McGuigan Wines Rolls Out Lighter Burgundy Bottle

McGuigan Wines said it has begun rolling out a 300-gram lightweight Burgundy bottle across about 3.5 million bottles this year, in a move the company says will cut glass-related carbon emissions and reduce waste as pressure grows on wine producers to lower their environmental footprint.

The Australian wine brand, part of Australian Vintage, said the new bottle was developed with the glassmaker Verallia and bottling partner Greencroft. It follows the company’s introduction last year of a 300-gram Bordeaux bottle. Together, the packaging changes are meant to reduce the amount of glass used in production while keeping the look and feel associated with Burgundy-style wine bottles.

McGuigan said the new bottle weight represents a 25% reduction from the standard 400-gram glass bottle commonly used in the sector. The company estimated that the Burgundy bottle rollout will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from glass production by about 82,000 kilograms a year. The bottles are expected to account for roughly 596,000 cases.

The company said the bottle is made with about 30% recycled glass. It is designed for wines that traditionally use Burgundy-shaped packaging, including its Black Label Sauvignon Blanc, which is now being sold in the new bottle at Sainsbury’s in Britain for £7.50.

Australian Vintage, McGuigan’s parent company, said the change fits into a broader effort to lower emissions across its operations and supply chain. The company received B Corp certification in February 2024, joining businesses that meet standards for social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

Greencroft Bottling, where the wines will be packed, said its facility runs largely on renewable energy, including wind turbines and solar power. The site has three wind turbines and a solar installation that produces 4.6 megawatts of energy.

McGuigan Wines said the lighter bottle allows it to keep quality standards intact while responding to consumer demand for products with a smaller environmental impact. The company has been under growing industry pressure to address packaging emissions, which are a major source of carbon output in wine production because of the weight and volume of glass used in shipping and bottling.