The next time you want to pop some bubbly, there’s no need to wrestle with a heavy bottle of Champagne — a century-old French brand just dropped a lighter version that’s better for the planet. Dubbed the “world’s lightest Champagne bottle,” it weighs a mere 1.76 pounds (or 800 grams) and promises to reduce carbon emissions by 4% per bottle.
Due to the huge number of bubbles in the beverage (around 1 million per flute, a scientist estimated in 2014), Champagne bottles require thick glass to avoid cracking under the gas’ pressure. But over the past 100 years or so, manufacturers have been able to decrease bottle sizes while keeping the glass intact. While a 1,250-gram bottle (around 2.75 pounds) was standard in the early 1900s, that figure was shaved down to 835 (around 1.84 pounds) by 2010, per Wine Industry Advisor.
The new model has been in development since 2022, when Champagne Telmont — which boasts Leonardo DiCaprio as an investor — partnered with French glassmaker Verallia to design it in an effort to lessen the drink’s impact on the environment. On Tuesday, the bottle launched with Telmont’s Réserve Brut in honor of Earth Day.
“Creativity and innovation must go hand in hand with responsibility. By adopting this ultra-lightweight bottle, we aim to redefine industry standards and contribute to a more sustainable future for Champagne,” Telmont President Ludovic du Plessis said in a statement shared with Nice News.
Per trade association Comité Champagne, the French region of Champagne is “the first wine-growing region in the world to have assessed its carbon footprint.” The initial audit occurred in 2002 and 2003, and subsequent assessments have taken place every five years since. The 2010 bottle reduction alone resulted in 8,000 fewer tons of carbon emissions annually, but as of 2023, packaging still accounts for over 30% of emissions related to Champagne-making tasks in the area.
Telmont says that if its lighter bottle is adopted industry-wide, it could get rid of an additional 8,000 tons of carbon emissions every year — and potentially even more when transportation is taken into account. Because of this, the company is openly sharing the design in the hopes that it will become the “new standard,” per the release.
This isn’t the first sustainability initiative from the brand. All of its cuvées are sold in 100% recyclable green bottles made from 85% recycled glass, the company shared on its website. In 2021, Telmont banned its products from being distributed via air transportation, and as of last year, all Champagne bottles sent to the U.S. travel aboard wind-powered Neoline ships.
Du Plessis previously told Forbes: “Our objective is to become, as of 2030, the first Climate Positive Champagne house, and to be net positive by 2050, which means a reduction of our carbon footprint by at least 90%. It is a gigantic and exciting project!”
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