay, and the Napa Valley and Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons. Three Cabernet Sauvignons–  Rutherford, Oakville, and the Revelist – crown the portfolio with their more minimalist designs, highlighting the excellence of these exceptional wines.

An ode to a life in constant movement and a call to live expressively – Force & Grace wine moves you to discover the nuances of the California region with an expertly choreographed approach to the palette. As a former performing artist, Joseph Carr possesses the spirit of an expressive creative balanced by his multidecade career in wine as a sommelier, industry executive, and vintner. Discover the drama of the varied geography, drastic climate, and distinctive grape varieties that make the region of California a true discovery of expression. True to how he lives his own life, Carr curates wine for the enjoyment of close company and encourages a passionate life together, forever in the moment.

Virginia Pascucci, brand manager of Force & Grace wines for Deutsch Family Wines & Spirits, had this to say: “The team at forceMajeure was tasked with developing a compelling brand territory that could cut through the noise in the modern luxury wine market. This new concept’s mandatory was to forge a strong emotional connection with consumers by leveraging our world-class winemaking and inspiration by Fine Art. The result celebrated the balance between two opposing ideas based on our founder’s journey. forceMajeure’s commitment to creative excellence, ability to challenge the boundaries of conventional thinking, and strong connection to art brought us forth a powerful, yet elegant, brand that is taking the Fine Wine space by storm.”