Sustainable Wine

Sustainability in Action: The Bottle Weight Accord 6 months later

At the end of May 2024, we marked the six-month anniversary of the SWR Bottle Weight Accord’s release with a reflective webinar. We discussed the progress and future of the Bottle Weight Accord, highlighting the advancements made, stories and experiences of our members, and our vision for the next phase of the Accord. Discover how the Accord is evolving to include both retailers and producers, expanding geographically, and fostering critical conversations around implementation. Speakers: ...

SWR Action Area Update: Viticulture, sustainability and the shift towards regenerative

In this short podcast Toby Webb, founder of the SWR, and head of research Dr Peter Stanbury provide a quick update on the work the SWR is doing in the sustainable viticulture space. Organic and biodynamic approaches aren't necessarily always possible or the best way forward for all vineyards, given factors such as weather conditions, terroir, and rainfall. The SWR is busy trying to understand what a principle-based approach to sustainable viticulture could look like and how we can move tow...

SWR Member Interview: How eco-design is evolving in France

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari speaks with Anne Laure Ferroir, director at Terra Vitis, and Morgane Le Breton, co-manager at Maison Le Breton. They discuss how eco-design is evolving in France, with a particular focus on light-weighting bottles and alternative packaging formats. Morgane shares how Maison Le Breton is approaching sustainable packaging, and Anne-Laure reflects on the initiatives she's seeing across Terra Vitis members. 

SWR Member Interview: Insights into the impact of B Corp certification

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari speaks with Emily Brighton MW, head of technical at North South Wines, the first UK wine distributor to receive B Corp accreditation. Emily achieved her Master of Wine title earlier this year, for which she wrote a research paper investigating the impact of B Corp certification on wine distributors. In this podcast they discuss the main findings of Emily's research and the key learnings and insights for others ...

SWR Action Area Update: What's next for the Global Reference Framework?

One of the key pillars of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable is to help raise the quality of information and understanding of what sustainability is in wine. The Global Reference Framework (GRF) aims to do exactly that, and in this short podcast Toby Webb, founder of the SWR, and head of research Dr Peter Stanbury provide a quick update on the workstream.  With over 70 sustainability standards globally relevant to the wine industry, the GRF aims to enable a transparent cross-comparison of all ...

SWR Action Area Update: What progress have we made with with the Bottle Weight Accord?

In this short podcast Toby Webb, founder of the SWR, and head of research Dr Peter Stanbury provide a quick update on the Bottle Weight Accord. They reflect on the progress made to date since the launch of the Accord six months ago, and look ahead to future milestones and next steps.  You can read more about the Accord and how to get involved here. This podcast is the first in a series of brief SWR action area updates we'll be publishing this month.

How German producers are collaborating to drive sustainability

Earlier this year at ProWein, the Sustainable Wine Roundtable's Richard Bampfield MW caught up with Fabian Kerbeck, sustainability and quality control lead at the VDP and Johannes Hasselbach from Weingut Gunderloch. Fabian and Johannes share what's happening in the German sustainable wine space, with a particular focus on the role of the VDP in promoting sustainability amongst its 200 members. They discuss the importance of collaboration, the need to move away from dogma towards a more fle...

SWR Member Interview: How to work with nature, not against it

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari speaks with Romain Ott, winemaker at the Provençal winery Château Léoube. Romain shares the estate's approach to sustainability, specifically their focus on organic viticulture and biodiversity. Romain underscores the importance of protecting and restoring nature through maintaining and regenerating what already exists: We need to work with the nature, help it and guide it, rather than trying to "recreate the en...

What is vitiforestry and how can it benefit the vineyard?

In this podcast Toby Webb, founder of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, talks with Etelle Higonnet. They discuss vitiforestry and it's potential and use in vineyards for management of climate risk and nature improvements. For more resources on vitiforestry, including a contact database, see here.    

SWR Webinar: Why join the Bottle Weight Accord?

