Wine Enthusiast: How did the conversations to launch Chill Ya Jolo begin? Are there any insights that fueled this decision?

Andrea Cabib: “As soon as I became CEO of Badia a Coltibuono, I analyzed the wine range and the audiences it was addressing. All the wines were exceptional, with a common thread tied to respect for the land and the native grape varieties of Chianti. This has been a strong pillar that has supported the winery for many years and has built an extraordinary brand like Badia a Coltibuono.

I realized, however, that in such a complex and fragmented market as today’s, it was necessary to create new pillars to give the brand further strength and expand its customer base by intercepting new consumers and trends.

On one side, we carried out a rebranding of the historic Chianti Classico and Riserva labels, returning to the beauty and heritage of Coltibuono’s past labels, to convey even more deeply the history of Coltibuono. At the same time, we moved in a very innovative direction with a project designed to reach new consumers and a new market.

After discussions with Maurizio Castelli, Coltibuono’s long time winemaker, the idea was born to create a fresh red wine with soft tannins, low alcohol, and perfect to be enjoyed chilled. The chosen grape variety was Ciliegiolo, historically part of the Chianti Classico recipe. The bottle had to be transparent, to emphasize freshness, showcase the beautiful color, and position the wine on the shelf next to rosés and whites rather than reds.

The wine also needed a fresh and playful image to match its style. That’s how, almost by chance and together with our friends at Dalla Terra who represent us in the US, the name “Chill Ya Jolo” was born a fun play on words. The wine is chill by its very essence. Nome omen!”

• What factors did you consider in the packaging?

“For the packaging we wanted a pop look. The name was pop, so the label had to be too. The ladybug has always been considered a symbol of good luck, and here at Coltibuono you often see them flying among the vineyards and in the abbey’s garden. Our ladybug is cheerful but also unusual and original, it has to surprise, just like the wine.

At the start, we created two different versions of the label. They were so beautiful that we decided to use both. The wine would have no capsule, because for a wine so pop, less is more. To complete the circle, we designed playful cartons featuring a large, joyful ladybug. We thought about how in many by-the-glass venues cartons are often visible and used for décor, and ours, placed side by side, are simply irresistible.”

• What did you consider essential stylistically?

“The wine had to deliver immediate pleasure. The enjoyment begins with the eyes: the color of our Ciliegiolo is extraordinary, the label conveys cheerfulness and sparks curiosity. The wine is easy to love, by everyone. It’s perfect chilled as an aperitif, with a sandwich, pizza, pasta, white meat or even fish. Chill Ya Jolo is the wine that didn’t exist before.”

• How are younger consumers reacting?

“Consumers of all ages have embraced it enthusiastically. It’s a wine that, in a very contemporary way, highlights a historic Tuscan native grape—tradition and innovation in the right balance. That is the secret.”

• Is there anything you would change/or any learnings you will take with you into future brand or product development?

“The lesson is that you always need to dare. Tradition and innovation can work together beautifully, and this duality generates powerful energy for growth. And this is exactly the spirit behind Coltibuono’s next idea…”