Bordeaux Wine News

Either made of glass or plastic, it has a protective cap and opens like a youghurt.

Never has the world of wine seen so much innovation in the shape of packaging, beyond the classic glass 75-centilitre bottle. The Bag-in-Box has been very successful and the WIT (Wine in Tube) is gaining ground in a market niche where the new ‘glass of wine to go’ is now being launched.

The leading French company present in this new market was exhibiting its wares last week in Bordeaux, at the wine technology tradeshow, Vinitech. Pascal Carvin, who is the founder of “1/4 Vin”, a firm based in the town of Solliès-Pont, in the Var region (1), explains: “Our small business with a staff of five was founded in 2000. Our activity is a double one: we sell machines that we manufacture which package the glasses and also provide the packaging service itself destined for those producers and merchants interested in using the concept.

Votre navigateur ne gère peut-être pas l'affichage de cette image. This machine, which is the result of five years’ research, was presented at the tradeshow, where it obtained a mention at the innovation competition. Pascal Carvin adds : “Our machine costs 220,000 euros and has several patents. It becomes profitable from half a million bottles. Concerning the cost of the packaging service we provide; this works out at around 40 centimes, a price which includes the ‘dry’ materials.”

He goes on to describe the protective cap on the glass: « The cap is made from alluminium and heat-sealed.  The wine stored in inert gas, cannot be altered by oxygen. The shelf life of the glass is 10 months maximum.” The best-to-drink-by date (DLUO) figures on the lid, similar to that on a carton of milk.

Of course this ready-to-drink glass of wine is targeted at markets for fast-food products: snack and sandwich bars, sushi shops, self-service cafeterias and takeaways. The ‘glass of wine-to-go’ can be used by consumers during the summer, on campsites, while hiking in the mountains, put in an cool box on the beach or available for sale at the theatre or a concert…In short, the ‘nomad’ or ‘to go’ consumer market. Up until now wine has been conspicuously absent from this booming market niche, because it is far from easy to carry a bottle around for just one or two people – and to have to search ones’ pockets for a handy bottle-opener. Incidentally, these ‘wine-to-go’ glasses are now also available in the TGV (high speed train) bars, on certain routes.

To Go-Gift pack

Florence and Michel Bernard, who run Château Gravas, a 16-hectare estate in Sauternes, have joined this particular market wagon. They explain the reasons behind this move : « In this difficult economic context, we cannot afford not to be innovative. A great many producers in the region have fallen upon hard times. Besides, the ready-to-drink glass is selling well.”

For several weeks now, customers visiting the estate can buy a 10-centilitre stemmed glass for 5.50 € and another larger 18.7-centilitre model made of PETE (hard, recyclable plastic) for 4.50 €. The “¼ Vin” firm in the Var region manufactures all these glass or plastic containers. Florence Bernard adds, “During our château open days, many of our colleagues from neighboring estates came to have a look. The younger consumers are enthusiastic and the specially engraved glasses can make good inexpensive gifts.” Not long ago, she had already launched an impressive, square-shaped ‘perfume-style’ bottle containing 75 centilitres of Château Gravas wine.

« Of the million glasses we package per year, 95% of them are in plastic (see photo). This container is hard-wearing and pleasantly rounded in shape. It can be re-used at home. It’s much better than a throwaway coke can,” underlines Pascal Carvin, who is predicting a rose-tinted future for his business.

The same goes for Verr’In, a small merchant company set up in the Gironde region by Gonzague de Torcy, which is offering the same concept, in partnership with ¼ Vin.

(1) www.oneglasswine.com

• Author:Cesar.Compadre
• Photo :DR

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• by: BWN

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