The SWR Bottle Weight Accord now has 15 signatories with many more wine businesses, from retailers to producers, currently in the process of joining. The SWR Bottle Weight Accord is a voluntary collaboration in which signatories commit to reducing the average 750ml still wine bottle weight to below an average of 420 grammes by the end of 2026. At SWR we know this is not going to be easy. Our role is also to support members in making this happen. We will do this in two ways: Firstly, we’ll...

In brief: What is the SWR Bottle Weight Accord and why should you join?

In this short podcast Sustainable Wine Roundtable founder Toby Webb and head of research Dr Peter Stanbury discuss the Bottle Weight Accord. They explain what it is, why wine retailers and producers are signing up, and why you should too.

SWR Member Interview: What does the future hold for Margaret River wine?

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari speaks with Amanda Whiteland, CEO of Margaret River Wine Association (MRWA) in Western Australia.  Amanda explains what makes the region so unique for winemaking and shares more about MRWA and its sustainability initiatives. They discuss how climate change is affecting the region, how winemakers are adapting, and what the future looks like for Margaret River wine.  You can find MRWA's inaugural sustainability ...

Is trying to communicate sustainability to consumers a waste of time?

In this podcast Toby Webb, founder and executive director of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, and marketing consultant Joe Fattorini have a candid conversation about communicating sustainability to consumers. Toby, representing his personal views and not those of the SWR, takes a deliberately provocative stance. He kicks off the conversation by suggesting that communicating sustainability in today's wine industry "is a waste of time." Trying to communicate sustainability is too difficult at...

SWR Member Interview: Advancing sustainability through direct-to-consumer wine retail

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari speaks with Luke Landers, senior sustainability manager at online wine retailer Naked Wines UK. Luke explains how Naked Wines effectively cuts out the middleman and facilitates a direct connection between customers and winemakers. They discuss the key sustainability priorities for the retailer, how their unique model enables them to support winemakers and growers in sustainable production, and how they educate a...

SWR Labour Standards Workshop: Developing a human rights management process

The Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) is delighted to present an in-depth exploration of labour standards and human rights in the wine industry in our three-part workshop series. This workshop series aims to shed light on these pressing issues and initiate a collective effort towards their resolution. This final workshop from 21st November provides attendees with actionable insights to address labor rights challenges within their own businesses or functions. It aims to equip participants wi...

SWR Global Reference Framework Launch

SWR Labour Standards Workshop: Tools and experience from other sectors

The Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) is delighted to present an in-depth exploration of labour standards and human rights in the wine industry in our three-part workshop series. This workshop series aims to shed light on these pressing issues and initiate a collective effort towards their resolution. In this second part of the workshop from 2nd November, we build upon existing expertise in various industries, showcasing best practices and guidance applicable to the wine sector. Our esteem...

SWR Labour Standards Workshop: What are labour and human rights?

The Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) is delighted to present an in-depth exploration of labour standards and human rights in the wine industry in our three-part workshop series. This workshop series aims to shed light on these pressing issues and initiate a collective effort towards their resolution.  This inaugural session from 18th October 2023 explores the issues which are covered by the concept of human and labour rights. We cover topics such as forced and migrant labour, living wage s...

SWR Member Interview: Sustainable and ethical procurement at scale

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari is joined by Harriet Kininmonth, wine trading director, and George Kyle, head of ESG, from C&C Group. C&C Group is a multinational drinks manufacturing, marketing and distribution company. As George says, it's "probably the largest alcohol brand and distribution business that people don't know about." George shares the group's approach to sustainable and ethical procurement, and Harriet provides insights into h...

SWR launches the Bottle Weight Accord

On Tuesday, 10th October 2023, the Sustainable Wine Roundtable officially launched the SWR Bottle Weight Accord.   The launch followed a 6-month in-depth study into wine bottle weight reduction, which was co-funded by SWR retailer members Alko (Finland), Lidl GB (UK), Systembolaget (Sweden), The Wine Society (UK) and Whole Foods Market (USA). The SWR ‘Bottle Weight Accord’ is focused on the light weighting of 750ml still wine bottles with the initial target to reduce the current average bo...

