It is commendable to examine the carbon footprint and environmental impact of the wine industry so that it operates as efficiently as possible and to support local wineries as your other article does. But you shouldn’t jump from those lessons to boycotting a popular holiday wine and huge marketing success for the wine industry. There isn’t enough being done in the name of Beaujolais Nouveau to deserve that type of treatment.

I particularly don’t like this attack because I have found that Beaujolais nouveau, although a gimmick, has been a great way of exposing casual wine drinkers or non-wine drinkers to the joys of the seasonal and regional differences of wine drinking. It’s a simple wine, but a gateway wine to understanding the varieties of what exists around the world and the traditions that go into wine beyond cabernets.

It is the greater understanding and exposure to the world and its varied environments that breaks down bigotry and inspires people to protect the environment. This is one of the great things about the wine industry and the gimmick of Beaujolais Nouveau. The carbon footprint of wine helps end ignorance and indifference about the environment for people that otherwise would be comfortable in isolation.

I enjoy many of the wines in your extensive portfolio. I like that they are from small producers who often use organic methods of cultivation. I am also interested in the carbon footprint of consumer goods, including wine. Perhaps other consumers of your wines are also interested in no longer externalizing greenhouse gas emissions but instead trying to reduce them? Perhaps this is an issue you should embrace rather than attack as it would resonate with other consumers who enjoy your style of wines.

Yes, there is an eBook of my book. The hardcover edition is manufactured in the USA.

According to this article, a pound of paper has 0.29 lbs CO2e. At 1.5 lbs, my book has 0.45 lbs C02e.

By contrast, a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau airfreighted to New York has has about 6 lbs CO2e. And for San Francisco, Seoul, and Tokyo, it’s clearly much higher.

Since about 12 million bottles of BN will be airfreighted this year, why don’t we resume this discussion after the 12 millionth copy of my book has sold? Then I’ll still be at a tenth of greenhouse gas emissions generated by the BN 2008 vintage.

Of note: Louis/Dressner features in the book as one of the best importers in America.

Have a nice day.

If you can’t tell the difference between the air shipment of grape juice to the wealthy world and the airdropping of emergency rations to a civil war-infested famine zone, then I pity you, Joe.

Your bombast ain’t cute.

Why doesn’t the same hold true for wine?

Thanks, Tyler, for re-evaluating the facts and updating the site on the basis of research.

Why don’t we just go back to the old politics of America First! Let’s boycott the rest of the world, build up trade barriers, organize embargoes, and finally go to war!

Yeah!

A little more rational thought might be in order.

By the way, give credit where credit is due. It was I who noted on your blog that Duboeuf was shipping by boat. So drink Duboeuf and strike a blow for the earth. But boycott Jean-Paul Brun and Domaine des Terres Dorées for their high carbon footprint!

Yeah!

Bill – thanks for coming back; glad you liked it this time.

Sean – I considered those aspects. Here are some bullet points of my research on the carbon footprint of wine.