Sustainable Wine

Regulation, sustainability, consumer preferences, availability, cost…wine companies face a growing number of considerations when it comes to packaging decisions. How can companies navigate the varying trade-offs and identify the most optimal form of packaging for their products and target markets? This is exactly what SWR’s Packaging Choice Tool is designed to help companies do. In this From the Roundtable episode I’m joined by SWR’s Dr Peter Stanbury, who shares the latest updates on the tool we’re currently developing in partnership with Wine Australia. We also briefly discuss the responses we’ve received to date from the Sustainable Vineyard Practice Survey that we launched earlier this year. We want to understand what sustainable viticulture and labour actually look like on the ground around the world, and encourage growers to complete the survey. It’s completely anonymous, open to all participants, and takes about 15 minutes to complete. You can find the survey here.

In this SWR Member Interview Podcast, I’m joined by David Bryngelsson, CEO and founder of CarbonCloud , a platform that helps food and beverage companies map, measure and reduce value chain emissions. Amid mounting compliance requirements and reporting burdens, David highlights the opportunities that come from taking action on Scope 3 emissions. Companies that engage in decarbonisation and value chain collaboration can build resilience while strengthening their position as preferred suppliers. We discuss the biggest challenges in carbon measurement in the wine industry, what makes a carbon footprint credible, and best practice for supplier engagement. We also explore the importance of Product Carbon Footprinting (PCF), and David shares insights from CarbonCloud’s PCF partnership with Systembolaget .

There are more than 40 sustainability standards in the wine industry. So how do you know what a certification actually means? Through SWR's Standards Benchmarking work, we're conducting an annual global review of these schemes. In this From the Roundtable episode I'm joined by SWR's Dr Peter Stanbury to discuss our progress to date on benchmarking and how we're turning it into a practical tool for members.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Vincent O'Brien, managing director at Octavian , a UK-based fine wine storage company. As the long-term custodian of many fine wines shortly after their release, the team at Octavian has a unique perspective on the journey a case of wine takes before it enters the cellar. We begin by discussing what sustainability looks like at Octavian before turning to packaging. Packaging is a major focus area for SWR, and it's usually discussed on the podcast from the producer and retailer point of view. In this episode, Vincent shares the fine wine storage perspective, explaining why packaging is important from both a functionality and sustainability standpoint, and how current packaging trends are creating new challenges for the long-term storage of fine wine.

In this From the Roundtable episode Hanna Halmari is joined by SWR's Dr Peter Stanbury to discuss the launch of the Sparkling Bottle Weight Accord. They delve into the success of and learnings from the still Bottle Weight Accord, the complexities behind building the Sparkling Accord, and the benefits of getting involved.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Maja Sonesson, founder and CEO of Journy, a digital product passport (DPP) platform designed for the wine industry. We discuss how DPPs can support the wine sector, from improving communication and transparency to enabling compliance and more efficient reporting. Maja shares insights into the opportunities for producers, importers, retailers, and consumers, and explains how Journy is addressing challenges around interoperability, administrative burdens, data gaps, and more.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Rollo Gabb, CEO and owner of Journey’s End Vineyards in South Africa’s Stellenbosch. We discuss the wide-ranging sustainability initiatives underway across the business, including energy efficiency, water conservation, lighter-weight bottles, soil regeneration and biodiversity protection. Rollo also shares Journey’s End’s commitment to supporting its local community through the Journey’s End Foundation. Established in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic to provide meals for people who had lost their incomes, the food program has since continued to grow, recently surpassing seven million meals served. Rollo reflects on the impact the program has had within the community and provides insights into the local partnerships and infrastructure behind its success.

In this From the Roundtable episode, I’m joined by SWR's Toby Webb, Dr Peter Stanbury, and Delaney Sheridan to reflect on SWR's fifth year anniversary. We reflect on our progress to date, looking back at where we started and what we set out to do, and how that has evolved over time. With a focus on our key action areas, we review our achievements so far and discuss what's coming next.

In this From the Roundtable episode, I’m joined by SWR's Dr Peter Stanbury and Delaney Sheridan. This month's conversation is largely centered around the importance of regional specificity in sustainability. From a brief update on our latest work in Standards Benchmarking , to the launch of SWR's Sustainable Vineyard Practice Survey , we discuss why granular, region-specific insights and feedback loops are critical to making sustainability happen. A trial version of this survey has just gone live. It is anonymous and is open to all interested participants. You can find it here: Sustainable Vineyard Practice Survey It'll take just 15 minutes to complete, and all responses will feed directly into the upcoming Sustainable Vineyard Barometer, giving the whole industry a clearer, more honest picture of modern vineyard sustainability.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Antonio Bertone, CEO and co-founder of Alileo Wines. Alileo strikes an interesting balance between old and new, offering natural wines produced using traditional methods, but packaged in a less conventional way. Their Sicilian varietals such as Grillo and Zibibbo are available in both bag-in-box format as well as 20L one-way kegs. We talk about the packaging decision-making process, the trade-offs that come with alternative formats, and how Alileo is working to change perceptions around boxed wine. With their bold slogan of 'Boxed Wine is Not a Crime', Antonio shares the unique storytelling opportunity packaging can offer and insights into effective consumer engagement.

