We were incredibly honoured to be selected as one of just 20 design studios from around the world to take part in this year's Make A Mark — a global project brought to life by bottle manufacturer Estal, paper merchant Avery Dennison and foil manufacturer Kurz (https://makeamark.world/). 

Our concept, Forbidden Love, pays homage to the uniquely Australian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, and the story of how it came to be.

Australian winemakers from Yalumba and Penfolds first started experimenting with this blend in the 1800s. French winemakers also realised the two grapes were a perfect match but were forbidden from making the blend after the Appellation system was implemented.

We wanted to tell a story that was close to our hearts and close to our home. A discovery of this local historic innovation inspired us to innovate with the two grapes again.

Our concept joins the traditional bottle of each grape (Bordeaux for Cabernet and Burgundy for Shiraz) into one double ended bottle. Each side contains 375mL of liquid, allowing the drinker to decant each wine and make a blend unique to their taste.

A foiled symbol, two hearts joined together to form a cross, sits centrally, and speaks to the once forbidden blend becoming a much loved style and symbolic of Australia.

A hidden story on the reverse of the label, like the little-known story of Australia’s involvement in the original innovation, is revealed upon removing the tear tab. The label can be completely removed from the bottle, allowing more efficient recycling & reuse.

Finally, we designed a timber cradle to match the diameter of the bottle and elegantly display it. 

Today some of Australia’s most famous wines, including Penfolds Grange and 389, and Yalumba’s The Signature are Cabernet/Shiraz blends. So, next time you enjoy a glass of this iconic Aussie blend, maybe take a moment to savour its forbidden love.