Fictional case study: What a carbon positive wine would look like from vine to post-consumption

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 “How to turn climate mitigation and adaptation into business opportunity”  conference from 1st February 2023. Fictional case study: What a carbon positive wine would look like from vine to post-consumption In this short session, we consider how grapes from harvest will be consumed sustainably by 2030, including the all important packaging and distribution aspect. We look at how a regenerative, circular wine s...

SWR Member Interview: How a leading wine company is implementing end-to-end sustainability

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari talks to Michael Parks, director of sustainability at Treasury Wine Estates (TWE). TWE is an Australian winemaking and distribution business with global operations. Michael shares how sustainability is embedded throughout the business and the progress they have made on climate action. They also discuss how TWE is helping its growers transition to sustainable practices, the role of certification, and how to promo...

Carbon insetting and nature enhancement in wine

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) webinar from 26th July, 2023 our expert speakers discuss the role of carbon insetting and nature enhancement in the wine industry and what part the SWR can play.  Key discussion points include: What do we mean by insetting?  How are carbon and nature enhancement linked?  What is the landscape approach? How would that work?  What is wine's unique advantage in this space?  What might an SWR role be? Challenges and opportunities  Discussion of n...

SWR Member Interview: Why cork is making a comeback

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari talks to Carlos de Jesus, director of marketing & communications at Amorim Cork, the world's largest producer and supplier of cork stoppers. Cork is often referred to as one of the most sustainable materials in the world. Carlos explains why, sharing how the harvesting of cork contributes to environmental, economic and social sustainability. They also discuss the role of certification, recycling, and why cork wi...

Supply chain data collection, how will unified approaches transform sustainability performance?

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 "How to turn climate mitigation and adaptation into business opportunity"  conference from 1st February 2023. Supply chain data collection, how will unified approaches transform sustainability performance? Big players in wine, such as retailers, want to take a consistent approach to the sustainability data they ask for from importers, distributors, producers and other suppliers. This makes sense and can also ...

SWR Member Interview: High quality wines and sustainability in Germany

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari talks with Fabian Kerbeck, sustainability and quality control lead at the VDP in Germany. The VDP is a German wine group representing many of the country's top producers (around 200) with strict member requirements on quality and sustainability. Hanna and Fabian discuss the VDP's sustainability agenda, milestones, and more.

Dourakis Wines: Climate adaptation and indigenous grapes in Crete

Sustainable Wine’s Toby Webb recently visited Dourakis Winery in Chania, Crete where he spoke with oenologist Adonis Dourakis. In this podcast Adonis shares more about their wines and how climate change is impacting indigenous grapes in the region. They discuss the current state of grape growing in Greece, how growers are adapting to the changing climate, and the future of regenerative viticulture in Crete.

Wine’s original sin, debunking myths, and debating reality

In this podcast Sustainable Wine's Toby Webb is joined by Joe Fattorini, marketing consultant, and Dr Peter Stanbury, head of research, SWR, for an honest conversation on the realities of sustainability. In this first part of a mini-series on debunking myths in wine, they debate trends and facts, and discuss consumer research, myths, hypocrisy, and more.

What will a sustainable vineyard and winery look like in 2030?

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. What will a sustainable vineyard and winery look like in 2030? This session offers both a summing up of what we learned during the event, and a look forward into the future. Technology cannot save us, but we know it will help a lot. But cultural change around existing practices also matters. How will these factors combine, in that wa...

In the winery: Sustainable design, and building efficiency

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. In the winery: Sustainable design, and building efficiency It’s clear that applying modern design and thinking to wineries can make them look beautiful. It can also, and usually does, hugely improve energy efficiency. But most wineries don’t get the chance to rebuild from the ground up, given the cost.  So which are the changes which...

