Picture a wine bar's newly renovated entrance, where an elegant sans-serif catches the eye above the door in soft, inviting lines. That's Pinot Grigio Modern, Alan Meeks' contemporary update of Peignot, the groundbreaking typeface A. M. Cassandre created in 1937. Meeks took that distinctive geometry and softened its terminals while expanding the x-height, pulling back the stark contrast between thick and thin strokes. The result feels both rooted in mid-century design history and unmistakably contemporary, bridging classic modernism with warmer, more approachable letterforms.

This typeface shines in upscale applications where personality and legibility need to coexist. Wine labels and spirit packaging benefit from its refined warmth, as do luxury hotel wayfinding systems, high-end restaurant menus, and brand identity suites where a geometric typeface should feel inviting rather than cold. The softened terminals give it an edge over rigid modernist alternatives, while the expanded proportions keep it crisp and readable even when scaled large for environmental graphics or poster design. Event branding for galas and product packaging for boutique goods both lean on typefaces like this one, where refinement and character need to land equally hard.

Find this one on Creative Fabrica to add a typeface with real craft and history to your working library.