It’s not easy being green, as “Kermie” likes to sing; but then, all good things take more thought, understanding, and commitment.
And by a very green wine writer, I don’t mean “green” by experience; I mean green by social consciousness.
Earth Day is this Sunday, and I thought that I’d not focus on green wines or green wine practices… everyone will be doing that one. I’m taking another tack in the wind.
Today (and everyday) Paul Gregutt is my Mr. Green Jeans of modern day, and my hero in the regards to being environmentally forward thinking.
If you’re going to be sending Paul samples, he lets everyone know well in advance what his criteria is. I asked him to send it to me, again; not because I don’t know it. I just didn’t want to rewrite it and leave something important out. Plus, it will also demonstrate how’s he refined his process.
What he sent back is all revealing for how one person can affect the future for our children’s children and the health of our planet.
Jo,
I have been requesting no Styrofoam in every email to wineries for over 10 years now. When I started maybe five percent used cardboard; now it’s 98 percent and the ones that don’t get a stern message from me!
Here are Paul’s complete guidelines:
PAUL GREGUTT Wine Submission Guidelines:
IMPORTANT: I DO NOT HAVE A LOCKER AT SEATTLE WINE STORAGE! !
CURRENT ADDRESS & SHIPPING GUIDELINES:
Shipping Address: 230 West Street
Waitsburg, WA 99361
Phone (for shipper ONLY!): [I’m not going to put his number here for privacy purposes.]
When mailing wines, please use cardboard shippers. No styrofoam of any kind! Please confirm your proposed shipping dates via e-mail BEFORE you send the wines to be sure I will be available to sign for your packages.
For each individual winery or winery brand, please submit new releases just twice a year. You may submit at any two convenient times, as I taste and review wines year round. Please send one bottle only if it uses a screwcap or glass or composite cork closure, two bottles for standard corks.
Washington and Oregon wineries MUST include the standard Wine Enthusiast submission form. You may download it here:
http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Contact-Us/
Please include technical info (blends, vineyard sources, etc.), suggested retail pricing, case quantities, percent of alcohol, and the release date. The name (or names) of your Washington state distributor(s) are very important also!
Wines are tasted under controlled conditions in peer group blind flights. One submission is sufficient for consideration for all the different print and online outlets to which I contribute. Please do NOT re-submit wines a second time. If you have any concerns or questions, you may reach me at paulgwine@me.com.
Many thanks!
PaulG
In my nearly 20 years as a wine publicist, Paul’s my primo example of being really well organized and having a great, green methodology.
My straw hat is off to PaulG this Earth Day weekend.
What are your “green” commitments?
Jo, this is most kind. I never imagined my childhood hero Mr. Green Jeans would end up as a mentor! My insistence on the use of recycled and recyclable packing materials began as a mere suggestion over a decade ago. Some wineries were already doing it; not many. There was resistance to the idea based largely on concerns about protecting the wines from heat and cold. But in over a decade, and having received thousands of boxes of wine, I have never – not once – had a shipment either frozen or baked in cardboard. Nor have I had a bottle broken. In my experience it does every bit as good a job as styrofoam. Of course, nothing will work if you ship wine in extreme heat or bitter cold. I always suggest shipping in moderate weather, and trying to avoid having your wines sit in a truck or warehouse over a weekend. It helps a great deal that most of the wines I receive are sent from the same time zone I live in. Again, my thanks (and the red face that goes along with them) for your kind words.
Neither did I know that Mr. Green Jeans was getting into my head the way he did. Thank God for him and my grandmother. [We used to giggle at her, because she was washing out plastic bags and reusing them… Like my dish drain looks today.]
The efforts put out there makes such a great difference. Thanks for leading the way, Paul.