This weekend, I need to start taking the labels off and washing around 300 bottles (25 cases) that we’ve saved over the last year for bottling our 2008 Zin. I haven’t used recycled bottles like this since our first batch of wine…and that was only 30 bottles. New bottles generally cost $8-$10 per case, so, in theory, I’m saving up to $250 by doing this. And, also in theory, I’m saving the earth.

However, the process of washing and scraping labels off of wine bottles is anything but environmentally friendly. First, you soak a bottle in hot water with TSP (what you use to remove wallpaper). So, there’s a huge use of energy to heat water, plus all that TSP…which can’t be all that green, considering that you have to wear rubber gloves when working with it. After the label is off, the bottle needs to be rinsed very well, then sanitized (more detergents, more water). Repeat 300 times.

We’ve collected all these bottles and they’re taking up a lot of space in the garage, so I’m going to go forward with this… but I’m thinking that this will be the last time I bother with recycling bottles. Are there any home winemakers out there who have a different opinion…or who have found the easy way to recycle bottles and just love doing it?