Reuse and Refill _World Refill Day
World Refill Day Climate Talks
Exploring Reusable Bottles in Wine: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities
This World Refill Day, in partnership with Lanchester Wines (UK) join us for a special edition of the Porto Protocol Climate Talks dedicated to one of the least understood topics in wine packaging, yet widely promoted and discussed within the Porto Protocol community: reusable bottles.
Refill and reuse systems are well established in some beverage sectors, regions, and companies. In wine, however, two realities coexist. For a handful of regions and producers, reusable bottles have been part of the business model for decades. For most of the industry, however, reuse remains an ambitious concept—an evolving conversation often perceived as too complex to implement at scale.
Yet this is beginning to change. Around the world, pioneering producers, governments, industry organizations, and reuse operators are testing new models, building infrastructure, and exploring what it takes to make bottle reuse work in a sector known for its diversity, fragmentation, and deep-rooted traditions.
Through three focused conversations, we will bring together experts and practitioners from across the value chain to share practical insights, real-world experiences, and lessons learned. From national refill systems and successful models in beer to pioneering wine bottle schemes and wineries already embracing reuse, these discussions will offer a realistic view of where reusable bottles stand today—and where they may go next.
A Broader Perspective
To understand where wine could be heading, we begin by looking beyond the sector itself. Join Henriette Schneider (Pro Mehrweg, Germany), Tiago Brandão (Super Bock Group, Portugal), and Mehdi Besbes (Adelphe, France) as they share insights from markets and industries where refill and reuse systems are more established. From Germany’s longstanding reusable bottle culture to experiences from the beer sector and national initiatives supporting circular packaging systems, this session will provide valuable context for understanding what makes reuse work—and what wine can learn from those experiences.
Perspectives from Reusable Wine Bottle Schemes
Reusable bottle initiatives in wine are developing at different speeds around the world. In some regions, such as Austria, reuse systems have a longer history and stronger institutional support. Elsewhere, organizations and producers are working to establish new models and build the infrastructure needed to make bottle reuse viable.
Hear from Marie-Pierre Khann (La Bande Verte, France), Adam Rack (Revino, USA), Ingrid Winter (State Government of Styria, Austria), and Fanny Courtial (Château de l’Éclair / SICAREX, France) as they share experiences from different reuse programs and initiatives. Together, they will discuss infrastructure, logistics, stakeholder engagement, policy support, challenges, and the practical realities of creating and expanding reusable bottle systems.
Perspectives from Wine Producers
What does bottle reuse look like from the producer’s perspective? In our final session, Marta Mendonça (The Porto Protocol) will moderate a conversation with Janie Heuck (Brooks Wine, USA), Catherine Cuchon (Henri Cuchon, Switzerland), and Benoît Merchier (La Famille K, France).
These producers have already embraced reusable bottle schemes and will share their motivations, experiences, successes, and challenges. From operational adjustments to consumer engagement and collaboration across the value chain, they will offer a candid look at what it means to put reuse into practice.
