You have all read stories of the incredible lengths wine producers take to get their product from field to bottle. Why then do some of them choose to 'mail it in' when it comes to what the consumer will finally see on the shelf or on their table. They work the land sustainably, biodynamically or organically. They hand harvest, meticulously hand sort and baby their grape juice as it ferments and becomes that beverage we all know and love and then the caring seems to stop. Do they not understand the need to stand out from the dozens or hundreds or thousands of competitors out there? They have to realize that many people really do make wine choices because they like the look of the label. And that's ok. We buy clothes, houses, cars, and countless other food items because we like the way they look. Why then would wine be any different and therefore why wouldn't some of them try harder?
In the case of the Hello World Cabernet Franc, there is not only much to love about the label, but the entire presentation of the label, bottle and enclosure are all top notch. These folks clearly care and it is easily the best wine packaging we've seen this year. Let's start with the label.
There is a healthy dose of 'cute' with the Hello World branding featuring a baby owl popping its head out of its shell. Say what you want about cute, cute sells. I might remind you that Cabernet Franc is not exactly one of those grape varietals that the majority of the wine drinking public go looking for, you need to make an impression. In this case, the added detail of shininess of the owls eyes which seem to follow yours as you walk by it and the speckled, gleaming, raised texture of the owls shell really stand out. The shell affect begs you to reach out, grab the bottle and run your finger across it. Once you do that, game over, you will be taking this home with you tonight, guaranteed. After you get it home, you are really in for a surprise that will having you buying another bottle of the Hello World the next time you are shopping for wine. Let's talk about the enclosure.
It is notably unusually for a still wine to have its cork protruding out of the top of the bottle. It again is one of those things your eye will catch when it is on the shelf. But there is more genius to it that you'll see in a minute. The cork is held into place by clear plastic shrink wrap that is integrated into the black necker. There is a small gold tag where the two come together that obviously is meant to be pulled. Put the silly foil cutter away folks, one pull of that gold tag and off pops the shrink rap. From there, you will realize there is also no need for a wine opener here, just grab the cork, and twist the bottle(not the cork) and it will pop right out. Look mom, no tools needed!
The final feature that really set this bottle apart and told us the producer was thinking of the end consumer when they made their choices is the construction of the inside top of the bottle and the cork itself. Just inside the top of the bottle are raised glass ridges in a spiral pattern. These are designed to hold the cork firmly in place both before you open it and if you want to recork it for further drinking later. When compared to a standard cork and bottle setup, once you open it, replacing the cork back into the bottle is not always easy and sometimes, if you push it back in too hard, you are going to need to get that opener back out to reopen it. Is that the end of the world? No, but the choice made w/ the Hello World packaging is non-intimidating, easy and extremely consumer friendly.
Let us finish by saying that you will be as delighted with the wine as you were with the packaging. This isn't a case of putting lipstick on a pig. At $11.49 a bottle, this is well made Cabernet Franc that is full bodied, smooth and full of varietal character. Check it out the next time you stop by your neighborhood Barriques.
