Challenging the Purists

Wine producers from New Zealand, the United States and France are switching from glass to plastic wine bottles, saying they are lighter, good for the environment and not bad for the wine. “We see [plastic] as a positive step in terms of energy and production,” Michael Wentworth, of New Zealand’s Yealands Estate, said. “It’s 89 per cent lighter than glass, so you’re reducing your carbon footprint, as well as anytime you ship it.” The 75ml plastic containers have not changed the taste of the wine Wentworth said because its Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot, which have both been bottled in plastic, have done well in blind tasting wine competitions. Yealands Estate was the producer of New Zealand’s first wine sold in a plastic bottle, Full Circle.