Barbadillo refreshes the RTD category with canned Rebujito

Published June 21, 2023

The Spanish RTD market is set to be shaken up by the launch of Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito: a sophisticated pre-mixed wine cocktail from Bodegas Barbadillo, S.L. in the specialised Wine Can from Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP).

A rebujito is a long mixed drink enjoyed at springtime holidays and festivals in the southern Spanish region of Andalucia. In the traditional context, revellers mix Manzanilla wine with lemonade or lemon-lime soda and enhance its zingy impact with a sprig of peppermint. New Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito (4.9% ABV), which is filled by Refresco Iberia, now offers a perfect version of this exciting cocktail in a convenient pre-mixed format for the first time.

Bringing this superbly fresh and unusual drink to rebujito lovers and first-timers alike is eminent family firm Bodegas Barbadillo: a household name that has been around for over 200 years and renowned internationally for its Manzanilla wines, sherries and brandies. The slim can shows off a cool, summery design in turquoise and white by young designer Antonio López, and at 250ml it’s the ideal single-serve for this kind of party beverage. But Barbadillo’s choice of this pack is not just about looks: AMP’s pioneering Wine Can has been specifically designed to protect the delicate properties of wine and wine-based drinks. The fantastic, complex flavours of Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito depend on preserving the distinctive personality of its base of Manzanilla.

Unique to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Manzanilla is made from Palomino Fina grapes grown in very light albariza soil, and aged in oak casks under a character-giving layer of yeasts known as veil de flor. Manzanilla makes the rebujito incredibly special – truly expressive of the region where it originates – and sets Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito apart from more generic types of product on the current RTD market such as sangrias.

José Manuel García Córdoba, head of the Barbadillo Mixed project at Bodegas Barbadillo, commented: ‘We know how popular the rebujito is among Manzanilla drinkers, so we decided to make life easier for both the on-trade and the consumer by preparing a rebujito for them, Barbadillo-style. To make things even easier we chose the AMP Wine Can for the packaging format, as it’s quick to chill, has excellent sustainability credentials, is easy to open, hold and carry – and importantly, respects all the precious qualities of the drink. Now everyone can enjoy a delicious moment of freshness at any time of day, anywhere they like. It’s a revolution!’

Gerlof Toenhake, Director Regional Sales at Ardagh Metal Packaging – Europe, said: ‘How great that Barbadillo are leveraging the benefits of our wine can and launching this cutting-edge RTD to the market under their iconic name. It’s really exciting to see a regional speciality drink celebrated and made much more widely accessible, and we’re delighted to have partnered with Barbadillo to make it happen.’

Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito is available in the on- and off-trade throughout Spain, and from Bodegas Barbadillo’s online shop.