Margaret River wine region increasingly ‘full bottle’ on sustainability

Margaret River’s wine industry is continuing to make strong headway into sustainability, with a new charter bringing attention to how the region’s signature products are packaged.

Margaret River Wine Association chief executive Amanda Whiteland said one of the ways her group was supporting sustainability measures was through a new charter focused on lightweight bottle options.

“We are committed to continuous improvement, and one part of that is driving the adoption of lightweight glass in the Margaret River region,” she said.

“Supporting our members in making this transition is a key step in our broader sustainability efforts.

“By switching to lightweight glass bottles, emissions can be reduced by over 20 per cent. This relatively simple, single change is impactful.”

Pierro Wines founder and winemaker Michael Peterkin started using lightweight glass bottles in the majority of his wines in 2012.

“If you’re trying to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, the big kahuna is glass,” he said.

“You can do everything else, but you’re really not achieving all that much unless you take care of that one.”

Ms Whiteland said take-up in the local sector was going well.

“We believe the Margaret River Wine region can be a leader in the uptake of lightweight glass in Australia, if not globally,” she said.

MRWA added a sustainability award to its annual show last year, with Voyager Estate’s Coastal Cabernet 2023 the inaugural winner.

Presented by Wines of WA, the trophy recognises “wines of excellence” that meet certified sustainability criteria, including for use of lightweight glass.

The focus on packaging was another string to the region’s bow when it came to pushing for greater sustainability.

New packaging options were supported by Federal Government grants including more than $70,000 dished out before Christmas to a Dunsborough company to develop “quality biopolymers” for sustainable wine packaging.

However, glass bottles were expected to be the mainstay for the global industry for the foreseeable future.