USA – Amcor Rigid Packaging (ARP) has launched what it describes as the first premium wine packaged in a 750mL bottle made from 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) plastic.
The launch was made in partnership with California-based wine producer Ron Rubin Winery which will use the rPET plastic on its BLUE BIN premium wine.
“PET allows BLUE BIN’s bottles to have several environmental advantages when compared to traditional wine packaging, including a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, global warming, and other environmental impacts,” Amcor said in a statement.
“Additionally, PET wine bottles are lighter and shatterproof, allowing wine enthusiasts to enjoy BLUE BIN at places they previously may not have been able to, including at the beach, by the pool, camping and other outdoor activities.”
Transition to PET is certainly a break from the norm with wines mostly packed in glass bottles. However, Amcor notes that glass bottles account for 30% percent of wine’s carbon footprint – the single largest environmental impact across the value chain of the product.
“A wine bottle made from PET is 85% lighter than one made from glass and has one-third the Greenhouse Gas emissions,” Amcor explains.
To develop the new product, Ron Rubin Winery is reported to have conducted a two-year assessment of various wine packaging formats in search of a planet-friendly alternative that allows consumers to enjoy the wine they love with less environmental impact.
Their search ended with the innovation of the new BLUE BIN bottles featuring Plasmax technology, a thin glass layer preventing the wine from ever touching the rPET, fully protecting the taste and quality.
“Plasmax is a thin, glass-like oxygen barrier on the inside of the bottle. This protective barrier holds the wine, while the PET bottle holds the shape,” says Jonathan Jarman, Amcor Rigid Packaging marketing manager for spirits and wine.
“This is truly a transformational moment for the North American wine market, ushering in an era where the product’s sustainable packaging is valued and celebrated as deeply as the product itself.”
BLUE BIN is produced and bottled by Ron Rubin Winery, a company with a long history of bottling sustainable, premium wine.
According to Amcor, The BLUE BIN name is a nod to where the recycled material comes from to produce the 100% rPET bottle.
BLUE BIN is available now in four 2022 vintage varietals: Vin Rosé, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Ron Rubin Winery is a SIP-Certified (Sustainability in Practice) brand, Certified California Sustainable Vineyard & Winery and one of only thirty-three Certified B Corporation wineries in the world.
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