Wine critics should consider a bottle’s social and environmental impact, too, one vintner says

“The critics’ duty is to explain to their audience that two wines may both be high-quality, but they have different impacts,” he said. He noted that Michelin has started giving green stars to restaurants that use organic ingredients. Wine critics, he said, should salute wineries that use lighter bottles, reduce fuel use by tractors (including spraying the vineyards less with herbicides and pesticides), and switch to solar or wind power. Avignonesi has recently opted for bottles weighing 380 grams, down from 450 grams, as part of its effort, he added.