For years, wine has expressed sustainability starting from the vineyard. Today, however, an increasingly significant part of the challenge takes place elsewhere: in bottles, labels, closures, packaging and everything that accompanies the product from the moment it leaves the winery to its arrival at the table. This is where the sector is now called to confront a transformation destined to redefine not only production, but also the very way brands communicate their value. The change is already underway. Packaging is no longer a simple functional element or an aesthetic exercise. It has become one of the main indicators through which consumers assess a company’s credibility regarding sustainability and environmental responsibility. A shift clearly reflected in the latest developments of Mack & Schühle Italia’s projects.
The value of a wine bottle
Buying a bottle of wine increasingly means choosing a system of values. And packaging is the first tangible expression of that choice.
It is no coincidence that the new European Regulation on packaging and packaging waste—effective from 11 February 2025 and applicable from 12 August 2026—places concepts such as recyclability, reuse, waste reduction and circularity at the center of the product’s entire life cycle. A direction supported by the numbers: in Europe, packaging accounts for 36% of municipal solid waste, while 40% of plastic and 50% of paper used in the EU are destined for packaging.
Wine is not exempt from this evolution—quite the opposite. According to the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, the most impactful component of a bottle’s carbon footprint remains glass. This is the basis of the Bottle Weight Accord, which aims to reduce the average weight of 750 ml bottles below 420 grams by 2026, compared to the current average of around 550 grams.
At the same time, new formats and alternative solutions are emerging to meet a growing demand for practicality, moderation in consumption and reduced environmental impact.
In this context, packaging definitively stops being a cost item and becomes a strategic lever. A transformation that requires new skills and a vision capable of integrating sustainability, marketing and innovation. Today’s consumers do not seek only quality: they expect transparency, consistency and, above all, measurable choices.
It is precisely within this scenario that Grapur is positioned—the Mack & Schühle Italia project that interprets a new idea of wine consumption based on moderation and environmental responsibility.
Mack & Schühle Italia, Grapur and measurable sustainability
With a low alcohol content—9% Vol. for still wines and 9.5% Vol. for the Brut Sparkling Wine, without resorting to dealcoholization—and with organic and vegan certifications, Grapur is designed to engage a segment of consumers increasingly attentive to health and the impact of their choices.
But the project’s true distinctive element lies in its intention to extend the concept of sustainability across the entire packaging supply chain.
Mack & Schühle Italia’s approach involves some of the leading players in sustainable innovation within the sector.
The “Bordolese AIR” bottles weighing 300 grams, and the 550‑gram sparkling version developed by Verallia, represent one of the most advanced expressions of lightweighting, reducing emissions throughout the product’s life cycle—from production to transport to disposal.
The same logic guides the choice of Nomacorc Ocean closures by Vinventions and Ocean Action labels by UPM Raflatac, both made using plastic recovered from coastal areas—material that would otherwise risk entering marine ecosystems.
The recyclable embellishments developed by Luxoro complete a system designed to combine aesthetic value with environmental responsibility.
Secondary packaging follows the same philosophy. Ondulkart supplies low‑wave corrugated cartons made with recycled paper and water‑based inks, demonstrating how every component can contribute to reducing overall impact. The result is a project that goes beyond the individual product and becomes a case study for the entire supply chain.
Grapur shows that sustainability and innovation are not necessarily at odds with wine quality or positioning. On the contrary, they can become complementary tools for building value. If the future of wine will certainly continue to pass through territories, grape varieties and traditions, it will increasingly be judged by its ability to make sustainability visible, measurable and concrete. In this sense, Grapur offers a clear reading of the ongoing transformation: environmental responsibility is no longer just a commitment to declare, but a choice to demonstrate—bottle after bottle.
