A wine bottle made entirely from Australian-sourced 100% recycled PET plastic is helping to reshape the carbon footprint of wine by targeting the industry’s environmental hotspot, the glass bottle.
In a collaboration between sustainable packaging pioneers Packamama and leading Australian winemakers Taylors Wines and Accolade Wines, eco-bottles of Taylors’ One Small Step range and Banrock Station wines are now for sale, exclusively through select Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores nationally. The launch marks the Australian market debut of the eco-bottles.
With a nod to tradition, Packamama’s innovative eco-bottle shares the classic high-shouldered silhouette of a traditional ‘Bordeaux’ wine bottle. But when turned to the side, it reveals a slimmer, flatter profile that allows twice as many bottles to fit in a standard wine case – which means it’s much more efficient to transport. Using recycled PET also saves weight and with the bottles being 83% lighter, emissions in transport are reduced, as well as the energy used in production and recycling – further tackling greenhouse gas emissions. The freight-friendly bottle has the potential to significantly reduce the road transport burden and emissions for wine in Australia.
While the shape of the eco-bottle is a departure from the traditional round wine bottle, Packamama’s chief executive and founder Santiago Navarro is confident the time is right for Australian winemakers to respectfully challenge a couple of centuries of tradition: “Australia is globally recognised as a leader in wine packaging thanks to break-through innovations, including bag-in-box casks and screw-top caps for wines, and we are highly motivated to launch our climate-friendly bottle at Coles with Accolade Wines and Taylors Wines.”
It’s not just the environmental credentials of this bottle that set it apart though; the lighter, unbreakable recycled PET plastic bottle is much more convenient for picnics or popping in the esky on holiday.
Mia Lloyd, Coles Liquor Acting General Manager, Customer, Trade Planning & Insights said it was exciting to be at the leading edge of packaging innovation with the eco-bottle: “We know our customers want us to do more in relation to sustainability, and this exclusive collaboration with Liquorland, First Choice Liquor Market, Packamama, Taylors Wines and Accolade Wines significantly reduces the carbon footprint of wine for customers every day. The lightweight and flatter eco-bottle also gives our customers a convenient new option when they’re packing for that camping or caravan holiday”.
Taylors Wines’ third-generation Winemaker and Managing Director Mitchell Taylor said the eco-bottle delivered a more sustainable bottle for consumers and provided another way for wineries to improve their carbon footprint. “We know that Australian wine drinkers are very open to innovation when it provides real benefits, like this sustainable eco-bottle does. Australia led the global change from cork to screwcap, and Taylors was the first major producer to bottle all our wines under the closure. We believe Australians will again lead in adopting this more sustainable bottle.”
Banrock Station Eco-bottle Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, $16 a bottle
Taylors One Small Step Eco-bottle Chardonnay and Shiraz, $16 a bottle
– Jonathan
Jonathan Leeming is a wine industry professional who lives and breathes wine. He is currently undertaking a Diploma in Wines, works as a wine marketer by day, and writes about wine and hosts wine events in his free time. A member of Mensa and a hardcore dog lover, you can follow him at @jpleeming, LinkedIn, and Vivino.
Taylors’ One Small Step range and Banrock Station wines are available at select Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores nationally, and online.
Disclosure: The Plus Ones were invited guests of Dialogue PR.
Image credits: Jude Cohen, Blend PR & Dialogue PR.
