Sustainable Wine

From the Roundtable: A more efficient approach to vineyard sustainability

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.

 

Is product carbon footprinting possible at scale? Insights from Systembolaget

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

From the Roundtable: What's next for SWR?

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.

From the Roundtable: 2025 in review

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.

SWR Member Interview: Lessons on lightweighting from Wirra Wirra

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.

From the Roundtable: Myths, facts, and what’s next in sparkling bottle lightweighting

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.

SWR Member Interview: How Coles Liquor is scaling sustainable packaging

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Shae Courtney, national quality and sustainability manager for Coles Liquor at Coles Group in Australia. As one of Australia’s largest drinks retailers, Coles Liquor has the capacity to drive change at scale across its supply chain. Packaging is a central focus for the group, with initiatives underway in lightweighting, recycling, waste reduction, consumer engagement and more. We discuss Coles Liquor’s sustainable packaging strategy, the Bottle Weight Accord, approaches to supplier engagement, consumer insights, and more.

 

Rooted in Change: The future of wine with Jane Masters MW and Andrew Neather

In this episode, I’m joined by Jane Masters MW and Andrew Neather to discuss their new book, Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine. Published earlier this month, the book explores how sustainability and wine intersect across the entire value chain.

From grape to glass, they delve into the environmental, social, and economic challenges, opportunities, and innovations shaping the wine industry today. Through compelling data, storytelling, and interviews with growers and producers around the world, Rooted in Change offers deep insight into how the wine world is evolving and adapting to a changing climate.

Jane and Andy share the motivations behind the book, the key lessons they learned along the way, practical advice for listeners, and the importance of maintaining hope and optimism. 

You can purchase your copy at Académie du Vin Library or Amazon.

From the Roundtable: How can we better link farm decisions with measurable impact?

I caught up with SWR colleagues Delaney Sheridan and Dr Peter Stanbury to talk about the Sustainable Viticulture Protocol (SVP), a framework designed to help growers demonstrate sustainable practices in the vineyard. The SVP supports the transition from intensive chemical use toward regenerative practices, while accounting for the different conditions across regions.

Recently, SWR partnered with Waitrose to host a visit to Leckford Farms for SWR members. From data to financing, Delaney and Peter share the key insights from the day’s discussions and explain how SWR is turning these ideas into practical next steps through the SVP.

SWR Member Interview: Terra Vitis on sustainability, benchmarking, and collaboration

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Nicolas Daspres, technical director at Terra Vitis, and my colleague Dr Peter Stanbury, SWR’s head of research. Terra Vitis, a French sustainability certification for winegrowers, was recently covered in the SWR’s second round of Standards Benchmarking. This benchmarking process, structured around the Global Reference Framework (GRF) – the first global statement of what sustainability in wine entails – provides a clear way to compare standards and drive alignment on meaningful progress. 

We explore the process and requirements behind the Terra Vitis certification, including the organisation’s work on labour standards and sustainable packaging. Nicolas shares the benefits of the benchmarking process, the key insights for Terra Vitis, and the actions they are implementing moving forward. We also reflect on some of the broader themes from this second round of benchmarking and discuss what these findings mean for the SWR.