Website for Hirsch Vineyards
Perched on a ridge some 1,500 feet above the Pacific Ocean, Hirsch Vineyards is the birth ground of great Pinot Noir on the extreme Sonoma Coast. This forested ranch includes 72 acres of legendary vines, farmed Biodynamically and regeneratively, and long revered by fellow winemakers, collectors, and members of the industry.
Since a serious tractor accident in 2014, founder David Hirsch has been wheelchair-bound. His daughter, Jasmine, stepped in to manage the business, and is today viewed as one of California’s leading growers and winemakers. Jasmine farms, vinifies, and ages our more than 60 parcels individually each year, in a remote mountaintop winery on the edge of the world.
- Website Design & Development
- Creative Direction
- Narrative Strategy
- Copywriting
Photo credits: Erik Castro, Jak Wonderly, Emma K. Creative
The Challenge
In a world in which words and artwork can be flawlessly AI-generated, and winemakers can utilize advanced technology, perfection is easy to achieve. Truly handcrafted work is rarer, and as a result, feels more precious.
The recently refreshed Hirsch brand identity is, like its wines, unique and purposefully imperfect, featuring the charmingly quirky illustrations of Marie Hirsch, David’s wife.
With the help of this updated brand identity, Vin was tasked with replacing an aging website that had, over the years, amassed a jumble of fascinating knowledge, including David Hirsch’s copious and eloquent musings as well as a vast library of back-vintage notes.
It was essential that the new site communicate in David’s and Jasmine’s distinct voices, and display Marie’s hand-drawn artwork, while organizing and cataloging information and gently guiding site visitors toward the sales funnel.
The resulting site successfully demonstrates the wild, mystical beauty of the ranch and vineyard, as well as the grit of the winemaker and her team. It captures the originality of the Hirsch aesthetic and philosophy, and the unique appeal of the wines. Finally, it presents a broad catalog of information in an easy-to-navigate format, with no dead ends, inviting endless exploration and interaction.
- Introduce the new visual brand identity
- Organize the site to focus visitor actions and reduce clutter
- Create a cohesive aesthetic and literary experience that underscores the brand’s individuality
- Catalog a robust library of back-vintage information
- Communicate the epic nature of the setting and the grit of the people
Vin stood out with their ability to fully immerse themselves in our brand and story, and to offer design ideas that were well suited to our brand identity. Hirsch has a long, compelling story to tell, and Vin was able to bring a fresh, clear visual narrative to our story. They were also able to balance bringing modern elements to our storytelling while staying true to our desire to honor our past.
