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Champagne Telmont experiments with lightweight glass bottles
Champagne Telmont has launched an experiment to reduce the weight of its glass bottles from 835g to 800g in a bid to cut down its carbon footprint.
According to the Champagne house, glass used for its bottles is one of the main sources of Telmont’s carbon emissions, making up around 20% total CO2 released.
This modification requires an upstream test phase to guarantee bottle resistance during the champagne bottling process and transport.
Champagne bottles must withstand approximately six grams of pressure per square centimetre, due to the characteristics of the fermentation process. The lighter-weight bottles therefore need to be tested to withstand this pressure over time with 35 grams less glassweight.
The test phase began earlier this month at the Telmont estate in Damery, France, on a batch of 3,000 bottles during the tirage.
Over a six-month period, a representative sample willbe continuously monitored and analysed.
Lighter bottles will be approved for sale once they have successfully passed each step of the test, including ageing time in the cellar.
If the outcome is conclusive, Telmont will market the first 800-gram bottles of ‘Telmont Réserve Brut’ (aged a minimum of 3 years) from 2025.
Shape and appearance of the bottle is set to remain the same, according to a press release put out by the Champagne house.
Ludovic du Plessis, president of Telmont House, called the experiment “a step forward for the Champagne region”. He added: “Telmont is a traditional house that embraces innovation, especially when it enables us to reduce our carbon footprint.”
Champagne Telmont is working in collaboration with French glassmaker Verallia to manufacture the new lightweight glass bottles.
Axel Guilloteau, sales and marketing director at Verallia France, said of the collaboration: “The Champagne bottle is a symbol. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t evolve, stepping up to meet today’s challenges.
“In line with our purpose ‘Re-imagining glass for a sustainable future’, we work closely with our clients, supporting their efforts to reduce environmentalimpact. Shaving weight off bottles is a strategic focus of this approach.
“Therefore, we are thrilled to partner up with Champagne Telmontwho is offering us a remarkable life-size testing ground.”
Telmont recently added Hollywood royalty to its board of investors, after it was announced that the Oscar-winning actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio has acquired an equity stake in the Champagne house. Read more on that here.
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