Sustainable wine’s year in review and a look ahead to 2022

The Sustainable Wine team recently sat down to discuss the year in review and take a look at the year ahead. In this podcast Sustainable Wine's founder, Toby Webb, and editor, Hanna Halmari,  discuss the key sustainable wine themes and trends from 2021.

Looking forward to 2022, Tom Owtram, Sustainable Wine's outreach and development manager,  talks about the work of the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and its plans for the year ahead.

What’s the future of vineyard sustainability standards and certification?

This is a recording from our Sustainability in the Vineyard  online conference that took place on 22nd June, 2021.

There are many sustainability vineyard standards and certifications. How can the best of them help vineyards all over the world, raise their game on sustainability? Important work has been done around the world on creating useful regional standards. Now there is a significant opportunity to join them up, learn from the best of what they have done, and create a global standard.

In this session we will look at how that is happening, what value it will add, and the work planned for 2022 and beyond.

Speakers:

• Stefano Stefanucci, director, Equalitas
• Marcus Ihre, sustainability manager supply chain, Systembolaget
• Chris Wille, technical director, Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR)
• Fred Loimer, founding member, respekt-BIODYN
• Tatiana Svinartchuk, head of economy and law unit, OIV - International Organisation of Vine and Wine

Moderator: Tom Owtram, outreach and development manager, Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR)

How to work with grape growers to make them more sustainable

This is a recording from our Sustainability in the Vineyard  online conference that took place on 22nd June, 2021.

Speakers:

• Bruno Le Breton, owner and winemaker, BLB Vignobles
• Anne Bousquet, president, co-founder, Domaine Bousquet

Moderator: Richard Bampfield, MW

Measuring and managing soil health, and working out how to have healthier, and more climate resilient soils

This is a recording from our Sustainability in the Vineyard  online conference that took place on 22nd June, 2021.

Speakers:

• Eloi Jacob, managing director, Château Fourcas Hosten
• Marion Merker, marketing manager, Château de La Dauphine
• Marie-Laure Latorre, managing director, Château Jean Faure
• Jane Rickson, professor of soil erosion and conservation, Cranfield University, Cranfield Soil and AgriFood Institute

Moderator: Lauren Holman, sales manager and sustainability lead, Château Léoube

All the tools in the toolbox: Why we need to move beyond organic vs ‘conventional’

This is a recording from our Sustainability in the Vineyard  online conference that took place on 22nd June, 2021.

Science based approaches are not always taken on board in the wine industry. One good example is how the term organic is understood and applied. In this session we will debate, with a science communications expert, how this should change. Climate change means we really do need all the tools available to us, and we will discuss how we move from dogma, to science based approaches.

Speakers:

• Ernst Loosen, owner, Weingut Dr. Loosen
• Jon Entine, executive director, Genetic Literacy Project
• Bruno Le Breton, owner and winemaker, BLB Vignobles

Moderator: Toby Webb, co-founder, Sustainable Wine

Water usage: What can vineyards and wineries do to improve efficiency and reduce their water footprint?

This is a recording from our Sustainability in the Vineyard  online conference that took place on 22nd June, 2021.

Water use reduction is vital for many reasons. Climate impacts via energy use is one. Another is localised or regional shortages. The wine industry has not always been the most efficient user of water, amongst many others. So what does best practice in water management mean, how is it best done, what are the benefits and outcomes?

Speakers:

• Lauren Holman, sales manager and sustainability lead, Château Léoube
• Rosana Lisa, director, Bodegas Ramon Bilbao
• Franck Massard, sommelier and vigneron, Franck Massard

Moderator: Linda Johnson-Bell, Founder of The Wine and Climate Change Institute, Oxford (TWACCI)

“Regenerative” in agriculture is all the rage. But should it be?

This is a recording from our Sustainability in the Vineyard  online conference that took place on 22nd June, 2021.

Regenerative is everywhere you turn. But there is only one standard and certification scheme, out of California, so far. More are coming. But does regenerative ‘do the job’ in describing and catalysing sustainable practices? Our speakers bring different perspectives to this debate and we’ll ask them questions such as:

1. What does regenerative actually mean? Should it go beyond soil?
2. How have sustainability concerns changed how they work in the vineyard today?
3. Do we need more and better standards for sustainable viticulture beyond organic? Should these be certifiable?
4. How do we get the sustainability message across to growers and smaller producers- often using outdated practices
   because “that’s how we do it”

Speakers:

• Basile Tesseron, owner and winemaker, Château Lafon-Rochet
• João L. Barroso, sustainability programme coordinator, Wines of Alentejo
• Stephen Cronk, founder & CEO, Mirabeau Wine
• Abby Rose, co-founder, Vidacycle

Moderator: Toby Webb, co-founder, Sustainable Wine

How can viticulture lead on tackling the climate crisis?

This is a recording from our Sustainability in the Vineyard  online conference that took place on 22nd June, 2021.

Whilst vineyards can often be carbon sinks, emissions can still be a factor. All businesses will need to show how they are cutting emissions and moving towards net positive impacts. This session will discuss three important themes:

1. What can you do now to mitigate impact, adapt to current climate changes and prepare for those in the future?
2. How should vineyard owners and managers seek to influence what happens in the winery to reduce emissions? (Bottle weight as an example)
3. What is the role – and responsibility – of wine producers overall, to communicate and raise awareness about climate change to customers, suppliers and the public in general?

Speakers: 

• Charles Philipponat, CEO, Champagne Philipponnat
• Nicole Rolet, owner, Chêne Bleu
• Chris Foss, chair, Sustainable Wines of GB
• Alistair Nesbitt, CEO, Vinescapes

Moderator: Toby Webb, co-founder, Sustainable Wine

Sustainable packaging innovation: A look at the most exciting options, and how they stack up for design, utility and lower impact

This is a recording from our Sustainable Wine Packaging online conference that took place on 23rd June, 2021.

An opportunity to discuss the reality of reusable packaging for refillable retailing. How recyclable can bag in box become, and when? Which are the best examples that may dominate the market and the technology behind recycling them? Our panel of experts will highlight examples of better packaging, assess its impacts, and consider which may fail, and which many succeed in helping transform the market for wine packaging.

Speakers:

• Oliver Lea, co-founder & managing director, The BIB Wine Company
• Dr. Carlos Ludlow Palafox, CEO, Enval
• Rob Malin, CEO & co-founder, When in Rome
• Oli Purnell, co-founder, The Copper Crew

Moderator: Sally Evans, owner and winemaker, Château George 7

Principles in practice: How can retailers and producers engage consumers in sustainable wine formats?

This is a recording from our Sustainable Wine Packaging online conference that took place on 23rd June, 2021.

Talking to consumers about sustainability has never been easy. In 2021 awareness of sustainability issues has never been greater. But helping customers move beyond buying organic or natural wine means getting them to think about packaging and distribution, which is where the biggest impacts actually are, in terms of CO2. In this session we’ll discuss how those closest to customers can engage them in sustainability beyond bottle labels.

Speakers:

• Muriel Chatel, managing director, Borough Wines
• Melissa Saunders, MW, CEO, Communal Brands
• Damien Barton, director, Château Leoville Barton & Langoa Barton

Moderator: Toby Webb, co-founder, Sustainable Wine