In the global wine industry, the logistics of shipping and bottling play crucial roles in getting wine from the vineyard to the end consumer. While bulk shipping and bottling in the UK offer certain benefits, there are drawbacks that need considering.
Environmental & Economic Impact
First, the environmental argument. Shipping wine involves transporting massive quantities of wine usually across long distances. Removing the weight of glass, cardboard and pallets shipped and replacing by one 25,000 litre plastic bladder does indeed reduce the carbon footprint of transportation. As long as the bottles are produced in the UK….! If, however, the bottles are shipped in separately, then the footprint is worse. Sadly, I can’t find statistics for the number of wine bottles produced in the UK versus empty ones imported, but the glass supply chain interruption that the Ukraine war caused was massive… We also know that the likes of Chile and Turkey are major suppliers of bottles imported into the UK.
Additionally, bottling wine in the UK after bulk shipping may entail further transportation from bottling facilities to distribution centres, compounding the environmental footprint.
For wine-producing regions, bulk shipping and bottling at destination can have negative economic repercussions. Local bottling facilities and services are bypassed, affecting employment opportunities and the overall economic vitality of wine regions.
The real driver for UK bottling is to save a few pence on the cost of the wine not for environmental reasons!
Statistics are hard to come by, but it is estimated that a whopping 53% of wine consumed in the UK is bottled here. But that includes a huge amount of European wine where the shipping distance (and stricter wine laws – more on that later) mean it is either not economically beneficial or illegal to bulk ship. Estimates for Australia jump to 85% of wine consumed here is bulk shipped!
Terroir, Identity & Quality
Wine professionals and quality driven consumers value the concept of terroir encompassing the unique characteristics imparted by a wine's origin, including soil, climate, and vineyard practices. Bulk shipping and bottling in a different location dilutes and masks these distinct traits. Wines lose a sense of place and authenticity when they are not bottled near their vineyard of origin.
Bulk shipping from many of the greatest and best European regions such as Rioja, Champagne, Burgundy, Rhone and Bordeaux is forbidden. Why? Because there is a belief that to ensure the best possible quality, wine should be bottled at source.
I was amused a few years ago to read an interview with a buyer from a major supermarket, advising the benefits of bulk shipping and touting the quality and in the next paragraph proudly stating that their ‘Taste the Difference/Finest’ range was all bottled at source!
The handling and storage conditions during bulk shipping can impact wine quality. Temperature fluctuations, exposure to oxygen, and potential contamination risks are heightened during long journeys. Bottling wine in the UK post-shipping adds another step which can impact the quality of the end product. The most damaging of these is a very heavy filtration, which strips wines of their aromatics and varietal character. And then does a little residual sugar get added to give the perception of fruit? It certainly tastes that way, and perhaps is a way that Chilean wines (including reds) are hitting the market at 11%....but that’s for another post, another day!
Case Study
There are two difficulties in scientifically assessing whether wine is better bottled at source or bulk shipped and UK bottled. First, it is rare to have exactly the same wine available to taste, bulk shipped and bottled at source, and secondly, depending on which side of the fence you sit, you are likely to be prejudiced.
I was lucky enough to be involved in a tasting a few years ago that cemented my stance on bulk shipping. Our then (you can see where this is going) producer of El Picador & Tonada wines from Chile advised they were switching from Chilean bottling to UK. It would be unfair to name the producer.
We pushed back, they pushed forward and so our next order was a mixed container of UK bottled stock. We agreed we needed to taste blind, and tasted Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet – 1 UK bottled, 1 Chilean bottled. Five of us tasted and only at the end compared notes and scores.
I have never been part of such a unanimous tasting before. Once notes were compared, scores compiled, the Chilean bottled wines won hands down. We agreed that the UK bottled stock wasn’t faulty, just dull, lacking varietal character and a bit ‘supermarkety’ … perhaps a touch of oxidation on the long trip coupled with that brutal & intrusive heavy filtration the reason. Meanwhile the Chilean bottled wines absolutely sang – zippy, zingy and fresh sauvignon, robust plum laden Merlot and a vibrant blackcurranty Cabernet Sauvignon.
Needless to say, following the tasting we switched to Viña Luis Felipe Edwards for our El Picador and Tonada wines who committed to retaining Chilean bottling and we remain delighted with the quality they deliver.
Conclusion
There is a place for bulk shipping and UK bottling. But let’s leave it to the Supermarkets and National Wholesalers. Let’s do what we do best in the Independent Wine trade and focus on quality, stick to source bottled wines and deliver the best possible product to our collective end customers.
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