SWR Member Interview: Lessons on lightweighting from Wirra Wirra

In the final From the Roundtable episode of 2025, I’m joined by SWR’s Toby Webb, Dr Peter Stanbury and Delaney Sheridan to reflect on the year. We review what we set out to achieve, what we've accomplished, and where we're headed in 2026. From sustainability standards and packaging, to sustainable viticulture and labour conditions, find out how SWR is continuing to tackle the tough sustainability challenges while driving innovation and collaboration in the industry.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Luke Tyler, marketing and sales director, and Matthew Deller MW, CEO of Wirra Wirra. Located in South Australia's McLaren Vale, the winery exemplifies what the region is well-known for: premium red wine and a strong commitment to sustainability. Wirra Wirra has a long history of sustainable practices, with current initiatives spanning across waste reduction, decarbonisation, biodiversity, packaging, and a reconciliation action plan. In recent years, lightweighting has been a major focus, and this year the winery introduced a proprietary 410g glass bottle across a significant portion of its production. Matt and Luke share practical insights into the lightweighting process, the importance of partnerships across the value chain, and why they chose to join the Sustainable Wine Roundtable and the Bottle Weight Accord.

In this episode of From the Roundtable, I’m joined by SWR’s Delaney Sheridan and Dr Peter Stanbury to share some updates – and clear up a few misunderstandings – about lightweighting sparkling wine bottles. SWR is developing a new Sparkling Bottle Weight Accord, building on the success of the still wine Bottle Weight Accord (BWA) launched in 2023. We discuss the progress of the BWA so far, what makes sparkling wine more complex, and how we’re working through those challenges. There are many opinions when it comes to bottle weight, and it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. We thought we’d help set the record straight and run through some of the most common claims. Fact or fiction? Have a listen to find out.

In this episode of From the Roundtable, I’m joined by SWR’s Delaney Sheridan and Dr Peter Stanbury to share some updates - and clear up a few misunderstandings - about lightweighting sparkling wine bottles. SWR is developing a new Sparkling Bottle Weight Accord, building on the success of the still wine Bottle Weight Accord (BWA) launched in 2023. We discuss the progress of the BWA so far, what makes sparkling wine more complex, and how we’re working through those challenges. There are many opinions when it comes to bottle weight, and it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. We thought we'd help set the record straight and run through some of the most common claims. Fact or fiction? Have a listen to find out.  

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Shae Courtney, national quality and sustainability manager for Coles Liquor at Coles Group in Australia. As one of Australia’s largest drinks retailers, Coles Liquor has the capacity to drive change at scale across its supply chain. Packaging is a central focus for the group, with initiatives underway in lightweighting, recycling, waste reduction, consumer engagement and more. We discuss Coles Liquor’s sustainable packaging strategy, the Bottle Weight Accord, approaches to supplier engagement, consumer insights, and more.  

In this episode, I’m joined by Jane Masters MW and Andrew Neather to discuss their new book, Rooted in Change: The Stories Behind Sustainable Wine. Published earlier this month, the book explores how sustainability and wine intersect across the entire value chain. From grape to glass, they delve into the environmental, social, and economic challenges, opportunities, and innovations shaping the wine industry today. Through compelling data, storytelling, and interviews with growers and producers around the world, Rooted in Change offers deep insight into how the wine world is evolving and adapting to a changing climate. Jane and Andy share the motivations behind the book, the key lessons they learned along the way, practical advice for listeners, and the importance of maintaining hope and optimism.  You can purchase your copy at Académie du Vin Library or Amazon.

I caught up with SWR colleagues Delaney Sheridan and Dr Peter Stanbury to talk about the Sustainable Viticulture Protocol (SVP), a framework designed to help growers demonstrate sustainable practices in the vineyard. The SVP supports the transition from intensive chemical use toward regenerative practices, while accounting for the different conditions across regions. Recently, SWR partnered with Waitrose to host a visit to Leckford Farms for SWR members. From data to financing, Delaney and Peter share the key insights from the day’s discussions and explain how SWR is turning these ideas into practical next steps through the SVP.

In this Sustainable Wine Roundtable Member Interview podcast, I’m joined by Nicolas Daspres, technical director at Terra Vitis, and my colleague Dr Peter Stanbury, SWR’s head of research. Terra Vitis, a French sustainability certification for winegrowers, was recently covered in the SWR’s second round of Standards Benchmarking. This benchmarking process, structured around the Global Reference Framework (GRF) – the first global statement of what sustainability in wine entails – provides a clear way to compare standards and drive alignment on meaningful progress.  We explore the process and requirements behind the Terra Vitis certification, including the organisation’s work on labour standards and sustainable packaging. Nicolas shares the benefits of the benchmarking process, the key insights for Terra Vitis, and the actions they are implementing moving forward. We also reflect on some of the broader themes from this second round of benchmarking and discuss what these findings mean for the SWR.

One of the SWR's key action areas is the Sustainable Viticulture Protocol (SVP), a principles-based framework to help with decision-making around chemical use, acknowledging that growing conditions vary considerably across regions. The SVP will be the centre of an on-going change management process away from intensive chemical use in the wine industry, towards a more sustainable, carbon-positive viticultural approach. As part of this work, the SWR undertook a small research programme earlier this year to better understand producers' priorities around chemical inputs and vineyard management. The aim was to explore whether an approach of collaboration and sharing of insights would be applicable to the sustainability of viticulture. My colleague Dr Peter Stanbury, SWR's head of research, joins me on the latest From the Roundtable podcast episode to share the findings and what they mean for the SVP.

SWR's Tobias Webb recently visited Colorado and discovered how a thriving wine region is developing, the sustainability issues they face, and what's next for high desert wine. In the last of three podcasts, he speaks with Cassidee Shull, executive director, Colorado Association for Viticulture & Enology (CAVE). Cassidee shares how the region has developed over the last few decades, the important role of wine tourism, and what sustainable growth looks like for the state.