Innovation & Tradition Ensure Sustainability for MARTINI Sparkling Wine

18 Nov 2014 --- The century-and-a-half success of MARTINI, the world's favorite Italian sparkling wine, centers on innovation and passion to keep Italian traditions alive.

On steep hills in the heart of Italy's Asti region, approximately 300 family vineyards produce distinctly sweet Moscato Bianco grapes – selected exclusively for MARTINI Asti sparkling wine. Floral, fruitful Moscato is the oldest, domesticated grape variety and gives MARTINI Asti its delicious, fresh taste. These grapes are handpicked for MARTINI Asti, as they have been for generations. While the terrain is challenging for maintaining the vineyards, the climate is perfect for cultivation.

To protect traditional Italian family vineyards, MARTINI established the L'Osservatorio (Martini & Rossi Observatory), a center for sustainable business practices, in 1987. It assists local growers with sustainable farming practices by hosting regular sustainability sessions for growers and offering insights on natural ways to manage pests, climate and upcoming harvests. The center initiated an in-depth study on 300 types of regional soil to examine the balance of what grows in the microclimates of the Asti region.

"Every vineyard and every year is different. One may need help with climate, another with soil. We help growers produce the best quality grapes and sustain the Italian MARTINI heritage of fine winemaking," says Edoardo Monticelli, who leads the L'Osservatorio and is a professor on Viticulture at Oenological Institute Umberto I of Alba. Prof. Monticelli customizes birdhouses that attract indigenous birds to eat insects that could endanger the vines. He also works with growers to nurture the more than 100-year-old vines on the hilly landscape, reviving older strains that will yield heartier, more resistant vines in the future.

Freshly picked Moscato grapes go first to a processing facility in Santo Stefano Belbo, then on to the main MARTINI facility in Pessione where MARTINI sparkling wines and vermouths have been crafted for more than 150 years. Almost all energy consumed at the facility comes from renewable sources including hydropower. In addition, close to 100 percent of leftover production materials are recycled – including packaging, glass, wood, plastic and steel. Even the spent grapes are recycled as oil is extracted from the grape seeds and the grapes skins are distilled into grappa or burned for energy use. "We are committed to quality and protecting the environment – and we strive for both simultaneously," says Giorgio Castagnotti, MARTINI operations director.

At MARTINI facilities worldwide, the commitment to protect the environment and reach a net-zero impact has fostered a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by more than 30 percent, solid waste by nearly seven percent and water use by nearly four percent over the past eight years. The brand is consistently awarded the highest quality rating given by the Italian government, the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. Perfect alone, or in cocktails like Bellinis and Mimosas, consumers enjoy the fresh, fruitful and floral taste of MARTINI sparkling wine, part of the Bacardi family of spirits brands.

Since 2006, when the Company began tracking its global impacts on the environment, Bacardi has reduced both nonrenewable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from production by nearly 28 percent. Building on current programs and efficiencies that reduce its environmental impacts, the Bacardi Limited global sustainability program sets specific goals in three areas to help the Company reach its vision of a net zero impact:

   - Responsible Sourcing: Bacardi strives to obtain all raw materials and packaging from sustainably sourced, renewable or recycled materials while maintaining or enhancing the economic status of growers and suppliers. By 2017, the goal is to obtain 40 percent of the sugarcane-derived products used to make BACARDI rum from certified, sustainable sources – and 100 percent by 2022. This pledge from Bacardi is an industry first.
    - Global Packaging: Bacardi commits to use eco-design to craft sustainability into its brand packaging and point-of-sale materials. By 2017, Bacardi plans to reduce the weight of its packaging by 10 percent and achieve 15 percent by 2022.
    - Operational Efficiencies: Bacardi continues to focus on reducing water use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with a 2017 goal to cut water use by 55 percent and GHG emissions by 50 percent. In addition, Bacardi aims to eliminate landfill waste at all of its production sites by 2022.