CARING
FOR OUR
ENVIRONMENT
Following nature's lead
From the vineyard to the wine shelf, we are committed to responsible and sustainable business practices. This is reflected, for example, in our consistent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (by 42% by 2030), our certified energy management system, the use of renewable electricity, and efficient water management through our own rainwater cisterns.
We take our responsibility in combating climate change seriously and are therefore part of the globally recognised Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), which supports companies in setting science-based climate targets.
We are committed to sustainable practices across all areas of our business. A brief overview can be found below.
commitment to the Moselle
We are committed to ensuring that our home region remains one of the top wine-growing regions in Germany. That's why we are continuously investing in the expansion of our family vineyards on the Moselle. These currently cover around 120 hectares of vineyards.
organic viticulture
As Germany's largest supplier of organic wine, we know the benefits of sustainable agriculture. We support winegrowers who work according to the guidelines of organic viticulture. We were early adopters of organic viticulture, converting some of our vineyards as early as 1987. We are committed to leading the organic sector into the future.
FAIR PARTNERShips
We have long-term partnerships with our contract winegrowers, whose wines we purchase at fixed, fair prices. This guarantees planning security, even in years with smaller harvests.
One example is the Blaue Band für Moselriesling e.V., whose aim is to produce high-quality wines from Riesling and Müller-Thurgau that are typical of the Moselle. All members are independent winegrowers who work closely with our oenologists and cellar masters to develop their own grapes and deliver the young wines to Peter Mertes.
One example is the Blaue Band für Moselriesling e.V., whose aim is to produce high-quality wines from Riesling and Müller-Thurgau that are typical of the Moselle. All members are independent winegrowers who work closely with our oenologists and cellar masters to develop their own grapes and deliver the young wines to Peter Mertes.
certified energy management
We operate an efficient energy management system that is certified under DIN EN ISO 50001:2018.
green electricity
We value the production of electricity from environmentally friendly, renewable energy sources and have been using green electricity in our company since 2025.
Reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions
Since 2024, we have committed ourselves as a company to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030 (from a base year of 2020). We are part of the Science Based Targets initiative, in which companies around the world set climate targets to tackle the climate crisis together.
emission-free forklifts
We converted all gas-powered forklift trucks to modern electric forklift trucks equipped with Blue-Q technology back in 2008. This generation of forklift trucks requires neither diesel fuel nor gas.
Fun fact: To get from A to B, our employees in production simply use a bicycle.
Fun fact: To get from A to B, our employees in production simply use a bicycle.
Efficient use of water
To reduce the need for fresh water, Peter Mertes has installed cisterns in the floors of the tank cellars to collect fresh mountain water. During dry periods, this water serves to cool the cellars naturally and is then used to flush the sewers.
Sustainable Building
Energy efficiency and sustainability are the two key aspects that inform the design of our new buildings. The rooms in our new building above the Flaschenhof are designed with wood, glass and ceramics, which ensures an optimal indoor climate.
A 125 kW photovoltaic system was installed on the roof and went into operation in 2024.
A 125 kW photovoltaic system was installed on the roof and went into operation in 2024.
Mindful logistics
We guarantee that only fully loaded lorries will reach their destination. We work closely with retailers to optimise logistics systems and orders. This ensures empty runs, missing goods, inconvenient routes and long waiting times are avoided.
Our lorries are also equipped with the environmentally friendly AdBlue system.
Our lorries are also equipped with the environmentally friendly AdBlue system.
Alternative Packaging
The use of alternative packaging to glass bottles is an effective strategy for reducing CO2 emissions. We are focussing on bag-in-box, Tetrapak and cans, and we are proactively expanding our product range to include more and more of these products under a growing number of brands.
Bikeleasing
It is an undeniable fact that in rural areas, most of our employees rely on their cars to get to work. The introduction of bike leasing in 2023 gives people the option of travelling to work on their own e-bikes at low cost, thereby reducing their CO2 emissions.
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hectars of own vineyards
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marks the start of our expertise in organic viticulture
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per cent less greenhouse gas emissions