HAMEL FAMILY WINES, LLC
SONOMA, CA

A simple rationale for the badger in Hamel Family Wines’ (HFW) logo would be that the Hamels have three generations of alums from the University of Wisconsin. It would also be an oversimplification. Another explanation might be destiny. While trying to envision the ideal image to brand the family business, the Hamels encountered the same problem many businesses do in trying to find something distinctive. They had several different opinions, found many good ideas taken, had their share of brain-freeze, etc. During this time, while badger signs began to reveal themselves, no one saw them as such. For example, while in San Francisco on Valentine’s Day in 2010 with son John, Pam happened upon a rock store and went in. Oddly, in addition to rocks, it also sold taxidermy. Pam noticed a familiar animal posed regally on a shelf. Confirming it was for sale, she purchased the badger to surprise George, Jr. Once home, she placed it in the master bathroom closing the door, figuring he was bound to discover it that evening. The surprise almost backfired when Pam heard a scream as George discovered it. A male badger is a boar (but never boring), a female is a sow (yet rarely seen sewing), and a young badger is a cub (definitely not a scout). Badger colonies or communities are often called clans. With that in mind, we created our own wine community called the Badger Clan Wine Club. It’s a way to remain connected to Hamel Family Wines, fellow HFW devotees, and to ensure continued access to the latest releases of our wines. A simple rationale for the badger in Hamel Family Wines’ (HFW) logo would be that the Hamels have three generations of alums from the University of Wisconsin. It would also be an oversimplification. Another explanation might be destiny. While trying to envision the ideal image to brand the family business, the Hamels encountered the same problem many businesses do in trying to find something distinctive. They had several different opinions, found many good ideas taken, had their share of brain-freeze, etc. During this time, while badger signs began to reveal themselves, no one saw them as such. For example, while in San Francisco on Valentine’s Day in 2010 with son John, Pam happened upon a rock store and went in. Oddly, in addition to rocks, it also sold taxidermy. Pam noticed a familiar animal posed regally on a shelf. Confirming it was for sale, she purchased the badger to surprise George, Jr. Once home, she placed it in the master bathroom closing the door, figuring he was bound to discover it that evening. The surprise almost backfired when Pam heard a scream as George discovered it. A male badger is a boar (but never boring), a female is a sow (yet rarely seen sewing), and a young badger is a cub (definitely not a scout). Badger colonies or communities are often called clans. With that in mind, we created our own wine community called the Badger Clan Wine Club. It’s a way to remain connected to Hamel Family Wines, fellow HFW devotees, and to ensure continued access to the latest releases of our wines.