Gini Viticoltori dal 1570

Background
Gini is a family-owned winery with more than 500 years of history, estates in Soave Classico and Valpolicella, and vineyards that reach up to 140 years of age. Its winemaking philosophy is rooted in organic, minimal-intervention viticulture and winemaking, with the belief that the grapes should be allowed to speak for themselves. Back in the 1980s, my uncles Sandro and Claudio Gini made the radical decision to stop vinifying with sulphites, using only an extremely minimal amount, for stability, before bottling. It was an extremely unconventional approach at the time, and it became a defining part of the winery's identity. The previous website communicated the winery as a traditional wine producer, without capturing the strength of its philosophy, its pioneering approach, and the family's emotional connection to the land. I saw an opportunity to reposition the digital experience around what makes Gini distinctive: its heritage, its role as "custodian of the land" and its uncompromising approach to winemaking.

Insight
The challenge was not only to define a new direction for the brand's visual identity, but to communicate to a new generation of wine drinkers. Wine can be highly technical and intimidating to people without prior knowledge, creating a barrier to emotional engagement. I was convinced that the brand should lead with storytelling and values: the relationship with the land, the family's five centuries of history, the pioneering approach to organic and minimal-intervention winemaking, and the fact that the winery remains fully family-owned and operated today. The visual direction needed to feel authentic, tactile and emotional.

Execution
I worked with the Gini team to define the goals, functionality and creative direction for the new website, and selected ET Studio as the agency to bring the vision to life. I took part to the process of developing the site's visual language and content approach, ensuring that the design, photography and storytelling reflected the true character of the winery and its relationship with the land. The result is a website that presents Gini's wines while also communicating the world, heritage and philosophy contained within each bottle.

All image credits © Gini Viticoltori dal 1570 / ET Studio