Estal already made waves with Hot Rod: a spirits bottle devoid of a finish ring—the first of its kind. Continuing in the less-is-more aesthetic, the Spanish glassmaker is now targeting the wine market with Sommelier, where the finish ring is replaced by a thin groove carved into the glass.
The transition between the bottle’s neck and mouth is streamlined to give it a more contemporary look, while the groove takes on new functions: as a guide for the blade used to cut the capsule that results in a clean cut and as an anti-drip ring. Available in a variety of shapes for all types of wines, the collection includes references such as Emblem, Essentia, Espiga, the slender Espiga or the generously shaped Opéra and the new ring offers industrial scale production without requiring any specific adaptations.
"The bottle’s internal silhouette, its height, weight and speed of production remain unchanged. The Sommelier ring complies with the Cetie standard and our customers can continue using their usual caps and closures," explains the glassmaker. "The new ring system also allows brands to decorate the entire bottle, neck included, via direct printing.”
While the Sommelier ring can be adapted to a standard wine bottle, it is also suited to different types of glass containers for the fine-foods segment, including oil bottles or jars. Several estates have already opted for the Sommelier ring, including Château Margüi, which was acquired in 2017 by via Skywalker Vineyards, an investment company majority owned by director George Lucas.
