Laura Catena’s Approach to Addressing Sustainability Challenges in the Wine Industry

Dr. Laura Catena of Catena Wines

Dr. Laura Catena, a fourth-generation winemaker at Argentina’s Catena Wines, suggests that it might not be a straightforward decision for eco-pioneers to commit to international wine sustainability agreements. Despite their simplistic ideals, the implementation of these accords often proves complex, ranging from technical conundrums to lackluster consumer engagement. Furthermore, while these international accords might be achievable for American and European wineries with strong efforts, they can demonstrate otherwise in developing nations such as Argentina.

In a recent discussion, Dr. Catena highlighted the formidable challenges that the wine industry navigates with to ensure sustainable and substantial change around environmental sustainability. Dr. Catena – who is also a physician, author, and founding member of the Catena Institute of Wine – has spearheaded ambitious initiatives in her family’s winery, achieving a 40% reduction in bottle weight across the portfolio since 2010. Recently, the company introduced a 380-gram bottle for its popular on-premise wine, Catena Appellation Malbec, in the US, down from its original 700 grams. For context, premium wine bottles weigh between 550 and 1,200 grams when empty.

Furthermore, with the creation of the Bodegas de Argentina Sustainability Code, based on Catena Wines’ in-house sustainability code, Dr. Catena brought new changes. Initiated in 2010, this protocol covers all aspects of the winery and vineyard, providing guidelines for everything, from water preservation planning to best practices in human resources. Currently, some 215 wineries across Argentina have adopted this code. This successful protocol underlines the importance of customizing sustainability efforts to mirror local realities, instead of strictly complying with potentially impracticable international standards like solar power needs.

Dr. Catena, in this interview, speaks about the difficulties of universally and globally implementing sustainability efforts. She emphasizes the pressing need for innovative ideas, teamwork, and knowledge to counter these issues, presenting a guiding plan for other people to adhere to.

Interviewer: Catena has a deep-rooted history of working towards sustainability. Could you discuss the Sustainability Code of Bodegas de Argentina, and update us on its current status?

Dr. Catena: Let’s begin with some history about the partnership with global wine sustainability chapters. There are various circumstances when working outside a developed country and these often remain unaddressed by numerous international wine sustainability alliances. They fail to comprehend the challenges of operating in Argentina. To illustrate, one group required members to commit to transitioning to solar power within a specified period. This is nearly impossible in Argentina, where solar technology and infrastructure are scarce. There is no state support for this initiative and solar energy is far more expensive than conventional fuels. Electric tractors, common in Europe, are absent in Argentina. Furthermore, there are poverty-related issues in Argentina. A dweller in the countryside has only around 25% of a U.S. resident’s carbon footprint. Thus, the context is completely different.

We understood that strategies to cut carbon emissions must be crafted in line with local situations. It was against this background that Catena started the Bodegas de Argentina Sustainability Code in 2008 and officially introduced it in 2010. Currently, more than 215 wineries have been certified under the sustainability code, gaining international recognition.

The latest advancement involves a devoted measure towards carbon footprint, based on a carbon calculator constructed for wineries in Argentina by the verification consulting firm LSQA. The collaboration with LSQA was established with the mutual understanding that post development, the design could be freely offered to other companies for broad usage beyond just Catena wines. We subsequently reached out to Wines of Argentina to assist in advertising this service, which is now underway.

As per the schedule, Catena is set to become the very first winery with audited carbon emission measurements. The latest version of the code now consists of the following guidelines. Firstly, the organization should have a climate action plan, confirmed by its administration. Secondly, the organization needs to possess defined objectives for emission reduction. Thirdly, the organization should have computed its greenhouse gas emissions and defined a reduction action plan in line with its reduction objectives. Lastly, the organization must publicly share its aim and inform about its progress in reducing climate change.

Duecy: What percentage of a wine’s carbon footprint can be attributed to the weight of the glass?

Dr. Catena: In certain calculations, the weight of the glass can constitute up to 60% of a wine’s carbon footprint. This includes the process of manufacturing, transportation from a production facility to a winery, and further transportation when filled with wine and delivered to a final customer. The bulk of these emissions stem from land transportation, and not sea transportation.

Typically, the average weight of high-quality wine bottles ranges from 550 to 1,200 grams when devoid of wine. The bottle weight of the Catena Appellation Malbec by Catena is undergoing a reduction from 700 to 380 grams. Similarly, the bottle weight of the Catena High Mountain Vines Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon for worldwide export purposes is being reduced from 700 to 480 grams. These amendments signify substantial transformations. Glass savings predicted annually due to these transformations amount to 1,200 metric tons, a substantial quantity indeed.

In addition, it’s worth mentioning that this topic has been attracting an increasing amount of attention, especially among European wine buyers. For instance, a retail chain requested us to commit to reducing our carbon emissions by 45% by the year 2026. Achieving this could only be possible by transitioning to solar power, a transition that is currently unfeasible due to the absence of a solar power grid in my home country. However, such commitments stem from governmental directives aimed at their commercial entities. Consequently, we’ve been exchanging communications with the retail chain, demonstrating our potential. While some are agreeable to cooperate with us, we are unable to exhibit identical results as wineries in countries possessing more extensive infrastructural facilities. Regardless, we persist in our endeavors.

Duecy: Could you share some challenges you faced when deciding to transition to lighter bottles?

Dr. Catena: The transition to lighter bottles is far from a straightforward process. One advantage is our association with one of our glass suppliers, Verallia, a climate-conscious French glass company with a factory in Argentina. Leveraging their advanced French technologies for our Argentinean operations presents a win-win situation. Manufacturing lighter bottles necessitates state-of-the-art technology and technical proficiency. Certain areas of the bottles, for instance, are prone to cracking. Bottles weighing under 400 grams pose additional challenges in the bottling line — their lightweight nature makes them fragile and likely to break if moved along the line at conventional speeds.

