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Diana Wolf
The Secret Trick to Buying “Greener” Wines (it’s all about the new Mason-Dixon)
by Diana Wolf - July 22, 2008 - 8:30 AM

Picture 281.pngTorn between wines from Napa and Bordeaux? Well, if Dr. Tyler Colman had his way, you wouldn’t be selecting your alcohol solely based on your palette anymore. Instead, he’d have you refer to the “Green Line,” or the Mason Dixon Line for Wine, wine’s national carbon footprint line that runs through Ohio all the way down to Texas.
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Colman, a PhD and professor at New York University, and wine blogger Dr. Vino, examined the carbon footprint of wine and found what they refer to as a “green” line. For all states West of the line, it’s more carbon efficient to consume wine trucked from California. For all states East of the line, it is more efficient to consumer wine bottled from France. Though Bordeaux comes from a different continent, efficiencies in container shipping and shorter truck routes make it more efficient than trucking wine from Napa across the United States.

Colman also studied organic versus non-organic farming and found that organic only reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) intensity by a small amount. Transportation, rather than the way in which the wine is grown, is more significant to a wine’s carbon footprint.
Need to see the numbers for yourself? The study, “Red, White and ‘Green’: The Cost of Carbon in the Global Wine Trade” by Tyler Colman and Pablo Paster is available here for more information.

Learn more about what Diana learned today, here. 

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Comments (7)

  1. Help, I can’t figure out which side of the line Shreveport, LA is on! I am now so torn on where to buy my wine from!

    posted by Shreveport Native on 7-22-2008 at 9:44 am

  2. I recommend moving away from Shreveport.
    Barring that, it looks to me like you’re west of the line, so enjoy a fine California wine at dinner tonight.

    posted by 8rustystaples on 7-22-2008 at 9:55 am

  3. Dude, I’m right on the line in Cincinnati. Best of both worlds!

    posted by RSN on 7-22-2008 at 10:21 am

  4. I guess I’m extra green. I live right on the line, but I mostly drink an excellent wine which is made less than 30 miles away. Not because it’s green, but because it’s cheaper and I like the taste.

    posted by Dave on 7-22-2008 at 10:33 am

  5. Thanks for the post. It’s something interesting to think about!

    I’d think that the greenest wine would be your local vinyard. Or, at least that would be a great excuse to try things grown and bottled locally.

    I know that NY (and Quebec) has some outstanding wineries, and I am currently looking at my new state, Maryland, to see what we can find here.

    For us, though, I suppose it’s more about trying something different and unique.

    posted by ACute Angle on 7-22-2008 at 12:20 pm

  6. For every bottle of wine you buy on the right side of the line, I’m buying one from the wrong.

    posted by Canute on 7-22-2008 at 2:14 pm

  7. Fabulous – an excuse to continue drinking New Zealand wines and beers.

    posted by Dawn on 7-23-2008 at 11:34 pm

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