Value in the second-hand and the salvaged seems to be rising, considerably. Where noses would once turn at the thought of something that wasn’t shiny and new and wrapped in cellophane, today car boot sales are back and booming, home restorations are rising and people like Angelo Van Dyk of Wasted Wine Club are proving just what is possible when you turn your mindset from trash to treasure.
While tabloids call some industries out time and time again for over-consumerism and waste, wine has stayed largely out of the headlines. But it is, in fact, one of the biggest challenges the industry faces. With surplus wine continuing to stock up, waste has become a real moot point where winemakers see no other choice but to either blend away their excess, sell it in bulk, or, rather regrettably, pour the leftovers down the drain.
And a lot of the time, this comes down the economics of it all. “It’s a costly exercise having to invest in all the upfront costs of bottles, corks, labels and packaging. And then still needing to find a market to consume the wine whilst you store it. Sometimes it’s cheaper to get rid of it,” Angelo tells enki.
But here’s where Wasted Wine Club steps in. Working with independent winemakers to give their surplus stock a second lease of life, the brand rescues, restores and reinvigorates excess blends. A quick re-brand then sees the label refreshed with a hand-drawn Ty Williams special and voilà, the bottle is good as new. Yes, it really is, and can be, as simple as that.
“For me, it’s a creative way to work with wine and solve an issue that isn’t really being spoke about.”
Despite it being early days, Wasted Wine Club is on its forth collaboration and has already saved 4,097 litres of what-would-be-wasted-wine. We hear a subscription model is also on the way for the wine lovers out there…more to come on this! Catching up with Angelo himself, we hear all about where his love of wine comes from, how sustainability is something he’s “still figuring out” and where he goes to enjoy a glass or two.
How did you first get into wine?
“I guess the seed was planted at home in Durban, South Africa, when I was still a kid. It isn’t wine country, but my parents were always incredible hosts, and we always had an open door policy for guests. Friends were always swooping in unannounced on their Vespas or after long beach days for lazy, boozy lunches. I guess that was my first exposure to wine and the joys of sharing it with friends.”
What is Wasted Wine Club?
“We work with small, independent winemakers who have surplus wine in their cellars. We present them with a creative, sustainable solution for working with that excess by doing once-off, collaborative bottling runs.”
Why do so many makers throw away surplus wine?
“I think there are a lot of variables at play when it comes to this. The actual binning of surplus is always the last option, but often it boils down to the economics of it all. That perhaps sounds counter intuitive, given that people are discarding the wine. However, it’s a costly exercise having to invest in all the upfront costs of bottles, corks, labels and packaging. And then still needing to find a market to consume the wine whilst you store it. Sometimes it’s cheaper to get rid of it.”
“In most instances, excess wine is simply blended away or sold off for bulk, but even then, the recoup on the costs is negligible. The hope is that with Wasted Wine Club, winemakers see a fun new avenue to explore working with the excess, instead of having to feel the financial burden of it.”
How do you choose what makers to work with?
“So far, all of our collaborations have been with friends or colleagues in the wine trade. Or they have come to us via word of mouth. We want to work with good people who have the same approach to sustainability that we do. So far we’ve been lucky that they have all happened in a very organic way off the back of conversations and sharing the idea and concept with people.”
Who would be your dream collab?
“I immediately thought about all the famous producers I admire. But honestly, I think I’d maybe turn it around and start at the bottom. A dream collaborator would probably be someone that no one has ever heard of, and for that person to then go on to become the next ‘big thing’. It would be someone who is just starting out. Who perhaps doesn’t have a home for a first batch of wine or experiment they’ve played with. We can then provide them with a platform to get their name and wine out there, instead of having to blend it away or sell it for bulk.”
What does sustainability mean to you and Wasted Wine Club?
“This is very much a new landscape for me. I don’t come from a sustainability background, so every day is a school day. And truthfully, I didn’t intend for Wasted Wine Club to be a sustainable product at its inception. For me, it’s a creative way to work with wine and solve an issue that isn’t really spoke about. So I am the first to admit that I don’t have it all worked out. I think what I have come to learn is that sustainability needs to be considered in a holistic way, and not in isolation.”
“We’re all making individual efforts, but I do think that one can’t just focus on one aspect of a business and consider that box ticked and the book closed. Sustainability needs to inform every decision you make. So in the context of wine: the farming practices, the weight of the glass bottles we use, the packaging we transport in, labour wages and conditions. There’s a lot to it, and a lot I am still figuring out.”
How do you see Wasted Wine Club evolving?
“Wasted Wine Club will continue to grow. But I’m aware it needs to grow in the right way, with the right partners, and with the right wines. I think there is a tendency for me to get really excited about all the potential collaborations out there that come knocking on my door, but I have to rein it in and remind myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Launching our actual wine club subscription later in the year will be really exciting and give people the chance to sign up to a fantastic experience.”
“Long term though, I see no reason why Wasted Wine Club has to be pigeon holed to being just wine. It could be surplus cider, or surplus spirits. We’ve even started working with a distillery on developing a Wasted Wine Club brandy made from leftover wines from restaurants. I think there are a lot of ways to stay creative and keep this exciting and evolving.”
Now for some recommendations…your favourite wine bar?
“In London, it’s probably my local, Cadet, on Newington Green. It’s everything I’d want if I were to ever open my own wine bar one day.”
Your favourite wine and food pairing?
“To this day, one of the most memorable pairings I’ve had is a soft blue cheese (Dolcelatte style) with a sweet white Port. It’s the best pairing I’ve ever had.”
Go-to wine when eating out?
“I usually tend to grab wines that I don’t have to think too hard about when I’m eating out. Wines that are generally lighter and fresher and higher in acid tend to make for fun accompaniments with food. These days, I prefer drinkability to intensity.”
Have a look through Wasted Wine Club’s current bottle offering here.
Or for more interviews from enki, just click here.
