Small Steps, Big Impact: Our Journey Toward a Greener Kalasi

At Kalasi Cellars, we believe that great wine is a reflection of the environment it comes from. That’s why we are constantly looking for ways to honor our land—not just through our viticulture, but through every step of the winemaking process.

Over the last year, we’ve made some exciting changes behind the scenes to minimize our environmental footprint. Today, we’re proud to share a few of those developments with you.

Closing the Loop: Recycling in Fredericksburg

If you’ve visited our tasting room recently, you know that the experience doesn’t end when the bottle is empty. However, finding sustainable ways to dispose of those bottles in the Hill Country has historically been a challenge.

We are thrilled to announce that we have officially partnered with a local recycling service, Empty Harvest, right here in Fredericksburg! Now, every bottle used for tastings and glasses in our tasting room is recycled. As an added bonus, Empty Harvest also picks up our corks for recycling, ensuring that these natural materials are repurposed rather than sent to a landfill.

The New Look of Sustainability: Our 2023 Red Vintage

You might notice a slight change when you pick up a bottle of our 2023 vintage red wines that are coming out shortly. While we loved the aesthetic and heft of our previous glassware, we realized that “heavy” doesn’t always mean “better” for the planet.

We have officially transitioned to a new, eco-friendly bottle for our reds. Here is why we’re so excited about it:

• Lighter Weight: Our new glass is nearly 30% lighter than our previous bottles (dropping from 700g to 496g). This reduction in mass uses fewer raw materials without having any impact on the quality or aging potential of the wine inside.
• Sourced Locally: Previously, our bottles were often produced in China, shipped to California, and then trucked to Fredericksburg. Our new bottles are produced just over the border in Mexico and kept in a warehouse in Laredo—only three hours away from the winery.
• Slashing Our Carbon Footprint: By reducing the weight of the glass and drastically shortening the transportation distance, we are significantly cutting our emissions. In fact, estimates suggest that this switch alone could cut the carbon footprint associated with our glass bottles by as much as 84%.

Quality Without Compromise

These changes are part of our ongoing commitment to being good stewards of the Texas Hill Country. We want you to feel as good about the bottle on your table as you do about the wine inside of it.

The next time you visit us, know that every glass poured and every bottle purchased is part of a larger effort to keep our industry—and our home—vibrant and sustainable for years to come.

Cheers to a greener future!