BY DANIELLE BEURTEAUX

ow do consumers know if a wine is really environmentally sustainable? With so many factors along the production chain that can impact the envi- ronment — from using pes- ticides in the vineyard to shipping heavy boxes of filled bottles long distances — creating and maintain- ing an ecologically sustainable pro- gram is a challenge more producers are accepting. Those efforts include packaging that’s sustainably produced, recy- clable and reusable. Eco-Packaging Last year, TricorBraun WinePak, a packaging producer based in Fair- field, Calif., began offering a certifi- cation to wineries that were using ecologically produced Ardagh Group ECO Series glass bottles, which are lighter weight, use recycled glass and are made in factories with Evolves clean-burning furnaces. If 90% of a winery’s bottles are ECO series, TricorBraun issued a certificate tes- tifying to its green practices. The wine industry might be slow to adopt The idea came from the winer- ies, says Heidi Cook, WinePak’s business development manager change, but environmentally sustainable based in Coquitlam, B.C., who wanted something to display in a tasting room that would show packaging choices are becoming more common. customers sustainable practices. “Most of it is good marketing and

34 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | May - June 2016 www.vwmmedia.com TricorBraun issues a certificate testifying to green practices to wineries that use 90% ECO series bottles, such as the Ardagh Group line shown here.

explains to their customer what ticularly if it helps them stand out stopped. (Both companies later they’re doing,” she says. “These from the crowd, but they often went into bankruptcy administra- bottles are sometimes more expen- lack the resources. Investing in tion.) Truett-Hurst has put the proj- sive and wineries are taking on the new packaging is a huge risk, ect on hold because it hasn't found burden of providing packaging at says Cynthia Sterling, principal of another manufacturer who can higher expense.” The program was Sterling Creativeworks based in make the bottles at the rate and only launched in Canada, although Napa, Calif. “The tiny producers quality it requires. TricorBraun has considered expand- don’t have a research and develop- Glass bottles aren’t going to dis- ing it to the United States. ment budget. The big ones do, but appear from wine shelves anytime they’re very cautious — and under- soon. For one, consumers associate APPETITE FOR RISK standably so.” glass with environmental sustain- A recent example is PaperBoy ability because it’s recyclable — but Larger producers have the Wines, a brand of Healdsburg, its weight and the cost of transport resources (but not necessarily the Calif.-based producer Truett-Hurst, and carbon footprint diminishes its risk appetite) to try a new prod- which was put, as the name eco-viability. Consumers also often uct, particularly if it means recon- implies, in paper bottles. But the associate a heavy glass bottle with figuring a large production facility. first manufacturer, GreenBottle, a premium product, says Sterling. Smaller producers might have the had problems with production. Switching to lighter glass means interest and be more willing to try The next producer had quality con- carefully rethinking the entire pack- something new and unusual, par- trol issues, and production was age design so that quality indicators aren’t lost. “What I’m hearing from clients is concern about finding the most ecologically sound options that will also let them project the AT A GLANCE right brand image,” she says. “With lighter-weight glass, we have to work harder in other parts of the Wine producers are adopting more green packaging choices. + packaging to convey quality, but it’s + Younger generations of consumers have high expectations of sustainability. a worthwhile tradeoff.” + Innovators are creating novel processes and new materials in response to the In Europe, directives adopted eco-packaging challenge. by the European Union compelled producers to reduce their carbon + Design plays an important role with new packaging in maintaining premium cues. footprint, and glass manufacturers looked for and created novel pro- duction methods that would cre- www.vwmmedia.com May - June 2016 | VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 35 ate lighter, yet durable, glass. The Celeste Ecova sparkling ADVENTUROUS IDEAS SPG Packaging, a Fairfield, wine bottle (SGP Packaging by Calif., subsidiary of global Verallia) is made with lighter yet There are some adventurous glass manufacturer Verallia, durable glass. companies that aren’t just reusing reviewed and adapted the conventional materials, but creat- entire production process to with friends, it reflects pre- ing entirely new ones. Ecovative, create its Ecova bottle line, mium wine.” based in Green Island, N.Y., has says Jean-Pierre Giovanni, One issue glass manu- pioneered a method of creating vice president and gen- facturers in the United packaging materials from myceli- eral manager. The cost States face is the lack um — basically, mushroom fungus savings of the bottles of a regular supply of — combined with clean agricul- is around 10%, and broken glass at a con- tural waste. The mycelium “eats” corporate wineries are sistent price, says the waste and makes new fibers, the biggest custom- Giovanni (SPG manu- which are then broken down and ers. The company cre- factures in France). put into molds. The mycelium ated a lighter bottle “It’s hard to run a grows around the molds, leav- at around 400 grams manufacturing opera- ing no air pockets, which means (the range is 400 to tion when you’re not a form-fitted packaging solution. 800 for sparkling wine) sure of supply. It’s The company offers a one-bottle that still has a premium getting better, but and a three-bottle shipper, with look and feel. “The there’s a lot of room options for horizontal or vertical bottle has a taller pres- for improvement in placement. The horizontal version ence, and all that adds the collection pro- has thermal protection; the verti- weight to it,” he says. cess so recycled glass cal doesn’t, but it’s less expensive. “When consumers have becomes available and They’ll also do custom designs for it on their dining tables can be reused.” large orders.

