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