Organic Wine Projected to Grow
Sustainable frost prevention methods
The global organic wine market is projected to grow significantly (11.3%), driven by younger consumers associating organic wines with higher quality and aligning with their values, particularly in the U.S. and Europe. Casella Family Brands (Yellow Tail) achieves Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification - representing 16% of all exports. The circular economy gains steam, a look at sustainable frost mitigation efforts, including doing nothing at all. Felton Road’s Nigel Greening’s quest for carbon zero - offsets not included.
Marketing
Global: According to a recent report by InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd., the organic wine market was valued at US$9.84 billion in 2021 and is set to reach US$25.07 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 11.3%. The Drinks Business
Both InsightAce and the IWSR highlight a key factor: younger consumers view organic wines as being of higher quality and more aligned with their values compared to older generations.
This sentiment resonates particularly strongly in the US, where 30% of Millennial wine drinkers link organic wines with high quality.
While the IWSR highlights Germany and Sweden as mature organic wine markets, InsightAce points to North America as another key growth area.
The US, as the third-largest consumer of organic red wine globally in 2021, has seen a noticeable shift from conventional to organic options.
In related news, the president of Millésime BIO’s organizing committee, Jeanne Fabre, suggests organic wine is better placed to weather an oversupply in the global market, you can listen to the interview here. Largely due to organic producers selling through more independent channels, less reliant on large retailers.
US: For the first time, the Regenerative Organic Certified® label is launching a national campaign, "Heal the Earth, Nourish your Life.™" with consumers so that awareness and demand for Regenerative Organic Certified® products can scale. Press release via Wine Industry Advisor
The campaign will include paid social, digital banner ads, and thought leadership articles highlighting farmers and producers who are committed to restoring soil health, protecting animal welfare, and promoting social fairness, from food to fashion.
Austria: The vineyard area certified by the Austrian sustainability program ‘Nachhaltig Austria’ now totals circa 12,000 ha/30,000 ac. Meininger’s International
According to the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (ÖWM), this area is now twice as large as it was in 2019.
The number of certified wineries has tripled during the same period. As a result, 27% of the vineyard area in Austria is now sustainably certified.
A quarter of the vineyards in the country are also certified organic, with one in ten vineyards being farmed biodynamically, according to the ÖWM.
Around 380 measures in nine sustainability areas are assessed: Quality, Social, Economy, Climate, Materials, Energy, Soil, Biodiversity, and Water.
For successful certification, at least seven of the nine areas must be green, with a maximum of two allowed to be yellow.
A fundamental requirement for certification is the avoidance of glyphosate—other herbicides are theoretically permitted, but no herbicide application is carried out on 83% of the certified areas (compared to 70% in 2019).
San Luis Obispo, California: Sunny Spot Vineyards, Gina and Mikey Guigni’s 32 acre vineyard on the SLO Coast became Demeter certified, making it the first vineyard in the SLO Coast AVA to be officially biodynamic. Biodynamic Wines & Vines
Australia: Casella Family Brands (CFB) has gained Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification for its wineries, vineyards and grape supply. Harpers
The change means that wines produced across CFB’s portfolio, including Yellow Tail label, Peter Lehmann Wines, Morris of Rutherglen and Brand’s Laira, will have the new certification.
CFB wines account for 16% of those exported from the country.
Packaging
Modesto, California: Gallo Glass has secured funding for its hybrid electric glass furnace project. Glass International
The glass manufacturer secured more than $2.7 million (of the total project federal cost share of up to $75 million) to begin Phase 1 activities.
The funding was from the US Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) fund.
It is expected to reduce natural gas use by up to 70% and increase recycled content in its glass bottle production process.
Global: The World Economic Forum (WEF), University of Cambridge and Bain & Company's Circular Transformation of Industries (CTI): Unlocking Economic Value report confirms 75% of businesses now consider circular solutions a top priority, a 40% increase in three years. Sustainability Magazine
The study interviewed 420 executives from 10 global manufacturing industries and dives into how circularity enhances revenues and cost saving while remaining sustainable.
The CTI report highlights how circular partnerships, lifespan extension, circular feedstock, capacity sharing and material innovation can be strategic in the race to become fully sustainable.
Global: Visual Capitalist reminds us how big a problem single use plastic is - The US, the world’s largest plastic polluter, recycles 5% of its household plastic waste.
Around the world, the situation is slightly better, but a staggering 91% of plastic waste is still incinerated, landfilled, or mismanaged (e.g. dumped into the ocean).
The recycling system is deeply flawed. Most plastics are incompatible, making sorting costly and inefficient.
Only PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) are widely recycled.
The economics of recycling are also stacked against success. Virgin plastic, often subsidized by fossil fuel subsidies, is cheaper than recycled plastic.
Global: Kraft-Heinz has launched a competition seeking flexible food packaging solutions that are either recyclable, compostable, long-lasting and /or consumer friendly. Food Navigator
Amity, Oregon: Brooks announces the launch of its reusable bottle program in partnership with Revino. Press release via Wine Industry Advisor
The 2023 Janus Pinot Noir is Brooks’ first wine in Revino reusable wine bottles.
Buyers can return the bottles to Brooks or a Revino return location to be washed and reused. Revino has a return map to find the most convenient return location.
These bottles offer emissions reductions of up to 85% compared to single-use bottles and can be refilled up to 50 times, breaking even on carbon emissions after the third reuse.
Consumers can earn Brooks’ green loyalty points to support sustainability efforts and earn perks at winery.
The grant – part of $1.43 million for wine packaging, safe drinking water, and energy efficiency in commercial fishing to 15 small and medium sized Australian enterprises – will support Packamama’s efforts to test the technical and commercial viability of creating sustainable packaging for Australian wines, including for some premium wines and longer shelf-life commercial wines.
Viticulture
Global: An interesting look at the more sustainable frost prevention methods used globally – including doing nothing at all. The Drinks Business
The traditional methods of candles (and smudge pots) are being reduced both due to the intensive labor required and smoke pollution.
Anti-frost sprinklers are becoming more popular – they are low energy (compared to other methods), can be activated automatically and require little to no labor.
They do require a sizeable investment to install, and are a non-starter in water parched regions – although water saving systems do exist that can reduce water use by 50%.
Windmills or fans are another sustainable option – they are energy efficient and said to be effective on both radiation frosts, and advection frosts.
They are fairly energy efficient the ‘Tow and Blow’ fan for one hour consumes around 12 liters of diesel – less than half the 25-35 liters of fuel said to be required to run some other fans for an hour, cutting costs and, of course, emissions.
Moving mobile fans in place in time to fight frosts is a drawback, as is the noise.
The cost of fighting the frost (it can run €500–€600 per night) must make sense; in some regions like Chile average grape prices seldom pass US$0.50 per kilo.
Others, where grape prices are high enough for it to make sense like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s (DRC) are doing nothing.
2021 marked the first time DRC used candles, they did not seem keen to try them again.
The estate is reluctant to try other methods, according to De Villaine: “Are we still going to be making Romanée-Conti in 10 years’ time if we have heating wires through the vines, or are we going to skip vintages?” The answer to both of those questions was a resounding “No.”
One effective, low-tech solution practiced across Burgundy, and by DRC is late winter pruning, which delays budbreak.
Over the last few years this product has undergone trials. On 7 January the French publication Vitisphere reported the results.
The algae were first tested in Italy in a vineyard artificially inoculated with downy mildew.
It was 85% effective in managing the mildew whereas the copper-based fungicide commonly referred to as Bordeaux mixture was 94% effective.
The product then underwent field trials in Langon and Fronsac in south-west France.
These trials showed using Immunrise in addition to conventional treatments such as those including copper allowed growers to reduce their use of conventional treatments by around two-thirds without affecting yield.
If trials continue to go well, the company expects this product to be approved for commercial use in 2029.
Transportation
California: California has withdrawn its request for a federal waiver to implement the state’s Advanced Clean Fleets rule. Freight Waves
The most pressing requirement under the ACF was to be the rule that only zero-emission vehicles could be added to the state’s drayage registry starting Jan. 1, 2025.
It was withdrawn in advance of the incoming Trump administration.
Energy Use
Global: ExoTechnologies (Douglas, Isle of Man, U.K.) and renewable energy company Ventum Dynamics (Stavanger, Norway) have announced the launch of a fully recyclable wind turbine. Composites World
Enabled by ExoTechnologies’ natural fiber-reinforced thermoplastic Danu composite, the market-ready turbine is set to debut in 2025.
