Wegenstein Launches Revolutionary PET Wine Bottles: The Future of Alcohol Packaging?

Wegenstein, a Rewe Group-owned brand, has been working on a new project for two years and is now ready to sell wine in plastic bottles. The new PET wine bottle is described as extremely light, aesthetic, handy, and unbreakable by Herbert Toifl, the managing director of Wegenstein winery. Around 600 predominantly Austrian winemakers supply this brand.

The idea for the new PET wine bottle was born out of the need to find an alternative to conventional glass bottles that require gas for production. Christoph Fingerlos, responsible quality manager at Wegenstein winery, explains that the energy crisis was the starting point for considering this innovation. After testing if it was possible to fill a PET bottle with alcohol, they collaborated with a Vorarlberg packaging specialist to make it feasible.

The new wine bottle has several advantages over traditional glass bottles. Firstly, it significantly reduces CO2 emissions due to its lighter weight and recyclability. Secondly, it reduces transport costs due to its lighter weight. The first variety available in PET bottles is the “Heuriger 2023,” priced at 2.99 euros per bottle and sold at various grocery stores. By January 2025, these bottles will also be included in the disposable deposit system for recycling.

According to Toifl, the shelf life of the wine in these PET bottles is a maximum of two years but should not sit on shelves for longer than three months. The potential for cheaper production might lead to lower prices in the future depending on customer feedback. Other winemakers have shown interest in this innovation, and it is currently exclusive to Wegenstein until autumn.

In conclusion, Rewe Austria’s new PET wine bottle project offers significant advantages over traditional glass bottles such as reduced carbon footprint and cost savings through transportation and production processes. With growing interest from other winemakers and plans to expand into more markets beyond Austria’s borders in the future