Flat Wine Bottles are a thing! Introducing the new EcoBottle to Australia

I was recently sent a media sample from Taylors Wines (thank you!). But it wasn’t your typical-looking wine delivery. It was in a flat, long rectangular box that was an inch or two high. I thought to myself, this mustn’t be wine. Maybe it’s a book? But low-and-behold it was in fact a wine bottle – a crazy-looking flat wine bottle to exact!
And that my friends is how I came to learn about the new wine EcoBottle. This flat wine bottle is a sustainable wine packaging option that is kinder to the planet.
After posting about the wine EcoBottle on my Instagram and Facebook pages – there was a lot of conversation to be had about it. Some people loved the idea, others didn’t want to go near it with a 6-foot pole. Which is what inspired me to write this post. I wanted to get to know the ins and outs of these flat wine bottles.
So grab a glass of wine and let’s dig into the juicy details…
How are flat wine bottles better for the planet?
The new flat EcoBottle aims to lower carbon emissions and reduce waste, it does this by:
- Being made from 100% Australian sourced recycled PET (Polyethylene terephthalate – a highly recyclable inert plastic resin and a form of polyester)
- It is 83% lighter than the traditional glass bottle
- It is also 32% more space-efficient than the traditional glass bottle
- And it is 100% recyclable after consumption
I have to admit, you could definitely pack a lot more of these into your fridge than a standard bottle! In fact, when I went to put my kindly gifted bottle into our jam-packed fridge, I found it rather refreshing to be able to easily slot it in on top of a whole heap of other stuff. Super practical!
As you can see from the above picture, the bottle minus the cap is recyclable.
Does the plastic bottle impact the taste of the wine?
In all seriousness, I think this is the first thought for most people. At the end of day we want to be able to drink and enjoy the wine, despite the quirky packaging right?
Here is a quote from the sustainable packaging pioneers behind these flat wine bottles – Packamama about the impact on the wine:
Our bottles are for everyday drinking wines made to be enjoyed close to purchase (the vast majority) with no impact on the taste or quality of the wine as PET is stable and inert.
My tasting note – Taylors EcoBottle Chardonnay
I was kindly sent a bottle of the Taylors One Small Step 2021 Chardonnay EcoBottle to taste and to be honest, for a $16 bottle, I would drink it again. Here are my notes:
Pale straw colour in the glass with hints of tropical fruits like melon and pineapple on the nose alongside some juicy citrus. There might also be a whiff of white pepper. In the mouth it’s lighter than I expected for a Taylors Chardonnay, but extremely moreish and easy drinking.
It tasted good to me and would make an ideal accompaniment to anywhere where you need to carry your wine as it’s so much lighter than lugging a bottle. Think going on a hike, picnic, etc. One thing I did notice is that it’s slightly different to pour and I ended up spilling it when I first poured, so be mindful of that – no one wants spilt wine 😉
How many ml are in a flat wine bottle?
They are the same as your standard wine bottle – 750ml.
What is the shelf life of wine in a flat bottle?
It would be great, like any wine in alternative packaging (cask/goon, can, etc), if there is an expiry date on the packaging. These Taylors EcoBottles don’t have one however, Packamama kindly jumped in with some information on this on my Instagram post:
We do use a barrier tech to prevent oxygen ingress, with shelf life analysis giving results of 19-21 months.
Where are these flat wine bottles made?
The good news for Australians is that these eco-friendly wine bottlesare being made right here in Australia. They are made with Australian resources. How good is that!
Despite what we all have been told glass is actually not recycled in Australia (a small percentage is but majority does not make it to recycling point). Most glass bottles are virgin glass, especially the clear ones. We don’t capture all the glass waste so ends up in landfill majority of the time. Where as the PET bottle will be more likely to be captured with the recycling schemes and the 10c deposit.
Anna Mantchakidi DipWSET – lifeinaglass.me
What do flat wine bottles have to do with letterboxes?
Funny you should ask! Flat wine bottles are not new they have been available in Europe and the UK since at least 2019. However it’s only now in 2022 that they have arrived on Australian shores.
In fact, it was Garcon Wines who created these eco-friendly flat wine bottles to fit through UK letterboxes. I like it, practical and good for the environment!
Where can you buy wine in flat bottles?
Currently, both Banrock Station and Taylors Wines are producing wine in these eco-flat bottles. You can find these wines at Liquorland and First Choice retailers throughout the country for approximately $16.