The use of Danu is said to eliminate waste at the end of the wind turbine’s life cycle, reduce CO2 emissions during production.
Greenwashing
New York City: A judge dismissed New York City's lawsuit seeking to hold Exxon Mobil, BP, and Shell liable for misleading the public about their products, and their commitment to renewable energy and fighting climate change. Reuters
In a decision, state Supreme Court Justice Anar Patel said the city could not claim its climate-conscious residents were sensitive to how fossil fuels cause climate change, only to then be duped by the oil companies' failure to disclose how their fossil fuel products contributed to it.
Many U.S. state and local governments have sued oil companies over climate change, including the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Legislation
Jackie Brian, chief executive officer at Australian Organic Limited, emphasized that the bill would put in place a degree of consumer protection that is “desperately needed.”
Sustainability
Chile: An interview with Emiliana’s head of sustainability, Sebastián Tramón. The Drinks Business
Founded in 1986, Emiliana made the move to organic in 1998, and its certified organic vineyard holdings now stretch to 1,150 hectares across Chile’s strip, from Casablanca, Colchagua and Cachapoal, to more recent acquisitions in Maule and Bío-Bío down south.
The first estate in Chile to pursue organic and later biodynamic certification, Emiliana’s range spans 11 different labels, including Coyam – Chile’s first premium organic wine – and Gê, the country’s first certified biodynamic release.
In 2011, Emiliana attained Fairtrade certification.; in 2023, it was the first winery in Chile to obtain Regenerative Organic Certification; in 2024 it became a B Corp.
The estate is working towards ensuring that 100% of its packaging is reusable, compostable or recyclable by 2025, and that 100% of the electricity used in its vineyards and wineries is from renewable sources by 2026.
Carbon Footprint
Central Otago, New Zealand: An interview with Nigel Greening, the owner of acclaimed Felton Road on his quest for carbon neutrality. Wine-searcher
His goal is zero carbon – without offsets – originally targeted for 2030; now pushed to maybe 2035.
They have 100% electric vehicles, and autonomous aerial vehicles for vineyard spraying (drones).
They've had lightweight bottles of 417g for about 10 years, and in 2025 will go down to 390g; "as light as you can get without a new invention. Further carbon reductions via bottles would need glass suppliers to use electric furnaces, or bio methane furnaces.
The same for shipping. "Until there are atomic-powered big container ships, we're a bit stuck. When we get down to 270 tons it will be crunch point."
30% of Felton Road's sales are direct to customers, and they subcontract all that to a fulfillment company. Some 55-60 tons of carbon are attached to fulfillment of direct sales, says Greening. "Luckily we're spending a lot with the fulfillment company, and we asked them to do it by sea, and they said yes." The road part at each end can be by train, partly anyway. They get a carbon estimate from the logistics company, and after staff, it's the biggest single cost.
"People are used to getting wine two weeks after ordering. Now in Australia we do two deliveries a year to private customers. We lost virtually no sales. Though we had a few angry flat-earthers saying we're woke and have jumped on climate myths."
Climate Change
US: Vine Pair’s 6th podcast in its series on Wine and Climate Change focuses on Climate Change & Wine Quality.
Diversity & Equity
Global: Samantha Maxwell pens a piece for Salon (via Foodprint) highlighting why treating workers well is a key part of being sustainable.
She spotlights Garden Creek in Sonoma who provide housing not just for their workers but for their workers’ families as well and have done so since 1964.
Not only is this advantageous for the workers, but it’s also proved beneficial for the Wärnelius-Millers (Garden Creek’s owners) — particularly when blazing fires have threatened their vineyards and on-site employees jumped in to protect the vines.
At Feudi di San Gregorio in Campania, Italy, owner Antonio Capaldo wanted to ensure his workers weren’t just employed for a season but rather on a full-time basis.
Of the winery’s 120 workers, most hold traditional full-time positions. However, 30 to 40 of those workers are employed on a framework called “bank of hours.” At some points in the year, particularly around harvest time, these employees are working overtime. During less busy times of the year, though, they may be doing less work, sometimes only working three days a week. Despite their varied schedule, they’re still paid a fixed monthly salary.
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