Anthony Gismondi: B.C. wine for the week of May 12, a bottle to cellar and calendar items

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Wine-Searcher reports Chris Leuck, a former wine buyer in Washington State, is seeking state approval for his wine bottle recycling initiative that turns used empty wine bottles into glass sand.

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Glass sand is used in local community projects, but Leuck is looking bigger picture and needs state approval to use the stable, non-toxic, amorphous and an environmentally sustainable alternative to natural river or ocean sand. Leuck is turning around 270 kg of wine bottles into glass sand every week, diverting some 10 tons from the local landfill in 2021 alone.

State approval will open up his markets to government agencies and larger building and landscape contractors who must work under the Qualified Products List issued by Washington State.

Jackson Family Wines (JFW) earned a California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Leadership Business Award by following its fully integrated business model plan Rooted for Good: Roadmap to 2030.

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For example, decarbonization is part of the company’s capital expenditure plan, intelligent water management and efficiency are part of the vineyard redevelopment plan, and social impact and diversity equity and inclusion initiatives are integrated into human resources and employees’ roles and responsibilities.

JFW has invested over $18 million in sustainability efforts since 2015, which has resulted in over $29 million in cost savings stemming from energy efficiency, renewable energy, glass bottle light-weighting and other innovations. JFW also committed to reducing the company’s carbon footprint by 2030 and becoming climate positive by 2050 without purchasing offsets.

B.C. wine of the week

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Spearhead White Pinot Noir 2021, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada 

$28 I 89/100

UPC: 626990441342

Consistently well-made is the best compliment I can pay this wine. It is simply a delicious spring and summer sipper made with Pinot Noir that gets pressed off the skins before any colour bleeds through; hence its white Pinot Noir moniker. The juice is cold-settled and fermented to a pleasing dryness before getting important time on its lees. The result is a floral, adult-style, almost northern Euro white full of pear, lime, mineral and melon. The finish has a touch of sea salt that supports a wide variety of food matches. Ready to drink; stock up.

Wine for the Cellar 

Cotarella Sodale Merlot Lazio 2018, Montefiascone, Lazio, Italy 

$34-$37 I 91/100

UPC: 8028003001987

The colour is black, red on the nose with an aromatic mix of red and blackberries with a dusting of vanilla bean. The palate is slick with similar flavours and a rich, savoury undercurrent that sets the tone for this intense, high-quality Merlot. Harmony marks the dense sweet tannic finish. It’s impressive to drink now, but it will be better in three to five years. Sedimentary rocks of clay and limestone sit under the 15-year-old vineyard. It is sold at select private wine shops.