Plastic bottle manufacturer Portavin has completed a study into the viability of plastic wine bottles.
According to the study, within eight months of bottling, there were marked declines in the quality of the wine within the bottle, however, “there were indications that the glass container was not suitable, indefinitely, as a container for wine since there was a trend showing the wine would deteriorate at some time after 12 months from bottling.”
PET bottles are frequently used in the storage of soft drinks and juice, but have until recently not been suitable for wine because of they are semi permeable to oxygen.
In the past year two Australian wine companies have adopted the use of the bottles for their wines, including Sirromet Wines from Queensland which was used in the study and more recently, Fosters wine brand Wolf Blass.
Both companies have released a white and red wine in 750ml bottles, with the aim of addressing consumers concerns regarding the environmental impacts of glass manufacturing and transportation of glass wine bottles.
The PET bottles used by Portavin in the study were 187ml bottles, weighing 31gms and included an oxygen scavenger called Amfresh, which is designed to assist in limiting the amount of oxygen entering the bottle.
12 months after bottling, the wine in the PET bottles were showing more age and development because they well less full and fresh in taste, more bitter and coloured, compared to the same wine in the glass bottles. However, blind tastings of the wines found only 56 percent preferred the wine from glass compared to the PET bottles.
The Wolf Blass Green label wine bottles produce 29 percent less greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) than equal sized glass bottles and can be 100 percent recyclable.
The bottles also include DiamondClear oxygen scavenging material, an oxygen barrier technology which is moisture activated at time of fill, thus providing a greater best before date of 12 months from wine fill, compared to the previous nine month shelf life of our existing PET bottles.
"The introduction of Green Label is in response to today's more conscious consumer, interested to do their bit for the environment, whilst seeking the reassurance from a trusted brand", said Oliver Horn, global brand director for Wolf Blass.
According to Fosters the PET bottles deliver the same quality, taste and consistency as Wolf Blass wines in glass.
Portavin claims the individual serve PET bottles are best suited for consumption in large entertainment venues, air crafts and where freight costs may be substantial.
The full report is available from the Portavin website.