Dave wrote:

Green vinting certainly costs a bit more up-front to set up, and may
have some higher operating costs (mostly labor, I should think), but it
can be done successfully, at least on a small-to-medium scale. I should
think that we (wine drinkers) really don't need nice foil wrappers,
expensive labels, or custom-crafted/etched bottles (all of which
contribute to excessive waste), because what matters is the wine, not
packaging. I think we could all start by letting our favorite wineries
know that we would support them in choosing greener production methods.
You might be surprised how many step up to the plate and offer to look
at new ways to make their wines, while reducing the impact on the
environment.

Dave,
I agree with you that green agricultural practices are one way of
combating the waste discussed in the article (which, unfortunately, was
a bit short on details). One thing that I couldn't help wondering was
what sort of operation they were studying. Did they machine harvest?
Did they use pesticides and fertilizers? I was struck by their mention
of irrigation since I thought that most Old World wines were dry farmed.
Like others, I suspect that the numbers might change quite a bit if the
operation were a bit lower tech.

Mark Lipton