Uncorking a sustainable, refillable wine bottle solution

In a bid to increase the sustainability of its business, Accolade Wines has partnered with ecoSPIRITS to launch a closed-loop refillable wine-bottling program called ecoTOTE.

Tens of billions of single-use wine bottles are used by the wine industry each year and while many of them end up being recycled, it is still an energy- and material-intensive process. Accolade will be reducing the number of wine bottles that it uses by adopting the ecoTOTE program for its Banrock Station brand.

As part of a trial program, Accolade will be changing how it delivers wines to bars and eateries, with its Pinot Grigio, Rose and Pinor Noir wines being available in refillable bottles. The specialised ecoTOTE 3.0 W containers being used feature a 4.5 L glass container and stainless steel cap liner making them sturdy and reuseable.

The containers, suitable for venues and restaurants to replace multiple individual 750 mL bottles, will be used to dispense wine and then returned to the ecoPLANT in Sydney when empty, where they will be washed and later refilled to serve wine again. The technology is closed loop so it only serves to be refilled with wine for the purpose of reducing single-use bottles.

“We are thrilled to partner with ecoSPIRITS and bring this game-changing, world-first sustainable offering to the wine industry,” said Andrew Clarke, Managing Director ANZ of Accolade Wines.

“We know that consumers are increasingly conscious of the impact their choices are having on the environment. The new Banrock Station ecoTOTE will provide that environmentally friendly choice alongside a cost advantage. It’s a win-win for everyone!

“This strategic partnership is part of Accolade’s global sustainability journey. We are intent on continually innovating our entire supply chain to provide our customers with leading sustainable offerings. We look forward to seeing the rollout of the Banrock Station ecoTOTE in venues around Sydney in the coming months, with the desire to extend nationally, and across other leading Accolade brands, in the future.”