This is my second packaging design review for a Hola! wine. The first was honoured as the Best Wine Label of 2021. The 96% score I gave it in that review remains the highest ever awarded.
Hola! Mediterráneo Brut doesn’t reach the spectacular level of its brand mate, but it’s still an exceptional piece of package design. What it maintains is the same obsessive attention to detail in every packaging element. While the wine itself is made in the traditional method, the label is anything but. In fact, the label presents more like a ruffled collar. Aside from the bold expression of the brand name, this collar design is rather restrained. The colour is subdued, and the supporting notes are brief and uninspired. And if it looks as though a small rectangular label has been slapped on the back, that’s because it has—likely to meet international market variations.
Unlike most sparkling wines, there’s no foil covering the cork. It’s simply exposed. Below it sits a uniquely styled neck label that mirrors the main one. It also, rather redundantly, repeats the same information—adding only the word Brut—to what might be intended as a visual reference to mousse dripping down the neck of the bottle. That just came to me. I didn’t see it originally.
The paper wrapping is inventive but lacks personality. What gives this bottle its real presence is the ornate embellishment of the glass, patterned after the iconic Barcelona street flower tile. They’ve even framed the brand name in glass on the back. Differentiation like this gets a product noticed on the shelf. A custom-designed bottle signals attention to detail that reflects well on the wine itself.
This sparkler is produced from Chardonnay grapes using the Charmat method—information you won’t find on the label. It’s fruitier than expected, with apple and pear flavours, yet remains dry. Also, a solid value.
Hola! Mediterráneo Brut may not recapture the breathtaking innovation of its award-winning sibling, but it’s still an impressive example of how thoughtful design elevates brand identity. From the tactile collar-style label to the embossed bottle referencing Barcelona’s streets, it shows how creative detail and craftsmanship can transform packaging into an experience worth recognizing.
