Consumers are increasingly demanding information on the carbon emissions of their food and drink. In response to this market demand, The New Zealand Wine Company has launched their new brand Mobius. But this wine comes with more than just great taste; each bottle has a label declaring the actual carbon emissions for each glass produced.
"It's immensely pleasing to be making a wine that adds to the enjoyment of life and helping create a more responsible way of doing it all at the same time!" says Dave Pearce, Chief Winemaker. The company has been pioneering sustainable wine management in New Zealand and recognised it was time for consumers to have access to better information about environmental impacts.
The carbon footprint of each glass was assessed through an exhaustive life cycle assessment. This confirmed the total greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, that are emitted during production, manufacture and transportation of the wine, even down to disposal of the packaging.
The carbon footprint assessment was then independently certified by the Carbon Trust UK. Meaning consumers in wine shops and supermarkets around the world can make better informed choices about their wine purchases.
Mobius Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has used the recognisable Carbon Reduction Label. This labelling was chosen because the company felt consumers are generally familiar with what the terms mean and can easily compare different products.
Consumers in Britain are used to seeing this label in the supermarket, but in other parts of the world this wine may well be the first of any food or drink product to carry this label.
The grapes are grown on over 24 vineyards so the winemaking team can pick the best of New Zealand flavours for the Mobius Sauvignon Blanc wine. Once the wine is bottled, the carbon footprint label changes depending on the final destination of the wine.
So once other wine makers follow this lead, consumers should soon be able to compare the environmental impacts of different wines, as well as how good they taste.