Argentina’s wine country is one of the hidden gems of world travel. Set up against the scenic Andes Mountains, the Mendoza region is famous for its fantastic Malbec and a great destination if you’re considering taking a South American vacation. Resorts in the area are implementing sustainable practices, but one has caught the attention of wine enthusiasts — a portable felt pouch.
Entre Cielos Wine Hotel + Spa offers a unique pouch to guests filled with the resort’s own Malbec, called EC Wine. It’s a young, easy-to-drink blend that lasts for a month. According to Cecile Adam, Entre Cielos’s director and owner, this perk is highly sustainable.
“We wanted to look for a more sustainable solution for our very small wine production of 4,000 kilograms [about 8,818 pounds] of grapes from my own vineyard,” Adam said. The sack’s design plays off the fad of bagged liquor but with a more sustainable (and better tasting) experience.
The container is made locally in Mendoza, meaning little to no other outside materials are used in production. It’s large and can hold up to three liters, which is equal to four bottles.
The pouch is made from a thick felt to ensure longevity. This item can be washed and refilled, unlike other bagged spirits in cardboard boxes. Less waste is created, and it can hold any type of wine.
Guests can carry the sacks around the resort, filling their glasses as they see fit. It also offers an element of surprise, according to Adam.
“This solution for our sommelier to surprise our guests with the handbag to carry around the many spaces throughout the property allowed us to surprise and delight our guests, make it fun and easier for us to serve wine by the glass,” she commented.
To develop such an innovative piece of transport, Adam worked alongside Estela Perinetti. Perinetti worked as a winemaker at Catena Zapata, a prominent vineyard in Argentina. Creating her own blend called Las Estelas, Perinetti also worked on the EC Wine.
The winery that produces Las Estelas sold their pouches to the resort and filled them with the hotel’s blend. A local supply chain has developed.
Guest feedback has been positive. Adam says they marvel at the convenience and portability. While the traditional bottle is the most popular method of transporting and aging, the bag has garnered some popularity.
As to why Entre Cielos offers the unique container, Adam said, “It’s important because we are heading towards being a B-Company, and waste reduction is the start to change our behavior.”
In addition to making the resort more eco-friendly, the pouch redefines the tasting experience. The resort sommeliers specialize in organic and Mendoza-produced wines. The bar also offers an extensive selection of orange and natural varieties and classics from around Mendoza. Guests have the opportunity to test a new blend with a sustainable product.
It would be shameful to talk about the innovative receptacle without highlighting Entre Cielos. It sits on 20 acres of winemaking land with the Andes in the background. There are 1,200 vineyards surrounding the resort, so visitors won’t have issues finding good options in the region.
Just 10 minutes from the resort grounds is Mendoza’s Open Mall, the central hub of the city’s culture and nightlife. Other attractions include winery tours, horseback riding, and spa treatments.
As sustainability and eco-friendly alternatives surge in popularity, people are opening their minds to new products. This pouch can ensure that full bottles no longer have to be wasted for a single glass. Visitors can buy one and use it numerous times.
“Most of the guests say what a good idea, and some of our guests buy one to bring home, and we explain that they can just put a pouch of another wine-in-box they buy at home if they want to have something easy to transport wine with friends wherever they meet,” Adam said.
