The Importance of Wine Packaging

Wine Packaging is a way to visually distinguish your wine from the bulk of others on store shelves. It also helps attract new consumers.

Alternative containers like tin cans, Tetra Pak, PET and aluminum bottles are gaining ground because they have the potential to reduce carbon footprints. But they must be modified to wine chemistry to work well.

Packaging Types

Most wine consumers would probably agree that premium wines should be stored in glass bottles with natural corks. But this traditional belief has been slowly fading as wineries and bottlers consider alternative packaging types. From single-serve plastic bottles to aluminum cans, Tetra Pak cartons, Polyethene terephthalate (PET), or bag-in-box wine containers, there are many options available.

While some of these packaging types are more expensive than a standard glass bottle, they can save producers money in the long run. This is because the lighter Shoes Packaging load without heavy glass means that shipping costs are lower. Additionally, the lower cost of alternative packaging can allow a winery to put more premium wines into their boxes.

When choosing your wine packaging, it’s important to think about the brand identity you want to project and the lifestyle of your target audience. You might decide to go with a sleek, elegant design that conveys old world artisanship, or you may choose to go for a more playful style with fun illustrations that demonstrate out-of-the-box thinking.

It’s also worth considering whether you plan to export your wines. If so, you’ll need to use a pallet type that complies with international standards for heat treatment and fumigation. If you’re unsure which pallet to use, contact your local Taylor representative to learn more about the options and regulations for each country.

Shelf Life

The primary mission of wine packaging is to protect and preserve the quality of wine from outside forces like oxygen, carbon dioxide, moisture and light. The package should also be inert with respect to flavor migration from the packaged product into the package (flavor scalping) and sorption of flavors from the package into the product (flavor loss).

Bottles are generally regarded as one of the most inert and desirable forms of wine packaging due to their clarity, resistance to mechanical stress, impermeability to gases, and their cost-effectiveness. However, recent growth of alternative formats for storing and delivering wine to consumers has led to an increased interest in the shelf life of wines packaged in these containers.

These alternative containers include rPET bottles and pouches that utilize oxygen-binding technology such as Plasmax or oxygen-scavenging additives. Both of these types of technologies degrade and lose efficacy at high temperatures, thereby limiting the wine’s shelf life and causing it to oxidize rapidly.

Another type of container that is gaining popularity in the wine industry is boxed wine. This is a convenient form of storage for wine that offers an extended shelf life when properly stored. Once opened, this style of wine should be refrigerated and kept away from direct sunlight—ultraviolet rays accelerate oxidation. Additionally, it is important to re-seal the box after each pour to maintain an airtight seal and prevent additional oxygen exposure.

Environmental Impact

Wine has a high carbon footprint, and many producers have sought to reduce their glass bottle production and shipping emissions by increasing the amount of recycled cullet used in their bottles and switching to lower-carbon fuels for their furnaces. Some are also designing lighter bottles to lower their carbon footprint and purchasing from more sustainable glass manufacturers.

For consumers, a number of new formats have emerged that offer a reduced environmental impact while still protecting the integrity and quality of the wine inside them. The most well-known is the BiB format (bag in box), which has a paper-lined inner plastic pouch that keeps wine fresh. Its success depends on consumer education and promotion. Despite its low price, BiB offers the potential to draw eco-conscious consumers and grow the market for wine packaged in alternative packaging.

A more recent development is the paper bottle, which combines a recycled cardboard shell with Wine Packaging an inner PET pouch. While it is a bit heavier than a traditional glass bottle, it can still compete on price and has a low carbon footprint. The challenge is to educate winemakers, retailers and consumers about the benefits of this alternative packaging. A recent study found that products marketed as environmentally friendly grew more than those that weren’t. The industry must continue to innovate and find ways to attract more of these eco-conscious consumers.

Packaging Design

Wine packaging is an essential part of the wine-making process. It not only conveys the product’s taste and brand image but also helps create a memorable wine-buying experience. Whether you’re a winery looking to stand out on the shelf or a distributor wanting to refresh an existing line, the right packaging can have a significant impact on your sales.

When it comes to designing wine packaging, the most important consideration is ensuring that your design reflects your wine’s unique personality and values. This can be done through color, shape and other design elements. For example, if your wine is from a family-owned winery, you can use a crest or emblem in your packaging design to communicate this heritage and authenticity.

Alternatively, you can use a minimalist approach to your packaging design to create an elegant and timeless look. For example, the design of Polymi by Stefano Bracci features a simple, yet impactful glass of wine that looks like a smile. This design accentuates the brand’s emphasis on traditional wine-creation methods in Greece.

Other design trends that you can incorporate into your wine packaging include interactive designs, digital integration, and personalized packaging. For example, QR codes and augmented reality label elements can offer an enhanced user experience for your consumers. This can be a great way to promote upcoming events, special offers, or other wine-related information.