Maître de Chai
Maître de Chai, meaning "keeper of the cellar," refers to the individual responsible for managing a winery and overseeing the development and aging of wine. Established in 2012 by Marty Winters and Alex Pitts, the brand is dedicated to crafting high-quality wines that showcase the sense of place and personality of the vineyards where the grapes are grown. True to its name, Maître de Chai employs a minimal-intervention approach to their winemaking.
The label design draws inspiration from The Wine Press and the Cellar, an 1883 book by Emmett Rixford, one of the earliest guides to winemaking. The central illustration features Lady Liberty, modeled after the Roman goddess Libertas, standing beside an American flag shield, with a grizzly bear resting against a barrel. Originally, the boxes at their feet represented grape varieties like Pineau, Riesling, Zinfandel, and Mission. Today, the labels subtly nod to the grapes in Maître de Chai’s wines, including Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Photography: George E. Baker Jr.