Sustainability repackaged

Fifteen years ago, promoting a small selection of organic – or, god forbid, natural wines – was considered avant-garde in the world of fine dining.  Today, a growing firmament of sommeliers are curating lists that are part vinous tome,  part ethical manifesto.  The impact of growing ESG awareness, particularly heightened scrutiny of carbon footprints, is expanding the buying remit far beyond sourcing wines that display certifications on the front label.  For the most progressive venues, a “sustainable list” now encompasses the entire supply chain, from shipping footprint to labour protections.

“I love the fact that sustainability in the wine industry has grown from top to bottom,” says Maria Federica Salvador, head sommelier at Hotel IKOS Portopetro in Mallorca.

“In the past, we talked about sustainability as if it were the preserve of a handful of eco-warriors in the countryside! Yet over the past few years, its influence on buying and list curation has become transformative”

The burden of logistics

Perhaps the most dramatic change involves the ever-contentious issue of packaging and distribution. The wine bottle, historically viewed as the only appropriate receptacle for premium wine, is now acknowledged as the single biggest environmental liability in the industry, accounting for over 40% of wine's total carbon footprint. Yet few restaurants can realistically source all their stock from a 25-mile radius -  especially if the sommelier wants a diverse and inclusive list.  So what can be done?

Buyers are effectively tackling this from two directions: seeking lightweight glass bottles from producers, and ensuring operational circularity within the restaurant.

According to Douwe Steyn, head sommelier at the Michelin-starred Cycene in London: “We buy from wholesalers that use electric or hybrid delivery systems thereby limiting emissions.  In addition, the restaurant reuses glass bottles for storage of drinks and ferments made in-house, recycling what we can’t use.”  Steyn highlights the importance of auditing the supply chain beyond the vineyard, ensuring that any surface-level sustainability commitment isn't nullified by carbon-intensive shipping.

“In all our conversations with guests we discuss the importance of traceability in the wineries we list - their practices from low-intervention viticulture to reducing emissions,” he adds.

“We also use preservation systems that extend the life of open bottles and minimise waste.”

Indeed, sommeliers are increasingly laser-focused on waste mitigation as a key part of their sustainability strategy.

“We advocate the use of Coravin wine preservation systems throughout our service, helping to minimise waste and ensure every guest enjoys each wine at its best,” reveals Bethany Pogson, head sommelier at Restaurant 22 in Cambridge.

“Similarly, our wine-pairing programme and ever-changing by-the-glass selection enable us to rotate wines frequently, avoiding waste and the need to hold excessive stock.”

Back in the vineyard, Bodega Norton in Argentina, for example, has started offering consumers the opportunity to refill their demijohns – usually reserved for entry-level brands – straight from the tank, rather than generating waste with repeat purchases. In tandem with practices being rolled out in sustainability-focused restaurants, it is a cost-effective way of minimising wastage, prolonging object lifespans and recycling efficiently, turning disposal problems into creative solutions.

Expanding the criteria

Meanwhile, although the established classification systems around organic and biodynamic farming remain important, there is an evolving focus on seeking comprehensive winery certifications that audit a business's entire environmental impact. Organisations such as Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW) and Napa Green track everything from energy consumption to regenerative viticulture – an increasingly key pillar of 21st-century sustainability.

“At Cycene, we list wines from domaines that champion more sustainable practices from chemical reductions, organic viticulture and regenerative practices. It makes for better wine and a better planet,” says Steyn.

“We also work with sustainable British wineries directly. Many of them make use of disease- resistant hybrid grape varieties that minimise chemical inputs in the vineyard.” Moreover, this due diligence, exemplified by the UK's leading restaurants, avoids accusations of greenwashing.

“It is great to see that many large wine companies have shifted to sustainable practices, either in the vineyard or in the winery. And that they are proudly promoting it, like the B Corp certification, for example,” notes Salvador.

She continues: “As these practices became more widely promoted, there was a concomitant increase in consumer demand – this is no longer a niche market. It is now entirely quotidian to include a meaningful group of organic or biodynamic wines on a well-crafted list. Much of this is driven by younger consumers' more health-conscious approach to life.”

The ESG revolution continues to have a significant impact on the day-to-day work of sommeliers – at least in restaurants where sustainability influences buying decisions. The conversations are no longer simply about grapes and provenance – they're a synopsis of a winery's ecological credo, distilled into a value-added story.

Ren Neuman, wine director of Printemps in New York, believes that sustainability narratives are “most effective when they support a larger story: the wine is delicious, the producer is thoughtful, and oh, by the way, they've also been farming organically for decades or are pushing the envelope in terms of regenerative practices”.

He adds: “That is often enough to pique interest without sounding like a lecture. Sommeliers are on the front lines of these conversations every night. We can bring sustainability to the table in a grounded, relatable way - not as a buzzword, but as part of what makes a wine and a producer special.”

Pogson agrees, observing that the “cultural and colloquial understanding of the concept of sustainability often differs greatly from its practical application in winemaking and hospitality, making it difficult to quantify”.

Therefore it becomes the sommeliers' responsibility, she says, “to ensure that we make ethical decisions based on knowledge and expertise”.

Sustainability has recast the wine list from a mere driver of profit, tailored to the venue in question, to a visible, credible commitment to global responsibility.  Sommeliers can't change the world, but they can nudge it in a better direction.