Bordeaux to study carbon emissions

A major study into the wine trade’s carbon emissions has been announced in Bordeaux.

The study, the Bilan Carbonne initiative, announced by the Conseil Interprofessionel des Vins de Bordeaux (CIVB), will be carried out over the next six months, with results expected by September 2008.

Climatologist consultant Jean Marc Jancovici, who has previously carried out carbon studies for both LVMH and the Champagne trade body the CIVC, will be in charge of the project.

Undertaken in association with the Environment Agency, the study will examine the carbon impact of Bordeaux wine making during the growing season, vinification, bottling, packaging, delivery, as well as general electricity consumption in merchants’ offices, cellars and so on.

Laurent Charlier of the CIVB technical service told decanter.com. ‘We intend to find out the carbon emissions for making different styles of wine, in different appellations, and at what stages we need to concentrate our efforts to mitigate the emissions.

‘We know we produce 756m bottles of wine per year, and that 40% of that number is exported. This study should give a clear idea of what different methods of production or shipment mean in terms of environmental cost.’

Once they have the statistics, he said, they will be able to see how to mitigate emissions within the context of quality wine making.

A panel of representatives from wine merchants, winemakers, wine product suppliers, the Institute of Oenology and the Chamber of Agriculture will be advising during the study.

Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux