The future is plastic

AN UNUSUAL COMBINATION of terrorists and Michael O’Leary has made it very difficult for wine lovers to carry wine through airports. However, a new innovation by an Irish-owned company might make it easier to do just that.

The use of glass bottles for wine is a fairly recent innovation. Up until the 18th century, it was transported and matured in large oak barrels, clay jars or animal skins. Glass and cork protected wine from oxidation in a way that was not possible before, allowing wine to be aged more safely.

However, glass is heavy and bulky, and expensive to ship. It also has a tendency to break. In recent years, we have seen alternatives in the form of Tetrapaks, bags-in-boxes and even cans. All of these have been used only for less expensive wines.

This could all change with the introduction of Polythene Teraphthalate (PET) or plastic bottles. Proponents argue that they offer significant advantages over glass. They weigh less and take up less space, and are therefore significantly cheaper to ship, and easier to carry. They are also unbreakeable, and are 100 per cent recyclable. PET bottles have been used before, usually for cheap 1.5-litre bottles of inexpensive wine, and sometimes for quarter bottles. However, PET allows more oxygen into the wine than glass, and until recently this reduced the wine’s shelf life significantly.

Paul Sapin, a French bottling company majority-owned by Irish wine importer Febvre Co, has launched a new generation of PET bottles it claims will revolutionise the way we buy wine. Instead of the normal single layer of Polythene Teraphalate, its version, the MLP, has two layers, with a nylon layer in-between. The nylon acts as a barrier to both carbon dioxide and oxygen, and gives an extra six months’ shelf life to the wine.

So will plastic bottles catch on? There has been consumer resistance in the past. They look smaller, for a start. Heavy bottles look good, and are sometimes used to make cheap wine look more expensive. But earlier this year Marks Spencer changed all of its 25cl bottles to MLP, and reported a 20 per cent increase in sales. It intends adding full bottles to the range. Australian producer Wolf Blass has also run trials with a few wines. Febvre has launched two South African wines in MLP at Dublin Airport, Hout Bay Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc.

Siobhán Moore of Dublin Airport Authority says: “So far our experience is that it’s an innovative new product with real appeal to the travelling public and initial sales have been excellent.”

Consumers can now carry three instead of two bottles at the same weight. Environmentalists, who already object to water being sold in plastic bottles, are sure to voice their concern at this development.

Wines of the week

Riesling Trocken 2007, Wagner Stempel, Rheinhessen, 12.5%, €18.95Exuberant, exotic peach and pineapple fruits in a richly textured wine with a good mineral bite on the finish. A very complete wine with real character. To be drunk well chilled with prawns or other seafood. Stockists: The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, Dublin 2; Wicklow Wine Co; Grange Wines, Rathfarnham; The Good Food Gallery, Kilcullen.

Craggy Range Glasnevin Gravels Riesling Waipara 2008, 10%, €26.50Named after the Glasnevin river in Waipara, as opposed to the cemetery in Dublin. It has a wonderfully aromatic nose, floral and lifted, followed up by intense but light pear and citrus flavours on the palate. It finishes off-dry, like a Mosel Kabinett, but it is the wonderful clean fruits that show through. Perfect summer drinking. Stockists: Bin No. 9, Clonskeagh; Sweeney's, Glasnevin; Redmond's, Ranelagh; McCabe's, Mount Merrion; The Gables, Foxrock.

Chianti Classico 2008, Castellare di Castellina, 13.5%, €18.99A reasonably priced Chianti Classico with ripe, rounded dark cherry fruits, with some warm spices, and a clean, elegant finish. Try it with roast red meats. Stockists: Wines on the Green, Dawson Street, Dublin 2; McCabe's, Blackrock and Foxrock.

Chianti Collezione Speciale Da Vinci 2008, 13%, €14.99A different style of Chianti to the Castellare above, but equally good; concentrated, cool, dark cherry fruits with a nice structure and a good, dry finish. This opened up beautifully after an hour. Definitely one to have with food. Try it Tuscan-style with a large T-bone steak grilled on the barbecue. Stockists: Bin no 9, Clonskeagh; The Silver Granite, Palmerstown; Cellar Master, Sandyford Business Estate; Michael's, Mount Merrion; Fallon Byrne, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2; Hole in the Wall, Dublin 7; The Vineyard, Galway; Red Nose Wine, Clonmel; World Wine Wines, Waterford

Two under €12

Tim Adams Pinot Gris 2009, Clare Valley, Australia, 12.5%, €11.35Sweet honeydew melons on the nose; some rich melon fruits on the palate too, with gingery spice and a slightly off-dry finish. A cross between an Alsace Pinot Gris and an Italian Pinot Grigio, this would go very nicely with Asian prawns or chicken. Stockist: Tesco

L'Arjolle Cabernet Merlot 2009, Côtes Thongue IGP, 13%, €9.99A very moriesh light wine with very well-defined Cabernet blackcurrant fruits, and an easy finish. I would drink this with chicken and lighter pork dishes. Stockist: O'Briens

Beer of the week

Fürstenberg Premium Lager, Germany, 5.3%, €3 for a 500ml bottleOlder beer-drinkers will know this one from a time when it was served on draught in many pubs. If I remember correctly, it was the Sixthenberg that got you. A light refreshing lager, with a subtle creamy mid palate and a clean finish.