Chateau Ste. Michelle Rebrand
Play VideoLeading Washington Wine Since 1967
The Chateau Ste. Michelle rebrand was built around a simple truth: since 1967, Chateau Ste. Michelle has shaped Washington wine. As the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic and largest winery, its influence extends far beyond a single label—helping define an entire region and category. When Makers & Allies partnered with Chateau Ste. Michelle to lead a comprehensive rebrand, we knew our work wasn't about rewriting history. Instead, we sought to honor their legacy of visionary leadership, restore an iconic sense of place, and strengthen the brand's relevance for a new generation of wine drinkers. The result is a full brand system, spanning a brand identity, refreshed packaging, and a launch campaign, that celebrates heritage while expressing the vitality of a very real winery—rooted in Washington and confident about the legacy it will continue to build.
Client
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Services
- Branding
- Packaging
- Advertising
The Opportunity
Evolving a Heritage Wine Brand for Today
The challenge for our Chateau Ste. Michelle rebrand wasn't establishing awareness or credibility. This is a flagship winery with national reach—producing over 2MM cases annually across a broad portfolio and operating at a scale unmatched in the Pacific Northwest. But research uncovered consumer feedback that the current package felt dated, muted, and indistinct on shelf. Tiers were not well differentiated and the overall feel underplayed the winery's pedigree and history. Our goal was to reconnect the brand to its founding role in Washington wine, elevate perceived value, and bring warmth, humanity, and physical place back to the forefront across every brand element, all while creating a solid foundation on which to grow.
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Product Tiers1010
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Annual Case Production2M+2M+
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SKUs Redesigned3232
Branding
A Scaleable System Grounded in Place
Makers & Allies led the development of a refreshed brand identity that realigned how Chateau Ste. Michelle looks, sounds, and shows up in the world. The logomark system was refined for clarity and legibility, while honoring long-standing equities. Color, typography, texture, and iconography were built to reflect Washington’s landscape and the character of the Chateau itself. Alongside the visual system, we helped define the brand’s foundational messaging—clarifying its story, point of view, and role as Washington’s founding winery. Together, the visual and verbal systems create a cohesive brand identity that feels established yet welcoming, uniquely scaleable, and rooted in a real place with a clear sense of purpose.
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Packaging
Refining an Icon
Our approach to packaging was to refine, rather than reinvent. With a goal to strengthen shelf presence while reinforcing heritage cues, our Chateau Ste. Michelle rebrand brought clear tier distinctions, improved legibility and recall, and a more cohesive visual system across the portfolio. The updated packaging balances a classic elegance with a modern approach, making it easier for consumers to navigate the brand’s full offering, while reinforcing quality signals and the cues that consumers have always trusted.
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Campaign Work
Redefine Your Ritual
To introduce the rebrand, we developed and executed a launch campaign centered around how people actually experience wine today, shown through brand videos, lifestyle photography, and advertising assets. By inviting consumers to “Redefine Your Ritual,” Chateau Ste. Michelle builds on the idea that wine traditions aren’t fixed—they’re created in the everyday moments that become the traditions of tomorrow. Chateau Ste. Michelle’s role is not to define those moments, but to meet people in them. This is where the brand’s leadership and humanity converge: leading the category, while inviting everyone to define their own rituals. And ultimately, reinforcing the brand refresh not as a visual change alone, but as a renewed way of experiencing Washington wine.
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