In this From the Roundtable episode, I’m joined by Dr Peter Stanbury who provides an update on his recent visit to Bordeaux, where SWR and CIVB co-hosted an event focused on seasonal employment in the wine sector. We discuss Bordeaux's collaborative approach, practical actions other regions and vineyards can replicate, and how this feeds into SWR’s broader work on labour standards .

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Filipe Carvalho, head of business development at Tree Flower Solutions (TFS), a Portuguese biotech startup that develops natural preservatives for the agri-food industry. We discuss Chestwine, TFS’s innovative sulfite alternative made from chestnut male flower tannins. Filipe addresses common misconceptions about sulfites, explains why natural alternatives matter, and shares insights into the unique properties and R&D process behind Chestwine.

In this From the Roundtable episode, I’m joined by Dr Peter Stanbury and Luke Mobley to discuss SWR’s work in packaging. We cover why packaging is such a big topic when it comes to sustainability in the wine industry, the recent global policy developments driving change, and how SWR’s Packaging Choice Tool can help producers with their packaging strategy and decision-making. A foundational report and draft framework for the Packaging Choice Tool will be published this May. Luke also introduces the new Action Area Overview , a document we put together that outlines SWR’s 2026-7 plans and activities, and how you can get involved.

ISO Certification might not be a popular dinner party topic for most people, but if anyone can convince you otherwise, it's managing director Jose Bishop from A Good Certification Group (formerly Certification Oceania). In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, we explore how ISO management systems can move beyond box-ticking to drive real improvement. From the role of ISO standards in the wine industry to common auditing challenges and the approach at A Good Certification Group, Jose shares how audits can be a force for good and help deliver meaningful change.

In this From the Roundtable episode, I'm joined by Toby Webb and Dr Peter Stanbury to discuss SWR's recent decision to combine some efforts from our Labour Standards and Sustainable Viticulture Protocol workstreams under the umbrella of The Sustainable Vineyard . The existing work and plans in each action area won't change - rather they will work together where relevant and appropriate. This approach reflects the realities on the ground: social and environmental issues are often intertwined and managed by the same small teams in the vineyard. Peter and Toby explain what this means in practice and how collaboration can increase efficiency, reduce costs, and drive more impact.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Gad Pettersson, head of sustainability and product quality at Systembolaget. As part of its ambitious decarbonisation plans, the Swedish alcohol monopoly is leading a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) initiative. The aim is to be able to measure, compare, and ultimately reduce the climate impact across its full product range. A successful pilot last year demonstrated the feasibility of collecting primary supply chain data on a large scale. Gad shares the key learnings, insights into the data collection process, next steps for the project, and more. If you as a producer or grower within Systembolaget’s supply chain would like to get involved, please reach out to your Swedish importer. If you as a retailer or other major stakeholder in the alcoholic drinks sector would like to know more, please reach out to linda.johansson@systembolaget.se

In the first From the Roundtable episode of the year, I'm joined by Dr Peter Stanbury and Delaney Sheridan to discuss what lies ahead for SWR in 2026. Following an incredibly fruitful year, we've got big plans ahead of us, from finalising standards benchmarking to launching the Sparkling Bottle Weight Accord. Peter and Delaney share our key priorities for 2026, what members should look out for this year, and, most importantly, how you can get involved.

In the final From the Roundtable episode of 2025, I’m joined by SWR’s Toby Webb, Dr Peter Stanbury and Delaney Sheridan to reflect on the year. We review what we set out to achieve, what we've accomplished, and where we're headed in 2026. From sustainability standards and packaging, to sustainable viticulture and labour conditions, find out how SWR is continuing to tackle the tough sustainability challenges while driving innovation and collaboration in the industry.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Luke Tyler, marketing and sales director, and Matthew Deller MW, CEO of Wirra Wirra . Located in South Australia's McLaren Vale, the winery exemplifies what the region is well-known for: premium red wine and a strong commitment to sustainability. Wirra Wirra has a long history of sustainable practices, with current initiatives spanning across waste reduction, decarbonisation, biodiversity, packaging, and a reconciliation action plan. In recent years, lightweighting has been a major focus, and this year the winery introduced a proprietary 410g glass bottle across a significant portion of its production. Matt and Luke share practical insights into the lightweighting process, the importance of partnerships across the value chain, and why they chose to join the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and the Bottle Weight Accord.

In this episode of From the Roundtable, I’m joined by SWR’s Delaney Sheridan and Dr Peter Stanbury to share some updates – and clear up a few misunderstandings – about lightweighting sparkling wine bottles. SWR is developing a new Sparkling Bottle Weight Accord, building on the success of the still wine Bottle Weight Accord (BWA) launched in 2023. We discuss the progress of the BWA so far, what makes sparkling wine more complex, and how we’re working through those challenges. There are many opinions when it comes to bottle weight, and it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. We thought we’d help set the record straight and run through some of the most common claims. Fact or fiction? Have a listen to find out.