On Earth Day (22 April 2025), Champagne Telmont proudly introduced the world's first ultra-lightweight standard champagne bottle to the U.S. market. Weighing just 800 grams (1.76 pounds), this bottle's debut with Champagne Telmont's Réserve Brut marks a major milestone in sustainable winemaking – reducing carbon emissions by 4% per bottle and challenging long-held industry conventions.
Bottle manufacturing accounts for nearly 30% of Champagne's carbon footprint. For over two decades, the standard bottle weight remained unchanged at 835 grams, with lighter alternatives dismissed as unviable due to the pressure requirements of champagne-making. But Telmont, driven by its In the Name of Mother Nature mission, challenged industry norms. After years of rigorous research and testing, the Maison succeeded in vetting an eco-conscious bottle without compromising strength or elegance.
Developed in partnership with French glassmaker Verallia, Telmont co-developed a significantly lighter bottle while maintaining Champagne's essential pressure resistance and refined aesthetic. This innovation requires no modifications to production processes or existing manufacturing equipment, ensuring seamless adoption across the industry.
"Creativity and innovation must go hand in hand with responsibility. By adopting this ultra-lightweight bottle, we aim to redefine industry standards and contribute to a more sustainable future for Champagne," says Ludovic du Plessis, president of Champagne Telmont. "We aim with this new bottle to set a new standard for Champagne, in the name of Mother Nature."
If adopted industry-wide, Telmont's innovation could eliminate 8,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually. This innovation is not subject to any exclusivity, ensuring that it benefits as many people as possible. There are no barriers whatsoever to its immediate and widespread adoption across the entire Champagne region as a new standard for the appellation.
Telmont began producing the 800g bottles in 2022 with an initial run of 3,000 bottles. Following the required three-year aging process, these bottles are now arriving in the U.S. market. In 2023, production scaled to 30,000 bottles, followed by 220,000 bottles in 2024 and from 2025 on 100% of Telmont bottles will be produced at this new, lighter weight.
Champagne Telmont's Réserve Brut will be rolling out in the 800-gram bottle via select in-person retailers and Champagne Telmont's website for an SRP of $76.
About Champagne Telmont
Champagne Telmont was founded in 1912 in Damery, France, near Épernay, in the wake of the Champagne riots, by Henri Lhôpital. For over a century, the House has been a pioneer in the Champagne industry.
Equally committed to innovation and the preservation of Champagne's traditions of excellence, Telmont is now at the forefront of a new revolution in our relationship with our planet. It implements a unique vision: to produce exceptional Champagne without any compromise on sustainability. This vision, materialized since 2021 with the project "In the Name of Mother Nature", includes converting 100% of the estate's and partner winegrowers' vineyards to organic and regenerative agriculture (today, 70% of all vines are already certified organic), preserving biodiversity, and drastically reducing carbon emissions to achieve Net Zero by 2050.
Past initiatives already implemented* include the elimination of gift boxes and unnecessary packaging, the co-development with our historic glassmaking partner of the world's lightest Champagne bottle (800g), the discontinuation of transparent glass (including 0% of recycled glass) and bespoke bottles (900g +), the use of transition glass produced between two hues, the complete stop of air freight, and the use of renewable energy.
Standing with Telmont are four investors who share the same environmental vision and convictions: Bertrand Lhôpital, grapefather and cellarmaster, great-grandson of founder Henri; Ludovic du Plessis, president of Maison Telmont; Rémy Cointreau, majority shareholder of Telmont; and Leonardo DiCaprio, investor and committed environmentalist.
The wines of the House are distinguished by an airy and structured style, balancing tension and freshness, with subtle, balanced acidity that ensures an impressive long finish. Each has a unique presence marked by a paradox: structured body and remarkable lightness. In 2024, Maison Telmont unveiled its manifesto-cuvée, "Réserve de la Terre", crafted from 100% organic grapes, without herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and chemical synthetic fertilizers. Radiant, luminous, and full of life, this cuvée represents the future of Maison Telmont.
*Our detailed commitments In the Name of Mother Nature are available HERE and actions undertaken to reduce CO2 emissions in Our Guide to Sustainability in Champagne.