Sipping on wine is one of the simple pleasures that we can indulge in every now and then. But what if we told you that there’s a particular wine that comes in a box that birds can live in when you’re done with it? Say hello to Companhia das Lezírias’ Tyto Alba wine – the only wine to have a wine bottle box bird house!
The wine’s name, Tyto Alba, is actually the scientific name of what we commonly know as the Barn Owl. Companhia das Lezírias named their product after them because they’ve got a beautiful history together. It is worth noting that Companhia das Lezírias has the largest livestock and forestry estate in Portugal. Which means that the company contributes largely to the country’s agricultural production. However, this isn’t their only contribution.
Companhia das Lezírias helped the Barn Owl population thrive
Being Portugal’s biggest agricultural contributor comes with great responsibility. Which is why Companhia das Lezírias is an active supporter of environmental researches and preservation projects. And one of these preservation projects involved helping the Barn Owl colony, which, at the time, had reached an alarmingly low population. To deal with this, the company installed nesting boxes throughout the forest for young owls to settle into. This situation enabled the company to ring and mark them with radio transmitters. The transmitters helped them learn more about the owls. And more importantly, to protect them.
Thanks to this initiative, they now have the largest resident colony in the world! In return, the owls have become Companhia das Lezírias vineyard protectors. The owls now protect the company’s crops from destructive pests, while keeping the eco-balance in check.
The winery created the wine bottle box bird house to further show their commitment towards conservation
“It was this connection between the vineyards, Companhia das Lezírias and the Barn Owl that inspired us to create the name and concept of Tyto Alba wines.” – Rita Rivotti
After seeing the positive effect of providing the owls with shelter, the company came up with a brilliant packaging concept. And the concept became a reality thanks to the talent of Rita Rivotti, who specializes in wine branding and design. The result of this collaboration is the simple yet elegant Tyto Alba wine that comes with a functional box bird house.
You can convert the Tyto Alba wine bottle box into a bird house after you consume the wine
Typically, the wine we buy from the supermarket rarely comes in boxes. Specially packaged wines are usually belong on the higher price points that casual drinkers shy away from. But you just might want to shell out bit more over your usual budget for the Tyto Alba. This wine won’t just help you get over your stressful day at work… You’ll also be helping birds find a proper nesting place!
This wine has won not one, but two prestigious design awards
The Tyto Alba comes in a plain wooden box that features only the debossed label and two differently-sized holes. You can see a Barn Owl peeking from the larger-sized holes. The owl is actually part of the bottle’s label, and the hole it’s peeking through will later function as the bird house’s entryway for its future resident(s). All you have to do to get the wine bottle out from its box is to slide open the front panel.
No element of the Tyto Alba will go to waste. The box becomes a bird house. And after you consume the wine, you can recycle the bottle into virtually anything…even as a ceiling lamp! There’s no denying that this packaging design is great. After all, it’s been recognized at the Pentawards in 2015, then again at the A’Design Awards in 2017.