Following a successful test phase with Verallia, Telmont will progressively adopt a bottle weighing only 800 grams, a potential new standard for Champagne bottles.

Last spring, in close partnership with French glassmaker Verallia, Telmont announced the launch of a test phase for bottles weighing only 800 grams, 35 grams lighter than today’s standard champagne bottles. This lightened bottle is the fruit of Verallia’s glassmaking know-how; Verallia had already initiated, ten years ago, a first reduction of Champagne bottles’ weight from 900 to 835 grams. Trimming off an additional 35 grams without weakening the bottles’ mechanical resistance to gas pressure – twice the pressure than in a car tire – took incredible technical prowess.

The tests, carried out by Telmont on 3000 bottles, were highly conclusive. A new stage now begins with expanding production with a first batch of 30,000 bottles. The certified organic cuvée ‘Réserve de la Terre,’ which ages for a minimum of 3 years, will be the first to benefit from this innovation. The first lightened bottles will thus be available to customers as of 2026. 

The glass used for bottles is one of the major sources of carbon emissions (for Telmont, representing about 24 percent of total emissions). Lighter bottles contain less glass and therefore generate fewer carbon emissions during the glass melting and production processes: around  4 percent less CO2 per bottle produced. These ultra-light-weight bottles require less fuel for transport, upstream and downstream, ensuring additional energy savings and environmental benefits. 

Generalizing the use of 800-gram bottles would be a big step forward for Maison Telmont in its endeavor to reduce its environmental impact and reach the objectives set by its “In the Name of Mother Nature” project: being Climate Positive by 2030 and Net Positive by 2050. 

In this framework, Telmont has taken numerous initiatives since June 2021, including completely rethinking its packaging. After eliminating all gift boxes and bespoke bottles – more eye-catching, but heavier and with a larger carbon footprint – and replacing all transparent bottles (made from 0% recycled glass) with only green champagne bottles made with up to 87 percent recycled glass (average rate of external cullet, Verallia France 2021), the next logical step for Telmont was to team up with Verallia to try and reduce the bottle weight. 

“We are proud to have taken up this challenge with Verallia, so far successfully. This experiment initiated by Telmont must extend beyond the borders of our estate. In the Name of Mother Nature, we encourage everyone in Champagne to adopt this bottle. Why? Because using lighter bottles across the board is better for our planet and will benefit all!” Ludovic du Plessis, President of Maison Telmont. 

“Telmont continues to prove that it is at the forefront of sustainable winemaking,” says investor Leonardo DiCaprio. “With an ambitious goal of becoming the first climate positive champagne house by 2030, and net positive by 2050, this step demonstrates Telmont’s commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of winemaking and changing the ways they cultivate, produce and transport their champagne.” “This innovation, designed and developed in France, in our Oiry factory located in the heart of the Champagne vineyards, is a new technical feat. This is the second time that we have lightened this Champagne standard, in line with our environmental ambition to reduce our CO2 emissions by 46% by 2030. We are very happy to test this new bottle with Maison Telmont, and hope that this standard will be adopted more widely.” Axel Guilloteau, Head of Marketing and Sales, Verallia France.