Soul of Rioja

Founded in 2012, Creaciones El Pollo is a creative studio in Valladolid, Spain that specialises in the wine sector, creating multiple components for a variety of wine branding, including identity, packaging, and architecture. The group recently collaborated with Alma Carraovejas, a family-owned collection of historic wine estates, for their latest wine packaging project, for which the main objective was to capture the essence and natural beauty of the Rioja Alavesa region of Spain.

The labels and packaging for all three of the latest wines represent the areas in which they are grown: Aiurri, Landua and Salas. These locations have nuanced differences in their tasting notes and varieties but have one common connection – their proximity to the mountain range of Sierra de Toloño, which creates a unique microclimate that promotes great biological diversity.

Creaciones El Pollo believes that the packaging should reflect the quality of the wine and evoke the unique character of the land that produces it. The studio began the creative process with a deep immersion in the culture and the landscapes of Leza, a town in the Basque country of Rioja Alavesa with a close connection to the vineyards. Founder Conchy Pérez Martín says, ‘Through a historical study of the town we developed a unique Basque typeface, called Aiurri, giving tradition and solidity to the design.’ Aiurri is used in all elements of the design.

The labels, printed on Cotone Bianco Ultra WS, use a variety of printing techniques, including debossing and hot foil stamping. Pérez Martín says, ‘We needed a paper [on which] the printing techniques could be showcased.’