Plastic Wine Bottles Eco-Friendly, but Drink It Fast

Some are looking to recycled plastic bottles as the future of wine packaging—but though they are more eco-friendly, such bottles are less wine-friendly, Reuters reports. They’re “fine for wine you plan to use under 12 months, but not for wines that are designed to improve in the bottle,” says the managing director of plastic bottle maker Portavin. “Simply put, air travels through plastic but not through glass.”

Portavin commissioned a study that showed some wines started to oxidize after as few as eight months in plastic bottles. For that reason, “it’s highly unlikely plastic will ever take over from glass,” says the managing director. But who knows? Some research suggests about 90% of wine is consumed within 48 hours of purchase, prompting at least one winemaker to go plastic. (More wine stories.)