Germain-Robin began in 1982 as the unlikely union of two creative minds: Ansley Cole, a professor and Hubert Germain-Robin, a Cognac distiller. The two partnered to create Germain-Robin, the first California brandy that broke free from the constraints of Cognac. They crafted their brandy from traditional, alembic Cognac stills, but using unconventional, flavorful and complex California wine grapes. Embracing the rich tradition of hand-distillation while harnessing the potential of California wine, they set a new standard of excellence in brandy that has been recognized worldwide. Germain-Robin continues that tradition today – advancing the art of fine California brandy into a new era.

forceMAJEURE was asked to rebrand Germain-Robin, staying true to the ethos of the founders while providing the quality and premium queues to make Germain-Robin the brandy of choice for connoisseurs.

Emulating the core brand value of unembellished while still being uncompromising, forceMAJEURE chose to create a clean and straightforward look for the branding, and the new visual identity.

The logotype expresses the quiet and confident attitude of the brand: the name of the two founders are stacked and elegantly separated by a thin line: a quest for a perfect balance, the equilibrium between imagination and a rigor in execution.

The minimalist approach to the packaging of the 2 brandies follows the same philosophy:
The California Alembic brandy has a humble white crafted paper label that notes the variant in red, and a precise description of the distillation and aging methods of the brandy.

The XO variant has a minimalist black label, enhanced by a stamped print of a Redwood cut, also found on the capsule of both expressions. The Redwood Symbol, an honest representation of their respect to the environment, artisanal methods and the diligence of craftsmanship and detail, was crafted by a local artist using an actual Redwood tree cut.

The closure carries with confidence the new GR monogram, a modern seal of quality and commitment to excellence.

The imagination, endeavor and tenacity of the founders led them to make a product in service of the best Northern California had to offer. Everything we did followed their ambition to make the best brandy possible.