Each year, the city of Hofheim provides a platform for its local artists and designers to showcase their talents through an annual competition. The city cultivates grapevines in a small plot around the town center, primarily for its internal needs—such as gifting them to their twin city as a token of friendship. This competition serves an additional purpose: the selection of a new wine label, which changes on a yearly basis. The victor is awarded a prize of €500 along with a selection of bottles from the year's production.

In 2012, Marcel made his debut in the competition and, to his own astonishment, emerged as the winner right out of the gate.

Being artist, and designer

From the outset, the objective was to forge an aesthetic fusion between classical art and design techniques, specifically incorporating elements such as watercolors, typography, and illustration. An additional challenge involved avoiding an excessively ornate appearance, instead favoring a refined and professionally serious demeanor. Although participants were permitted to submit two designs, this allowance also encouraged the exploration of a wholly distinct approach for the second layout (as presented below).

Recognizing that the label would grace the emerald-hued bottles of white wine, one of the designs needed to exude a sense of freshness and flavor. This was achieved by infusing invigorating shades of green and yellow. A strategic abstract figure positioned in the label's right corner elegantly encapsulated the essence of the wine's source—the vine. Providing a stabilizing visual anchor, the central typographical bar element lent a sense of coherence to the entire composition. The backdrop adorned with vine-covered imagery brought the winning label's design to its harmonious conclusion.

An official news release can be found here and in addition another presentation here.