Wegenstein Winery, a Rewe Group brand, has been working on a new project for two years and is now ready to launch it in the form of plastic wine bottles. The new PET wine bottle is described as extremely light, aesthetic, handy, and unbreakable by Herbert Toifl, the managing director of the Wegenstein winery.
Christoph Fingerlos, responsible quality manager at the Wegenstein winery, explains that the energy crisis was the starting point for considering this innovation. They needed to find an alternative to producing conventional glass bottles that required gas. After testing if it was possible to fill a PET bottle with alcohol, they collaborated with a Vorarlberg packaging specialist to make it feasible.
The new wine bottle has several advantages over traditional glass bottles. It emits significantly lower CO2 emissions, reduces transport costs due to its lighter weight, and is recyclable. The first variety available in PET bottles is the “Heuriger 2023,” priced at 2.99 euros per bottle and sold at various grocery stores. By January 2025, these bottles will also be included in the disposable deposit system for recycling.
According to Toifl, the shelf life of wine in these PET bottles is a maximum of two years but should not be stored on shelves for longer than three months. The potential for cheaper production might lead to lower prices in the future depending on customer feedback. Other winemakers have shown interest in this innovation, but currently only Wegenstein offers it exclusively until autumn.
In conclusion, Rewe Austria’s Wegenstein Winery has successfully developed an innovative new wine bottle made from PET material that is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective compared to traditional glass bottles. With more winemakers showing interest in this innovation and plans to expand into other countries in Europe later this year, this could be just the beginning of a game-changing shift in how we enjoy our favorite wines!