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36 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | May - June 2016 www.vwmmedia.com R The properties, says Ecovative co-founder Eben Bayer, are simi- lar to expanded polystyrene. The result is a product that’s made from waste, is compostable and recycla- ble — and even gives back to the soil. “All the materials we make for our packaging are home composta- ble. Lots of this packaging waste doesn’t end in recycling and trash, it doesn’t end up in parks and the ocean,” he says. “But if it does, it gives nutrients to the environment, not pollutants. It works with nature if it ends up there.” Tom Kandris, CEO of PackageOne in Sacramento, Calif., says that more wine customers are looking for eco-friendly packaging. “A lot of wine customers are earth-friendly,” he says. “Some are locked into tra- ditional approaches just because they don’t know what’s out there.” The company developed a corru- gated shipping box made with recy- cled cardboard that, in some cases, Ecovative’s single lay-down wine shipper, made from waste, is compostable and recyclable.

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38 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | May - June 2016 www.vwmmedia.com can eliminate the partition between on one of these displays. It looks “We need to invest more in the bottles. The bottles fit tightly into beautiful and natural,” says Mat- label printing and have a really good the box but, because there’s no thew Lerwill, PackageOne’s vice design to give correct cues to the cushioning, a brand owner needs president of marketing. consumer and the trade about the to be confident about the quality of quality and price,” says Sterling. the glass it’s using, and also con- CREATING PREMIUM CUES If a producer selects a lighter sider using labels that won’t scuff. bottle, the premium product and But they’ll realize the cost-savings Many consumers rely on the environmental cues can come from of using less materials. packaging to indicate wine quality. other packaging elements, she

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PackageOne’s in-store display units are made from forest, agricultural, textile and urban waste and can be made into almost any shape or design.

Eco-packaging decisions can extend to in-store marketing, too. PackageOne offers an in-store dis- play unit made from its own ECOR material that’s easy to assemble, light but with the strength to sup- port the weight of a display of bottles, is printable and recyclable. ECOR is made from forest, agricul- tural, textile and urban waste. It can 1-800-797-2772 be made into almost any shape or design, letting brands put a creative [email protected] spin on their displays. “You can put www.primeralabel.com 50 to 60 bottles of a standard Claret www.vwmmedia.com May - June 2016 | VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT 39 first became aware of around 2012. The traditional metal foil stamping on labels is not as popular as it once was, she says. “Not only is the foil on the label and into the system potentially toxic, but there’s a lot of waste at the printer. If you have a hot foil stamped border and parts of the brand name hot stamped, you have to use foil as big as the label, but only about 5% is transferred to the label and the rest goes into trash or recycling.” Part of the trend is labels eschewing designs like the traditional chateaux, a trend she says is due, in part, to younger consumers who are “more open” to unconventional packaging. “They don’t feel like they must have foil and traditional cues on the label itself,” Sterling says. The younger consumers have high expectations that the products they purchase will be sustainable, agrees Verallia’s Giovanni, and will push wine producers to adopt more environmental practices — slowly. “The wine industry has to be very conservative in adopting Carmel Road’s label by Sterling Creativeworks is printed on changes,” he says. “Some people are taking more risks FSC-certified paper and features sustainability as a key front than others; its moving along, but slowly. There’s a high label communication. [Photo by Pamela Reed] risk moving to something new because consumers might not recognize the brand anymore.” adds, like bottles with unusual designs. She mentions bottles with unique bases, or patterns embedded in the Danielle Beurteaux is a freelance writer based in glass that only become apparent once the contents are Brooklyn, N.Y., who writes about drinks, business, poured out. “They’re cool, wonderful and they speak to investing and technology for national magazines and craftsmanship,” she says. websites. More of her clients are opting for sustainably har- vested, FSC-certified paper for labels, too, a trend she Comments? Please e-mail us at [email protected].

THE LEGAL WRANGLING OF REFILLABLES

Wilridge Winery’s owner and (along with closures). The to convention and vested winemaker, Paul Beveridge, winery sanitizes and refills interests afraid of change was an environmental attor- the bottles, and is the first blocking the bill. ney before taking on winemak- winery in Washington state But customers love the ing full-time, so his adoption to have such a system program, he says. “They feel of green practices has a prec- since Prohibition. so proud of themselves for edent. “We consider ourselves The program is a bringing it back. It’s just the greenest winery in Wash- result of Beveridge put- like a milk bottle. Plus ington state,” he says. “What- ting his legal experi- they come back to the ever we can do, we do it.” ence to use and getting retail location.” Wilridge Winery, which is the state to agree to It’s also a cost sav- based Seattle and Yakima, allow refillable bottles. ings for the winery, he began offering refillable bottles But the liquor board says, which is passed for a red blend, a white blend only allows refills at along to the customer. and a seasonal variety in 2010. the winery. For three “The customer only Two formats are available: a years, Beveridge and pays for the deposit 1.5 L magnum and a 20 L keg. his cohort have had a once,” he says. “It lets There’s an $8 deposit for the bill (SB 5213) awaiting us compete with big- bottle and a $45 deposit for a vote that would let ger wineries that have the keg; customers can return retailers fill bottles as a much bigger economy either to a purchase point well. Beveridge points of scale.”

40 VINEYARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | May - June 2016 www.vwmmedia.com