In the winery: Energy use and Capturing CO2 – should you do it?

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. In the winery: Energy use and Capturing CO2 – should you do it? A handful of wineries around the world are capturing and re-using or storing CO2. In this session we ask why, although we know part of the answer (climate change). but also, how much does it cost to do so? What does it cost to capture – and re-use - CO2, and what are the...

In the winery: Water use

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. In the winery: Water use We’ve all been to wineries, or worked in them, and seen the endless hoses, doing important work helping managing hygiene and wine quality. But how clear are we about what represents best practice in winery water use? On the one hand no-one likes to waste water, but on the other, it is not always competitively...

In the vineyard: Agroforestry and regeneration

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. In the vineyard: Agroforestry and regeneration Do vineyard operators understand what agroforestry means for vineyards? How can such practices tackle climate change and add to regeneration? In this session our speakers discuss the benefits and practices that make a difference. Speakers Nicolas Daspres, Programme Coordinator, Terra V...

In the vineyard: Water and irrigation

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. In the vineyard: Water and irrigation “We’ll run out of water before climate change gets us”. So said the owner of a leading Spanish producer at a London event recently. Nothing focuses the minds on climate change quite like extended drought. It’s clear we can’t really separate the two. So what are the emerging better practices on w...

In the vineyard: How does sustainability regenerate vineyards without organics?

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. In the vineyard: How does sustainability regenerate vineyards without organics? Those who work in sustainable viticulture know that organics are not the solution to sustainable vineyards at scale. So without spending our time knocking organics, we focus this session on answering the question: “What does sustainability in vineyards, a...

What are the regulatory, business case, and investor drivers for sustainability?

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023  “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. What are the regulatory, business case, and investor drivers for sustainability? Large wine retailers, as high profile companies exposed to climate risk, investor interest and millions of customers, understand the drivers for sustainability change. But smaller companies, outside some large producer groups in wine, face less scrutiny ...

Can sustainability make vineyards and wineries more profitable? Practical examples

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030”  conference from 3rd May 2023. Can sustainability make vineyards and wineries more profitable? Practical examples In this opening session, we avoid cliched leadership speeches and dive right into real life practical examples of HOW sustainability in practice has delivered for wine businesses, both in the fields and in production. Speakers: Dom de Ville, Director...

Optimising labour and human capital in vineyards and wineries

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 “The sustainable vineyard and winery in 2030” conference from 3rd May 2023. In this pre-event workshop, we discuss how the wine sector can tackle important labour and human rights issues in wine. We look at the drivers, incentives and business case to do so, and focus on how SWR can work with members to deliver a practical programme that meets retailers needs whilst focusing on better outcomes for vineyard and...

SWR Member Interview: Learnings from a regenerative organic trial in Paso Robles

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari talks with Caine Thompson, managing director at Robert Hall Winery and O'Neill Vintners & Distillers. Robert Hall is currently running an industry first comparative study of sustainable vs regenerative vineyard management. Caine and Hanna discuss what regenerative means to Robert Hall, the learnings of the study so far, as well as why O’Neill pursued B-Corp certification.

SWR Member Interview: Transparency in tackling carbon emissions

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Toby Webb talks with Dom de Ville, director of sustainability and social impact at The Wine Society. The Wine Society recently published a carbon footprint report. In this podcast Dom gives a breakdown of the Society's carbon footprint calculations, their reduction targets, and how the Society is planning to achieve these. Toby and Dom discuss the importance of bottle weight reduction, the potential of insetting, the ambitio...

Alternative packaging formats and social acceptance

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 "How to turn climate mitigation and adaptation into business opportunity"  conference from 1st February 2023. Alternative packaging formats and social acceptance Alternative packaging is a broad spectrum for consumers. Some of it is really appealing, whilst some looks straight out of the 1970s. Design will be key in driving consumer demand but so will ‘choice editing’ and preferential shelf space by retailers...

