DAN'S WINE BLOG- PROGRESS?
Dan Traucki MWCC
WINE ASSIST P/L Freelance Wine Journalist. Also facilitating the export of Australian Wines to the world.
DAN’S WINE BLOG- PROGRESS??
2024-03-29
Following on from last week’s advice that Aldi UK have launched a wine in the paper bottle, this week I hear that the innovative mob at Aldi UK have also just launched their “Chapter & Verse” wine range (Chardonnay & Shiraz) in the awesome Packamama slim line, light weight, 100% recycled PET plastic bottles, the same as the ones that Taylors Wines, Tamburlaine Wines & Banrock Station are already using here in Australia. These bottles weigh (empty) 63grams as opposed to the conventional glass bottle which weigh around 330- 350grams, not to mention that the energy required to recycle the plastic is dramatically less than the energy required to re-melt glass bottles.
Furthermore being slim lined, ten bottles can be packed into a carton the same size as a “normal” six pack, which means that a lot more wine can be shipped per pallet and it has a significantly lower transport carbon footprint, as well as being easier to carry and handle than a “normal” bottle.
Three cheers for the innovative folks at Aldi and may many other suppliers follow their exemplary lead.
In further innovation as reported recently in the excellent Magazine- Wien.plus article:
领英推荐
The French at the University of Montpellier created a new red grape variety some time ago (1956), which is now being rolled out in Languedoc-Roussillon and is touted as having potential for Bordeaux in these global warming days. The variety is called Ariarnoa (typical French-nice & simple to remember) and is a cross between Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon. The variety produces deep-dark red, alcohol-rich wines with plenty of flavour and mild tannins.
According to the authoritative statistics from Adelaide University Professor Emeritus Kym Anderson so far there are 145 hectares planted in Languedoc-Roussillon, Canada has 289 hectares, Uruguay (2nd home to Tannat after France) 45, Chile & Brazil 2 hectares each and lastly Argentina and Switzerland 1 hectares each- and rising.
The reason I mention Ariarnoa is because I wonder how long it will be before some adventurous soul plants it here in Australia. Whilst I have not, as yet had the opportunity to taste this variety, given the magnificent quality of the superb Dr Plonk- The Good Doctor’s Tonic (www.drplonk.wine ) which is a blend of Tannat, Cabernet with a drop of Shiraz, which I have described in the past as “Fricking Fantastic”, I am very excited and hopeful for the future of Ariarnoa as an emerging variety here in Australia. I’ll wait with bated breath it and in the meantime try and acquire a bottle of French Ariarnoa so as to check it out.
So if you know where/how to acquire a bottle of Ariarnoa please give me shout out.
In the meantime have a great Easter break enjoying #chooseaustralianwine and if you can sip on a bottle of #emergingvarieties wine.
Cheers
Dan T
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