Drink wine, for good. Sounds like a lofty ideal, right?
But for wine lovers and environmentalists alike, it means a lot more than just another excuse for a midweek tipple.
There’s a new kind of winemaker in town. Aside from catering to the planet-conscious, ‘no-nonsense’ wine drinker, Round Theory is shifting their focus to climate positive production – and reducing wine’s impact on the planet as they go.
Wine that’s good for you & the planet
The wine industry is likely to be one of the first and most heavily affected agricultural industries in terms of the impending climate change, given the sensitivity of grape-growing to environmental and climate variation. Yet through the use of pesticides, fertilisers, water and heavy machinery, winemaking is not without its own carbon footprint.
So it makes sense that the next frontier for conscious lifestyle consumption is through our choice of the right wine.
Andrew Theodosi, Brand & Activation Manager at Constellation Brands (parent company of Round Theory), understands the need for winemakers to shift their focus to the environment, and the needs of the modern wine drinker.
“We know consumers are looking to reduce their environmental footprint, so it’s never been more important to act more sustainably. They demand more transparency from the products in their basket; from the ingredients on the label, to the origin of the food served up at their local restaurant, even the clothes on their backs. They favour sustainable producers over mass suppliers.”
So what exactly is climate positive wine?
This is where Round Theory differs from other wines at your local bottle-o. Their wine is crafted from the ground up with a simple goal in mind: ‘to make great wines that have a positive impact on the planet’.
This means each bottle of Round Theory is grown and sourced sustainably from their SWNZ (Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand) accredited vineyards in Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay. They offset at least double the amount of emissions they create during the production process via their offset program with CarbonClick.
Everyday wine drinkers may also be unaware that many of the wines we drink may use animal products in the clarifying or stabilising stages of the winemaking process. But not Round Theory, who are also vegan-friendly, meaning you can comfortably cater to the plant-based crowd at your next long lunch.
Eco-friendly packaging
You’ll also notice Round Theory bottles look a little different from the average: the unique round shape is more than just a reflection on the brand name. The bottle uses lightweight clear glass and a shorter vessel allowing for smaller cartons (meaning improved shipping efficiency and a lower carbon footprint). The labels are also printed on recycled stock, using inks that are environmentally friendly.
“Our bottle has been consciously crafted to minimise its entire carbon footprint. From using lightweight clear glass for improved recyclability and a shorter vessel allowing for smaller cartons, to making sure our labels are as environmentally friendly as possible, Round Theory packaging has been designed to be kinder to the planet.” Theodosi says.
Emissions offsetting
But it’s the emissions offset scheme that further builds on Round Theory’s commitment to help its consumers live more sustainably, and substantiates the promise to improve the planet’s health. For the emissions the brand can’t reduce, they partner with CarbonClick to offset them, using carbon credits and tree planting.
“CarbonClick have reimagined what carbon positivity looks like. Together, we’ve looked at the entire journey, from grape to glass, and have more than neutralised the carbon impact of our winemaking process.”
Carbon credits are used in four conservation and biodiversity projects whose benefits include reforestation and job creation and support for rural farmers regenerating Aussie bush in Western Australia’s wheatbelt, and preservation of the Arawera indigenous forest in South Taranaki, NZ.
This article is sponsored by Round Theory and proudly endorsed by This Weekend. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make our content possible.
Ready to live the good life?
Who said you can’t live a life that’s good for you & the planet? Plan the perfect Round Theory Wines occasion — whether that’s a summer farm-to-table picnic or a coastal camping adventure, you can do it sustainably with Round Theory.
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