Regional wineries are starting to forgo the tradition of heavy glass bottles in order to reduce waste and sidestep supply chain issues.
Co Dinn started his winemaking business over three decades ago, and when he opened his own winery, Co Dinn Cellars, he decided his high-end wines would be sealed with screw caps, which seal bottles better and are now thought by many winemakers to be superior to corks.
While the Washington wine industry is incredibly young compared with European wine regions, traditionalism still reigns. And that's reflected in wine packaging.
The industry pushed the belief that high-quality wines should come in a heavy glass bottle with a wooden cork closure as well as wrapped with aluminum or tin foil capsules on top.
However, numerous wineries are starting to challenge those notions as they seek to reach a new generation of wine drinkers that are willing to forgo tradition and address the environmental issues and supply chain issues and keep sustainability in mind.
The result has been positive so far. Wine drinkers are able to enjoy good-tasting and high-quality wine that comes in a bag in a box or in a can.
"If it's the right thing for the environment, and you can reduce the cost and reduce the carbon footprint, why would you not?" - Emily Fergestrom, owner of a winery in Yakima Valley.
