MontGras Handcrafted: A Unique Wine Packaging Design by Ximena Ureta

Exploring the Artistry and Innovation in Chilean Wine Packaging

The inspiration behind MontGras Handcrafted comes from the desire to create unique wines that reflect their origin. Five prestigious Chilean winemakers chose different valleys to create wines from uncommon, rare, and different Chilean grape varieties. The result is a line of expressive, creative wines that embody the winemakers' passion.

What sets MontGras Handcrafted apart is its uniqueness. Each wine is elaborated on a small scale and features important points of differentiation from other Chilean wines. The wines are crafted from specific vines, valleys, and winemakers, resulting in a range of unique flavors and experiences for the consumer.

The design realization technology used for MontGras Handcrafted is equally impressive. The labels are printed on Fasson Cuvee Mareele White paper with quadrichromy using digital technology on an HP Indigo 6900 machine. The finishing applications include a Folia Gold Matte Luxor MTS 425 with die cut, silkscreen varnish with mechanical relief, and Mat UV protection varnish.

The technical specifications of the design further highlight its uniqueness. The label is printed on self-adhesive, uncoated, water-resistant Wet Strength paper, which is FSC certified, confirming the commitment to use raw materials from forests grown under responsible management. The label is resistant to aging and ultraviolet light, ensuring its longevity.

MontGras Handcrafted is currently sold in Chile and is set to be sold in major markets across Asia, Brazil, the UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, and Paraguay. The packaging began in April 2021 and ended in October 2021, with the container box of the five wines being worked on from October to January 2022. Both were printed in Santiago de Chile.

The design faced several challenges, including creating five different labels following a unifying graphic line with a box that contains them. Despite these challenges, the design team, led by Ximena Ureta, successfully created a series of labels that are highly expressive and boast a great personality. The result is a restless, changing, and impetuous graphic for wines made of rare strains from different valleys located in different parts of Chile and harvested in 2020.

MontGras Handcrafted is an enology-based project that pursues the production of distinctive wines made out of rare grape varieties harvested in 2020. Each wine is the product of a unique combination of the particular weather and land conditions of five Chilean valleys and of five different wine makers. This packaging is a creative way of following the particular personality of each wine while expressing the common ideas behind the project.

The design was awarded the Golden A' Packaging Design Award in 2022, a testament to its outstanding design and trendsetting creation. The award recognizes the designer's prodigy and wisdom, as well as the design's extraordinary excellence and significant impact on the world with its desirable characteristics.