A part of the wine industry had become outdated, entrenched in the old school. The successive crises, first the real estate crash, then the pandemic, and once again the real estate downturn, have made them realize that the market is in danger. That mass consumption, like everything else, has changed, and it is necessary to target new consumers. This is how Carles Sala, director of Bulldog Studio, a creative studio in Barcelona specialized in packaging, explains the fact that many winemakers are daring to create modern and inspiring brandings that just a few decades ago would have been unthinkable in a “traditionally old-fashioned” sector.
A great example of this change in direction is one of their most renowned works: Vinerel·les, by Altavins Viticultors, in the Terra Alta PDO, a project that earned Bulldog a Pentaward Gold prize (known as the Oscars of design) in its 2023 edition. It wasn't the only Spanish wine to win an award: Terroir 41º 8' 46“ N, 0º 49' 12” E, by Celler Comunica, from the Montsant PDO, designed by the Zaragoza-based studio Vamos, also received this recognition in the same edition.
Special edition of Lagar de Pedregales
Sala designed the label for the Vinarel·les collection hand in hand with Altavins Viticultors director, Joan Arrufí. “He doesn't make wines; he designs them. He is an artist, and this collection of wines made from selected plots is his pride and joy,” explains Sala. Under this premise, the award-winning label was born, a work of almost craftsmanship that reflects the creator's imagination well. “Arrufí has exquisite penmanship and always writes with a pen. It's a pleasure to watch him write. That's why, in addition to the label that emulates a handwritten notebook page by him, we created little notebooks with a pencil. It was practically like having him in the glass: as if he himself had torn pages out of his notebook written by his hand and was handing them to you,” explains Sala.
This work is a good example of how the wine world moves at the pace of the market and how many wineries, especially those of recent creation, have understood that branding is essential when positioning their products. “To a certain extent, it is understandable that the classic Burgundy-style oenology continues to predominate in the wine world, as we have grown up with it and have become cultured by it. Breaking away from this legacy is not easy, nor is it necessarily necessary in all cases,” explains José Vila of Enpedra Estudio in Lugo. However, “there are new wineries, often led by young people, who understand that a label must stand out from the rest by telling a story. And most importantly: everyone has one, even if sometimes they don't realize it themselves.”
One of Enpedra's most recognized works is a special edition of Lagar de Pedregales, winner of an Anuaria award and an Arcapack award. This winery from the Rías Baixas Designation of Origin released a collection of two wines that represented a journey through different aging processes, in concrete egg and oak barrel. Each label is a symbolic work of art, bringing to life both the textures of the materials and the shapes of the containers.
Altos de Aira, a brand under which five wines from Rioja Alavesa are edited
Inpedra also has a Pentaward Platinum award (the most important one), which it obtained for the Pridem's gin. Another Spaniard who has received the highest recognition in these awards is Roberto Núñez, who surpassed brands such as Zara and Loewe with the branding of Perfeccionista, from Davide Winery in the Rías Baixas Designation of Origin. This is a limited edition estate wine created under the concept of “reflective viticulture,” a work that highlights imperfection as a value and positions itself as a premium wine with its own personality.
Hula Studio, in Logroño, also focuses almost exclusively on the wine sector and has been tackling all kinds of projects for over a decade. “From those with a more closed briefing to those that give us the freedom to work without excessive limitations. This often happens with young projects, which, not having a history behind them, lack constraints and tend to be more daring,” explains its creative director and co-owner, David Elorza. A good example of this attitude is La bodeguita escondida, which not only plays with daring labels but also with groundbreaking namings.
Campeador of Martínez Lacuesta
Their project Altos de Aira is also theirs, a brand under which five wines from Rioja Alavesa are edited. The study aimed to give each wine a unique character, drawing inspiration from the craftsmanship of master jewelers, and the result earned them an Arca 2020 award. Another project they are particularly proud of is Anastasio, from Eguren Ugarte in Rioja Alavesa, awarded with a Gold Anuaria. “From a graphic perspective, it is not particularly groundbreaking, but it has the peculiarity of including a card that specifies the details of the vineyard,” Elorza explains. Each card is handcrafted to contain a handful of soil from the Anastasio estate. “This card not only emphasizes that we are facing a special vineyard, but also allows you to literally hold a piece of vineyard in your hands.”
Some examples show that the world of wine has finally met with that of branding. “A good rebranding can not only change a wine's image, but also increase its price by positioning it differently in the market and targeting a different audience,” explains Sala, from Bulldog Studio. Vila, from Enpedra, adds that “the materials used can also emphasize the quality of the wine, from the glass to the capsule, and thus alter the consumer's perception and, consequently, its price.”
The same wine can have different labels in different international markets to connect with the final consumer”
On the other hand, Glòria Vallès, sommelier and director of Bizglow Marketing, points out that “the same wine can have different labels in different international markets precisely to connect with the end consumer, as there are different cultural and social factors.” She also adds that on the back label there are mandatory aspects such as the producer's number, the alcohol content, the bottle capacity, and whether it contains sulfites and allergens. “If you ask sommeliers, they will tell you that the label must be waterproof so that it can be placed in the ice bucket,” she concludes.
Back to the origins
“While gins have focused on lifestyle and have associated their values with hedonism and urban culture, the world of wine has not. The classic discourse about the grandfather's vineyard still predominates, which, in many cases, is not attractive to the contemporary consumer,” Sala believes. Therefore, wineries that enter the market without a previous story to tell tend to take more risks. “Many historical brands still cling to the idea that what matters is what's inside and that the outside is secondary. This is a mistake,” he considers.
Many classic wineries, however, choose to undergo slight rebrandings in order to adapt the brand to the times without losing the values it was born with. This is the case of Martínez Lacuesta, in Haro, whose director Javier Bañales opted to go back to the labels from 1906 and 1916. “We are a winery founded in 1892 and we thought that the best way to convey values such as simplicity, finesse, elegance, and classicism was to return to the labeling from the early 20th century. It wouldn't make sense for us to dress in modern attire if we are classic,” Bañales believes. However, even though he doesn't like the term, their new labels, designed by Sergio Aja from Calcco (known for wines like Ramón Bilbao or Cojón de Gato, among others), bring a vintage touch to their wines. “They call us vintage, but the truth is that our current labels were avant-garde at the time. That's how trends go,” he states.
Since the seventies, Jean Leon has linked his special vintages with art
Jean Leon, in Penedès, has done a similar exercise. “In 2023, we did a restyling of the labels of the Vinos de Finca, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the winery. We decided to go back to our origins and dress our most emblematic wines in a classic label style, inspired by the design that the first labels wore,” explains their director, Mireia Torres. Another one of their wines, the Jean Leon Vinya La Scala, is also a good example of wineries making their mark in an increasingly saturated sector. “Each new vintage showcases a work by a different artist. Since the seventies, Jean Leon has linked their special vintages with art, a tradition that was consolidated in the nineties. Artists like Tàpies, Mariscal, or Gerard Sala have designed labels for this wine,” points out Torres.