It’s essential for us not to be overly reliant on a single supplier, thus our requirement for additional glass suppliers who have adapted to producing lighter bottles. Our collaboration with a number of glass producers guarantees that we can maintain reasonable pricing for our glass. Yet for this to be sustainable, other suppliers too must embrace the concept of lighter glass bottles.

Conversely, we are faced with a consumer perception puzzle. Currently, the lighter bottle suffices for a wine in the $12 to $15 price range. The brand and reviews are the major determining factors for wines below $15 rather than the bottle. However, buying a $100 wine is like investing in a luxurious bottle of perfume. Customers expect not only a gorgeous bottle but also an exquisite stopper and an opulent bag during checkout. Human beings haven’t evolved enough to forego these aesthetic elements. Hence, I consider it unreasonable to burden a wine producer with the responsibility of saving the world.

Duecy: Is there a cost difference between lighter and heavier bottles?

Dr. Catena: In a broad sense, pricier bottles can range from $1 to $2. Cheaper bottles might be around half of that cost, but it greatly depends on the country. While it might seem that lighter bottles are less expensive, that’s not quite accurate.

Handling lighter bottles may sometimes be more costly compared to heavier ones. The reason being, they tend to break more and thus require extra scrutiny for bottle breakage which raises the costs. The tolerance level for glass content in bottles is absolutely zero. So, a machine and a person’s observation is necessary for this process – we allocate a substantial amount of money to ensure there is not a single piece of glass in the bottles. The quality control process is much more refined and complicated.

We haven’t quite reached it yet, but I firmly believe we need to advance to a point where consumers concur, ‘I’m prepared to pay equal or slightly more for a lighter bottle, even if there’s a minimal reduction in cost.’ They identify the fact that the environmental cost is less with lighter bottles, and therefore, they consider the switch worth the price.

Duecy: You’re launching Catena Appellation Vista Flores Malbec as the first wine with the new 45% lighter bottle. Could you please share why you chose this wine and your rollout plan?

Dr. Catena: I believe the on-premise atmosphere allows for an effective educational campaign – we can shed light on the benefits of the reduced weight and make it a selling point. This is in contrast to being on the shelf appearing less high-end, but without the backing of an explanation.

We’re initiating an educational initiative aimed at restaurant staff to convey the value of these reduced-weight bottles to ultimate consumers. We are in the process of creating an infographic to instruct on-site teams in the U.S., and we intend to oversee the implementation. The comprehension will be gauged through a pre- and post-training questionnaire.

We are also initiating an educational initiative with one of our commerce associates in the Netherlands, Gall & Gall, which operates more than 300 outlets. We will employ visual representation to train the store employees, and will regulate penetration via sales and questionnaire before and after instruction.

Furthermore, the wines will be unveiled at Angelica, our “wine prioritized” Michelin-mentioned restaurant stationed at Catena Zapata in Mendoza, Argentina. The servers at that locale will be instructed and we aim to accumulate some information on the nature of queries posed by the consumers.

Duecy: Could you elaborate on the other goods you aim to introduce with lightweight bottles, and indicate the intended schedule?

Dr. Catena: All Catena brand wines will transition from 700 gram bottles to lighter alternatives worldwide. Many will see a significant reduction in weight, ranging from 480 grams to 380 grams depending on the variation. For example, our Mountain Vines wines will shed the weight from the standard 700 grams to 480 grams. Along with this change, we have introduced a more elegant, slender design for our bottles. We have also revised our labels to compliment the new bottle size.

Duecy: Can other wineries use the bottle designs you’ve developed with manufacturers?

Dr. Catena: Absolutely, it would be beneficial if other producers adopted the same bottle designs as it would result in greater supply and more production runs. We make it a point to share our learning related to glass and bottle changes with other local producers during Sustainability Code meetings.

Duecy: Several large retailers have acceded to the SWR Bottle Weight Accord pledging to reduce the average weight of bottles in their inventories to less than 420 grams by the end of 2026. Meeting this commitment will likely need a considerable shift in bottle weights from hundreds, possibly thousands, of producers. How would you propose to motivate producers towards this initiative and achieve this target?

Dr. Catena: Many retailers are likely to support this initiative. Nonetheless, it’s essential for them to vow to inform their consumers internally and collaborate with brands like ours on educational initiatives, coaching their floor staff, and putting up signs that state ‘Did you know the weight of a bottle contributes to 60% of the carbon footprint of wine?’ There might even be a dedicated area on their shelves for lighter bottles.

It’s their duty to enlighten their customers. This education is needed, otherwise it’s all too easy for a consumer to hold two bottles and presumptively decide that the heavier one is superior in quality, hence offering better value for the money spent – they simply don’t know any better.

Therefore, retailers should have a plan or strategy to educate consumers on the importance of bottle weight and the environmental benefits of lighter bottles. Otherwise, the obligation we put on the producers is excessive. Producers do not have the capacity to educate at scale like the retailers in their stores.

Furthermore, educating the broader trade and investing in advertisements and PR to spread this message will be needed. Dr. Liz Thach has conducted a study which shows that consumers lack knowledge about bottle weight’s environmental impact, and they aren’t particularly concerned about it – what they care more about is the wine’s quality.

This initiative could also backfire. Let’s say that only the big retailers sign onto this, and they don’t create significant communications campaigns. Well, then smaller retailers and restaurants might try to differentiate themselves by keeping the heavier and more premium-appearing bottles, which could appeal to consumers who are uneducated about bottle weight. Then we’re going backwards. Careful planning and consideration is needed for this initiative to succeed.

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

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