This Wine Label Doubles as a Book to Accompany a Glass or Two

A good book and a bottle of wine is a tough combo to beat. But what if a bottle of wine can double as a good book?

This labeling application for Librottiglia, a series of three wines produced by Italian winemaker Matteo Corregia winery, does exactly that. The labels, designed by Milan-based agency Reverse Innovation, open to reveal a short story inside, complete with multiple pages that are bound together by a decorative strand of twine.

The short stories contained in the wine labels for Librottiglia wines are intended to match the style of the wine. Photo courtesy of Reverse Innovation.

As Country Living UK reports, the Librottiglia bottles are smaller than typical wine bottles, with enough wine for two glasses. The reason for this, the report states, is that the amount of time needed to finish two glasses of wine is about the same amount of time it takes to read one of the short stories. To create even more of a connection for the consumer, the Librottiglia website explains that each short story was assigned to a specific wine in the series to match the characteristics of that wine.

For example, Librottiglia explains "L'Omicidio" (Murder) is a murder mystery with a humorous twist that matches a light white wine. "La Rana nella Pancia" (The Frog in the Belly) is a fable that is assigned to a red wine that Librottiglia states has an "uncommon personality." Lastly, "Ti amo. Dimenticami" (I Love You. Forget Me) is a romance story that matches the "intense" red wine it serves as a label for.

According to the below video produced by Reverse Innovation, the label books are printed on uncoated textured paper and finished with a UV varnish.

The Making of Librottiglia from Reverse Innovation on Vimeo.

Packaging Perspective: Wine labels are often considered the most artistic platform in label printing. With so many superbly printed labels stacking the shelves, it’s an extremely daunting task to stand out from the competition. But, there’s a reason why Reverse Innovation has been racking up packaging awards since the launch of Librottiglia.

With seven separate packaging awards thus far, including a prestigious Red Dot Award for Communication Design, Reverse Innovation has caught the eye of the global packaging community, which recognizes this innovative application as far more than a novelty or gimmick.

What takes this label above and beyond isn’t necessarily its dual purpose as a book. Instead, it turns the wine bottle into both a conversation starter and a display piece. Despite how visually appealing a wine’s label might be, when the bottle is empty, it typically ends up in the trash. But I can certainly see a wine bottle that doubles as a book serving as a repurposed decoration for a kitchen shelf.

The Librottiglia wine labels are bound with a piece of yarn, adding a functional design element. Photo courtesy of Reverse Innovation.

Plus, as Reverse Innovation explains on its website, the product appeals to consumers who appreciate a collectible item. By making the wine's packaging a focal point of the product, Librottiglia has ensured that instead of consumers just picking up one bottle of wine, many will want to round out their collection and triple their purchase with all three varieties.