It is doubtful that any of us remembers when amphorae were used for the transportation and storage of wine. It has only been thousands of years. The technology that produced the ceramic containers is prehistoric, dating back to the Neolithic Period, around 11,000 B.C.E., near the end of the Stone Age. Over time, larger amphorae (five feet high) were used to ship, literally by boat, both dry goods and liquids, mostly wine. Smaller amphorae and 18-inch tall tabletop amphorae, often finely decorated, would have been conveniently placed on or near the food table, where they could be seen and admired. By 700 C.E., wooden and skin containers had become the new technologies.

Glass bottles that had previously been too fragile for storing and shipping wine finally got a foothold in the 17th century. Note that many of the glass bottles produced since that time are still with us. Because glass is not biodegradable and doesn’t break down, their environmental impact is significant; however, this article isn’t about our failure to embrace recycling. It is about environmentally friendly, innovative wine packaging that is showing great promise from many angles.