Sauvignon Blanc is by far the most widely cultivated grape in New Zealand. On the two islands of the country it gets extremely fruity notes of passion fruit and gooseberry, but also green-grassy notes. This results in crisp, fresh white wines, which are becoming increasingly popular in Germany. According to the statistics of the German Wine Institute, the imported quantity has recently risen by a good third. Growth driver is above all Sauvignon Blanc.

But how environmentally compatible are wines that are transported around half the globe? Even considering only greenhouse gas emissions, the answer is anything but easy. Because CO2 and other greenhouse gases, which are also called CO2 equivalents in the Kyoto Protocol for comparability, are released in the vineyard and in the cellar, during the production of the bottles and during the transport of the wine. Especially when working in the winery, the environmental impact varies from winemaker to winemaker very strong.

As an average for Germany, Helena Ponstein, who holds a PhD in greenhouse gas emissions from wine production at Humboldt University, cites nearly one kilo of CO2 equivalent for the production of a bottle of wine. For other countries she has no information. But if you only consider the electricity that is consumed in the winery and thus part of the carbon footprint, France is the best there, according to Ponstein: "That's because of the high number of nuclear power plants there." Then there would be New Zealand and Austria, and finally Germany, which relies more on CO2-intensive coal-fired power plants in its electricity mix.

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Maximilian Freund does not know exact figures for international wine production. However, the research associate at Önologie-Institut der Hochschule Geisenheim says that overseas wineries are often larger, more modern and more efficient, suggesting rather lower emissions.

Driving to the winemaker is not better either

But does not the extensive transport of the wines from overseas make the possible climatic advantages in the production no longer null and void? "For overseas wines, the transport factor is difficult to catch up with other factors," says Ponstein. However, he was not exorbitantly high. According to a study, down-per-bottle transportation would emit about 300 grams of CO2 per bottle. That's about as much as a car blows up two kilometers in the air.

This is where wine connoisseurs also make friends. Some consumers lead extra 100 kilometers to the next winery to shop directly at the winegrower. "For the CO2 balance, it is better to buy the wine from the dealer around the corner." Even when it comes to the question of whether conventionally grown or organic wine is more beneficial, it is not necessarily what you might expect. The production of fertilizers and sprays used by conventional winemakers requires a lot of energy to produce in the factory. "On the other hand, the organic wine grower also drives about three times more often through his vines and ejects exhaust gases with the tractor," says Freund. This is because the bio-spray agents do not penetrate into the plant and are quickly washed off by the rain.

Getting clues for the carbon footprint based on certificates, according to friend difficult. "The German sustainability seal ultimately guarantees only what is required by law." The transport is left out. " And for corresponding overseas certificates, the criteria are sometimes very different and often more lax than in the EU.

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However, other than driving their own vehicle as little as possible, consumers could pay attention to one more clue when buying wine: the weight of the bottles. The span ranges from about 300 to 600 grams, according to sustainability researcher Ponstein. Both in their production and in transport, every gram falls more negatively on the CO2 balance. "The bottle is really important," says Ponstein. To examine this carefully, give at least a clue as to how much glass was used for it. Sauvignon Blanc friends have reason to hope: White wine is more likely to be in lighter containers.

Wine is always intertwined with people and their stories. To tell some of them, the author has set himself the task. Read on his blog Weinsprech.