This is packaging design for a brand of wine called Abbey. This design is for their merlot. Abbey wine will be produced in collaboration with monks of the abbey of Fontenay in Montbard, France. The packaging should communicate the look and feel of the architecture of an abbey and inform the viewer that Abbey wine is connected with monks.

Inspiration was found in studying the design of drop caps in old illuminated manuscripts. An illustrative approach was taken to create the 'A' icon representing the Abbey brand of wine. This icon is the focal point of the design. The vines and tendrils monks often illustrated in their manuscripts inspired the organic curves in the illustration of the icon. The wine bottle is encased within a simple open wooden box. The front and back panels of the box are tall archways that frame the 'A' icon and are shaped to compliment the form of the bottle. Care was taken to keep the design of the box as simple as possible so that the 'A' icon could be fully appreciated while still communicating the architecture of an abbey.

The packaging designed for Abbey wine simply and elegantly communicates the visuals connected with monks and the architecture of an abbey. The icon designed uses gold effectively to invoke the look of gold leaf reflecting off the pages in an illuminated manuscript. The use of rope shows that there is a connection to monks and the arches clearly communicate the architecture of an abbey.