Where are we headed with bottle weight reduction?

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 "How to turn climate mitigation and adaptation into business opportunity"  conference from 1st February 2023. Bottle weight reduction Bottle weight reduction is happening, but not nearly fast enough. So how are groups such as SWR accelerating the process? What are some timescales and upcoming requirements from retailers? How can change be supported across the value chain? How will reduction plans be best alig...

So you understand the need to tackle emissions: How do you get started?

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 "How to turn climate mitigation and adaptation into business opportunity"  conference from 1st February 2023. So you understand the need to tackle emissions: How do you get started? Climate strategies must be part of a holistic sustainability strategy, which is more than a few web pages featuring babydoll sheep, alternative packaging pilots and diversity initiatives. Starting with climate change is a good way...

Strategy in action: Real life examples of climate innovation creating business opportunity

This is a recording of a panel session from the SWR Global Conference Series 2023 "How to turn climate mitigation and adaptation into business opportunity"  conference from 1st February 2023. Strategy in action: Real life examples of climate innovation creating business opportunity The science and impacts of climate change are clear, and do not need debating here. What we do need to urgently consider is how wine businesses can turn mitigation and adaptation into opportunity. In this sessio...

SWR Thought Leadership Series: Crus Bourgeois raising sustainability standards in the Médoc

In this Sustainable Wine podcast Toby Webb sits down with Franck Bijon, president of the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc. Located in the Médoc in Bordeaux, France, around 250 châteaux are part of the classification, with most of them family-owned. Looking ahead to the future of sustainable wine in the region, Franck shares the sustainability targets of the classification. They discuss labor issues, organic viticulture, QR codes on wine bottles, consumer engagement, and more.

SWR Member Interview: Towards a sustainable, egalitarian, and inclusive wine industry in Argentina

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari  talks with Magdalena Pesce, general manager at Wines of Argentina.  They discuss the biggest sustainability challenges and opportunities in the country, and how Wines of Argentina is helping wineries navigate the changing landscape. They also highlight the important work of the Women of Argentina Platform. Magdalena shares how the organization is working to advance equal opportunities and strengthen the role o...

SWR Member Interview: Sustainability in the Southern Rhône

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR) Member Interview podcast Hanna Halmari talks with Marie Fourure, CSR manager at Famille Perrin, a leading organic wine grower in the Southern Rhône Valley in France. They discuss the family's global sustainability strategy, how climate change is affecting the their vineyards and wine making processes, the renovation work taking place at Château de Beaucastel, and more.

How is Ridge Vineyards adapting to California’s warming climate?

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable podcast Tom Owtram speaks with David Gates, Senior VP of Vineyard Operations at Ridge Vineyards in California. Ridge Vineyards is the largest grower of organically certified grapes in Sonoma County and in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation. David shares an overview of the winery's farming philosophy and why they decided to transition to organic farming in 2008. They discuss the key challenges in the conversion, the impact of climate change in the vineya...

Randall Grahm’s key sustainability principles in the vineyard: Integrity and differentiation

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable podcast Tom Owtram speaks with Randall Grahm, winemaker and founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard in California. Grahm has recently purchased a vineyard site in San Juan Bautista, which he calls Popelouchum, (the Mutsun word for “paradise"). Randall shares his journey in wine and how he began working with the Rhône varieties that he helped make so popular in California. They discuss Randall's philosophy in the vineyard, his definition of sustainability in the vi...

Land stewardship in Napa Valley: In conversation with Spottswoode Winery

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable podcast Tom Owtram speaks with Beth Novak Milliken, president and CEO, and Aron Weinkauf, vineyard manager and winemaker, of Spottswoode Winery in Napa Valley, California. As one of the first vineyards to have adopted organic farming in Napa Valley, Spottswoode has also incorporated biodynamic practices and will soon be Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC).  They discuss the direction of sustainability within the wine industry, climate change adaptation a...