May 24th – TURNER, Ore. — Willamette Valley Vineyards, a leading producer of Oregon Pinot Noir, furthered its sustainability efforts today when it introduced a new reusable bottle from Oregon-based Revino to the winery’s production line.
Willamette’s bottling crew began filling more than 16,800 bottles of its 2023 Whole Cluster Pinot Noir in bottles from Revino, a company specializing in returnable, reusable glass for wineries. The bottles will be released later this year in Willamette’s tasting rooms in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
The bottling will help the winery lower its carbon footprint while leaning into its roots of sustainable farming and winemaking practices.
“Packaging remains the largest source of emissions in wine production,” said Adam Rack, COO and co-founder of Revino. “By partnering with Revino and bottling Whole Cluster Pinot Noir in Revino bottles, Willamette Valley Vineyards signals their dedication to preserving our planet for generations to come.”
According to Revino’s data, glass packaging accounts for a significant portion of winery CO2 emissions, ranging from 30% to 60%, depending on the winery. Revino’s lightweight and durable bottles offer a sustainable alternative, enabling 25 to 50 uses per bottle and reducing emissions by up to 85% compared to single-use bottles.
“This new Revino glass bottle can be reused up to 50 times, greatly improving our environmental sustainability. Combined with our use of wind and solar power, natural cork stoppers and other low-impact and certified LIVE methods, wine consumers can continue to support Oregon wines,” said Jim Bernau, Founder and CEO of Willamette Valley Vineyards.
All of Willamette’s producing vineyards are certified LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology). LIVE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that supports environmentally and socially responsible winegrowing through third-party certification and educational programming.
The wine rests for several months after bottling. Willamette’s winemaking team will determine when it can be released for enjoyment by wine enthusiasts.
Director of Winemaking and Vineyards Terry Culton placed a Golden Coin inside the capsule of the first bottle that came off the line today. The lucky recipient of this bottle will win a $50 donation to the food bank of their choice and a wine experience.
Customers who purchase wine in Revino bottles can return them to Willamette tasting rooms or other return locations noted on Revino’s website. Revino will collect the bottles and prepare them for reuse by wineries. After being reused 25 to 50 times, the bottles will be recycled into new glass packaging, minimizing environmental impact while maintaining wine quality.
Find more information about Willamette’s sustainability efforts here on the winery’s website.
Learn more about Revino and its returnable, reusable bottles here on their website.
Willamette Valley Vineyards
Founded in 1983 by CEO Jim Bernau with the dream of creating world-class Pinot Noir while serving as stewards of the land, Willamette Valley Vineyards has grown from a bold idea into one of the region’s leading wineries, earning the title “One of America’s Great Pinot Noir Producers” from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. In addition, all the vineyards have been certified sustainable through LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon-Safe programs. The winery owns or leases 1,000 acres of vineyard land and offers elevated wine experiences at 10 tasting rooms in Oregon, Washington and California – made possible by the stock ownership of many wine enthusiasts.
