http://www.packagingdigest.com/artic..._packaging.php

Perhaps more than any other alcoholic beverage, the packaging used for wine
was often viewed as an indicator of quality. Heavy, glass bottles were the
norm and served the wine industry for hundreds of years. However,
environmental and economic concerns have encouraged some in the industry to
shed some packaging weight.

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is one of the largest buyers of
wine in the world. Last year, the group announced bottles of wine that sell
for less than $15 must weigh less than 420g, which is about 20% lighter than
a standard bottle of wine, starting January 1, 2013.

"Environmentally-conscious manufacturers and retailers around the world are
reducing their carbon footprints and using packaging reduction as a key
element of their strategies," an LCBO spokesperson told PlasticsToday. "By
switching to lighter-weight bottles, the savings, both environmental and
economic, are significant."

In planning this initiative, LCBO held discussions with three of the major
wine trade associations in Ontario, and all indicated their support for this
initiative, the spokesperson said.

"More and more suppliers are seeing the benefits of switching to
lighter-weight glass, and have applauded the change as timely and a step in
the right environmental direction," the spokesperson said. "We have not
noticed any consumer resistance to purchasing these products because of
their light weight."

As many in the wine industry look to reduce packaging weight, some wine
producers are thinking outside the bottle.

While wine glass bottles are still the majority, the opportunity for
alternative packaging is increasing, said David Schuemann, owner and
creative director of CF Napa Brand Design, a firm specializing in branding,
which includes packaging and structural designs, for the wine, spirits, and
beer industries.

"There is a big change happening in the business, and the younger
generation, who are green conscious, are the ones leading it into the
future," he said. "Alternative packaging definitely has legs and it's here
to stay. I don't see it as a fast fad in any way."

Wines bottled, served in plastic

A few years ago, PET packaging suppliers jumped at the opportunity to
produce plastic bottles for the wine industry. Many wine producers from New
Zealand, the U.S., and France switched from glass bottles to plastic
bottles.

Weight savings, prevention of breakage, and recyclability are part of the
popularity of PET bottles.

When PET wine bottles first hit the market, it was "the talk of the town"
and the industry viewed it as a green alternative to heavy bottles,
Schuemann said.

However, PET wine bottles still face a unique set of challenges, he said.

"The PET bottles look quite small, and the consumer may not understand that
it is the standard size of wine," he said. "Also, the PET bottles preserve
the look of the original glass containers, and it can be difficult to
communicate to the consumer that it is actually an alternative,
environmentally-friendly package."

UK-based Wine Innovations is a fan of using plastic for wine; in fact, the
company states its PET glasses are the "best wine innovation since the
bag-in-box."

The company created the Tulip, a 187-ml PET, single-serve prefilled wine
glass with a peal-off foil lid. The wine is sealed using patented technology
to maintain wine quality and to give a shelf life of up to one-year.

"I came up with the idea when I was supplying security personnel to an
outdoor event, and wine was being served from a glass bottle into a small
plastic cup," said James Nash, creator of the Tulip. "After seeing this I
thought, 'there must be a better way'. People are always looking at ways to
innovate with wine."

The Tulip is designed for outdoor events, sporting events and festivals,
picnics and barbecues. With London hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics, Nash
said the company is hopeful the single-serve wine glass will have its best
year to date.

Pouches, cartons aim to make wine 'greener'

Schuemann said one of the latest packaging trends is wine served in pouches,
such as the Astrapouch, a wine package that stands up straight and flat, and
can hold the equivalent of two 750-ml bottles. Its resealable, one-way
plastic spout keeps opened wine fresh for up to a month in the fridge.

Napa Valley Design worked with Clif Family Winery on launching the
Astrapouch. The company had used bottles for its wine packaging, but wanted
a more eco-friendly packaging.

Schuemann said recent sales figures show the Astrapouch sales have outpaced
the company's glass bottle sales.

"It's a really good fit for their core demographic; outdoor enthusiasts of
all types who are environmentally aware," he said. "I think they love the
whole alternative feel."

Wine lovers shouldn't have to choose between quality wine and a healthy
planet, said Matthew Cain, owner of Yellow+Blue wines.

Cain has been in the wine business for years, and said the industry has been
somewhat behind on producing innovative packaging. He wanted his company to
find a way to lower costs for quality-conscious wine drinkers, along with
offering a greener package. As a result, all of the Yellow+Blue wines are
housed in Tetra Pak wine cartons.

The company states that a case of wine in glass can weigh 40-lb and hold 9
liters of wine - close to 50% wine and 50% packaging. A case of Yellow+Blue
weighs 26-lb and holds 12 liters of certified organic wine, which is about
93% wine and 7% packaging.

"Packaging doesn't make a wine good or bad; there is plenty of bad wine out
there in glass," he said. "We look at packaging to help achieve our business
goal of delivering high-quality wine to the market without an environmental
cost, we look at it as a solution rather than a gimmick."