Oé visiting the bottle washer from the locker

For several months, we have been working on projects that are close to our hearts. As some of you know, we launched our first cuvées in September 2019 to complement the wines from winegrowers, then we decided to evolve to improve our offer by offering only our Oé wines in May 2020. During these 6 months of reflection, we have sought to improve our wines, our bottles, everything from the contents to the container, to offer you the most environmentally friendly experience, for your body and that of the winegrowers. In search of a 360° coherent bottle, we could not forget to bring back the methods of yesteryear: the famous deposit system. 

To do this, at the initiative of our local deposit partner Rebooteille, Emilie and Thomas from the team went on site to dissect the inner workings of bottle washing to offer them to our partners with whom we work: restaurants, grocery stores, etc… Patience, it will be coming soon for you, Oé customers 😉 

Are you ready for a rundown? Here we go! 

1. Once the bottles have been enjoyed, they are collected and returned to the circuit by one of our partners. In Lyon, it is the company Rebooteille that takes care of our bottles by working on the deposit and the reuse of glass bottles in Ain, Loire and Rhône. Once collected, they are washed near Valence in Chabeuil (Rebooteille will take care of the washing after acquiring its own work tool by next year). Off we go for a tour!

2. The bottles enter the washer. They are washed at 73° in water mixed with soda for 15 to 20 minutes. The mixture allows to properly detach the label. Soda is used in a very small quantity (2%) and the bath is kept for several weeks to perform several washing cycles (if the bottles are well pre-cleaned and they have the right size, we can do about ten baths with the same water)

3. The bottles then pass through the blower (to avoid water residue that could be a source of bacterial growth) and the inspection table (to check that no glue remains on the bottle, to do a final check and make sure that the bottles are perfectly clean)

Once the operation is completed, about thirty minutes later, the bottles are put on pallets then ready to be resold. Simple as can be, in theory, but quite a technique when it comes to executing it.

Finally clean and ready to be reused, the bottles are sent to our bottler in Les Pierres Dorées then they come back to us in Lyon, to again serve restaurants, grocery stores, wine shops and events.

Why reuse bottles rather than recycle them? 

• To reduce the environmental impact. By bringing back the deposit system, we would save 75% energy, 50% water and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 79%
• To promote local agriculture and short supply chains for your purchases of wines, beers, fruit juices, fruit compotes, yogurts, honey and jams because the deposit system is local! 
• To create local jobs that cannot be outsourced with people in social and professional integration. 
• So that producers, consumers and communities save money in the long term. 

source: Ma Bouteille s’appelle Revient 

If you have any questions about the deposit system, do not hesitate to write to us at hello@oeforgood.com, we will answer you quickly, it's a promise :-)  

We also offer you to sign this petition in favor of the return of the deposit system in all our French stores; and if you want to order your zero-pesticide wines, it's here! 

The Oé team