White wine with notes of green? Pour from a paper bottle

OPENING a bottle of wine is often accompanied by a twinge of guilt.

But now you can at least feel a little easier about the environmental impact of your tipple – by buying wine in paper bottles.

The brand When in Rome has become the latest to offer a paper bottle, which will be sold through Ocado. The greener and lighter bottle is made from 94 per cent recycled paper and includes a plastic liner, in much the same way as wine boxes.

It was developed in collaboration with the British sustainable packaging company Frugalpac, which has made similar versions for other producers.

Some drinks giants have run trials on paper bottles for spirits, including Diageo’s Johnnie Walker whisky.

When in Rome will sell three wines in the bottles: Pecorino IGP Terre di Chieti, Rosato and Primitivo IGP Puglia.

Already selling on the brand’s website, the wines will be launched on Ocado this month priced at £10.99.

The company said the new bottles have all of the eco advantages of a bag-in-box format, but the same shape, capacity and price point of other premium brands.

Founder of When in Rome, Rob Malin, said: ‘We feel we’re really making our mark on the industry, particularly when it comes to encouraging others to follow in our footsteps towards a more sustainable future.’

But Mr Malin has cautioned against putting the bottles in an ice bucket. ‘It will go soggy. You need to use a dry chiller,’ he said.

The bottles weigh just 83g, compared with 400-500g for conventional glass, making it easier and cheaper to transport.

Research by quality and safety assurance firm Intertek found the carbon footprint of the bottles is 84 per cent less than a glass one because of the lower energy use involved in its manufacture and transport. Its water footprint is also at least four times lower than glass.