Willamette Valley Vineyards in the US has become the first winery in the world to achieve Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for its use of cork stoppers harvested from responsibly managed forests.

Based in Oregon, the winery has been awarded FSC ‘chain of custody’ certification by the Rainforest Alliance.

"Cork stoppers from responsibly managed forestlands are the only choice for wineries that want to have a positive environmental and social impact," said Jamie Lawrence, European Forestry Division manager for the Rainforest Alliance.

"Willamette’s commitment to supporting responsible cork production in rural communities in the Mediterranean is commendable and progressive, fitting of a world-class winery that focuses on making sustainable choices."

The corks used by Willamette Valley Vineyards are processed at Amorim’s FSC-certified production facilities in Portugal.

The Rainforest Alliance was responsible for awarding FSC certification at each step throughout the process, beginning with certifying the world’s first cork forest in Portugal in 2005, later certifying the cork manufacturing facilities owned by Amorim, and now certifying Willamette Valley Vineyards.

The announcement follows the release earlier this year of the African Dawn range of wines in Europe with FSC-certified Amorim corks.

Willamette Valley Vineyards produces 100,000 cases of principally pinot noir annually that is distributed throughout the United States, Canada and the Pacific Rim.

Starting with the 2006 vintage bottled in July, the winery will now use FSC-certified Amorim corks in all its bottles. The corks will be imprinted with the FSC and Rainforest Alliance logo and bottle labels will also bear both certification seals.

"We think about every aspect of how we can walk as softly as possible in pursuing our goal of making world-class pinot noir," said Jim Bernau, founder and president of Willamette Valley Vineyards.

"The question is: What is the best choice for the long-term health of the planet? The clear answer is natural cork that comes from a responsibly managed forest."

Carlos de Jesus, marketing and communications director for Amorim, the world’s first FSC-certified cork company, congratulated Willamette.

"The wine industry is responding to a demand by informed consumers that will result in the conservation of fragile ecosystems and the reduction of the industry’s carbon footprint," he said.

Amorim Cork America has launched a pilot program in the state of Oregon to collect and recycle one ton of natural wine corks over the next 12 months.

The program, called ReCork America, is headed by Jack Squires, the former general manager of Amorim Cork America who now works for the company in a consulting role.

Collection points will ultimately include wineries, wine and spirit retailers, restaurants, grocery stores and other locations where wine is consumed or purchased.

"Amorim has taken a leadership role by producing sustainable natural products for many years and the development of this recycling program is a perfect fit with the company’s environmental policies," said Squires.

"Consumers worldwide are demanding eco-friendly choices and are genuinely concerned about carbon emissions and product reuse. Fortunately for us, we have a product that actually reduces C02 levels and is 100 per cent recyclable."

Squires said the plan is to start small and grow as the interest in cork recycling in the US builds.

"Our goal is to collect one ton of natural corks in the first 12 months of the program — that’s approximately 300,000 corks," he said.

The collected corks will be sorted to remove any alternative closures and stored while a processing partner is selected.

ReCork America is investigating several processing options that include a manufacturer of green building materials and a supplier of cork flooring and insulation.

The ultimate goal is to select a recycling method that minimises the output of additional carbon and is environmentally and financially sound.

Amorim has received support from The Oregon Environmental Council, Willamette Valley Vineyards and SOLV, an Oregon-based environmental organisation.

The ReCork America logo

www.recorkamerica.com.