Memento Mori Unveils Bold New Look

FROM THE WIRES...

Luxury Napa Valley Winery Reveals Brand Refresh Amid 15-Year Anniversary

NAPA VALLEY, Calif. (May 9, 2025) — Critically acclaimed Napa Valley winery Memento Mori is excited to announce an artistic refresh to its iconic labels as it proudly celebrates its 15^th anniversary. Founded in 2010 by childhood friends Hayes Drumwright, Adriel Lares, and Adam Craun, Memento Mori has quietly established itself among Napa Valley’s most sought-after labels, known for the wine’s inspiring story, superstar winemaker, and 100-point Cabernet Sauvignon.  

Memento Mori’s 15-year brand update transforms each bottle into a canvas, where the artistic legacy of the Calistoga estate converges with the artistry of winemaking.

Memento Mori’s new artwork, designed by Craun, reimagines the labels for the winery’s limited-production Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Each wine in the portfolio features its own distinct butterfly design, creating a unique visual identity for every bottling. These butterflies symbolize transformation and the fleeting beauty of life, deeply tied to the concept of memento mori, which the winery’s founders interpret as “Remember to Live.”

“The intention was to design each Memento Mori bottle to feel unique but also complement each other handsomely as a family,” says Craun, a classically trained artist who also designed the Memento Mori’s iconic gold logo – two M’s that intersect to create a butterfly shape – which will remain front and center on each bottle of the label’s Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon.

Craun continued, “Every label now stands out with its own inimitable personality, reflecting the distinct terroir of each vineyard, while sharing a cohesive artistic thread that ties them to Memento Mori’s legacy and our shared vision of living fully.”

Rooted in a deep connection to the global art community, Memento Mori’s artistic rebrand marks its bold new chapter at the 17-acre Calistoga property the label acquired in 2023. Previously known as Stonescape and owned by prominent art collectors Norah and Norman Stone, the private estate features a 5,750-square-foot hydro-heated cave that once displayed their world-class fine art collection, including works by Marc Chagall, Jeff Koons, and Andy Warhol, which now belong to the SF MoMA collection. The property’s centerpiece, James Turrell’s “Stone Sky” installation, transforms an infinity pool into an immersive experience, with an 8x8-foot oculus framing the Napa Valley sky, inviting reflection on the passage of time and seasons. In assuming the mantle of stewardship for this storied estate, it reinforced Memento Mori’s ever-increasing focus on the intersection between art and fine wine – a vision that ultimately inspired the bold new packaging.

Memento Mori’s 15-year anniversary and label refresh marks the latest milestone for the brand. In recent years, the label has enjoyed multiple 100-point scores, a growing waitlist for its allocation-only wines, and a critically endorsed reputation among the echelon of cult Napa Valley estates.

“Fifteen years after we released our first vintage, these sexy new labels feel like a natural evolution for our winery’s aesthetic,” said Drumwright. “The Memento Mori story – not to mention the wine – continues to resonate with collectors at an increasing clip. We’ve never played it safe, and the colorful new designs for our single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons are showstoppers in the cellar, just as the wines are in the glass.”

Memento Mori sources from the most storied vineyards in Napa Valley. 100-point winemaker Sam Kaplan translates each site – Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard, and (now) Memento Mori Estate – with a deft, respectful hand. The Memento Mori Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon starts at $300/750ml bottle upon release.

A high resolution photo can be found linked here. Memento Mori’s debut release (and highly anticipated label design) from Memento Mori Estate will be announced later in 2025.  

About Memento Mori

Memento Mori was founded by Hayes Drumwright, Adriel Lares and Adam Craun, three childhood friends who have together overcome serious health scares, family tragedy and times of trial with their unyielding zest for life and making every moment count to its fullest. A shared love of wine is a natural consequence of that passion, which inspired Memento Mori. An artistic or symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death, they interpret the name Memento Mori as “Remember to Live” – an ethos that’s palpable in every bottle. While Memento Mori wines capture the essence of the famed vineyard sites from which they are sourced – Memento Mori Estate, Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard, Vine Hill Ranch Vineyards, Weitz Vineyard, Oakville Ranch – the winery’s flagship crown jewel is its Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, a Napa Valley designate blend. Superstar 100-point winemaker Sam Kaplan translates each vineyard site into balanced, terroir-driven wines that tell the story of Napa Valley, culminating in wines of intense, concentrated flavor and aromatics that reflect craftsmanship above all else.