Abstract
The consumption of wine has served as an international communication expedient for thousands of years. From classical symposiums of ancient times to religious ceremonies practiced for centuries, wine has played a significant part in countless social gatherings across the ages and continents. Recent growth in international wine trade, however, has impacted an increasingly disrupted natural environment through amplified carbon output, overuse of synthetic chemicals, topsoil erosion, and water mismanagement. Vintners, or winemakers, have been tasked by the implementation of new legal standards, as well as the urging of ecologically aware prospective consumers, to instill a winemaking process that is green, or environmentally friendly, in order to demonstrate the employment of proactive measures for the long-term sustainability of an unstable Earth. As New World wine producers, Australia commands specific attention as many vineyards in this particular geographic area are actively advancing green wine production standards. Fueled by the emergent field of environmental communication, this dissertation investigates the sustainable practices being implemented by South Eastern Australian vintners during their winemaking process to offset environmental degradation and examines the new marketing discourse communicated via wine bottle labels to construct an environmentally friendly image. Ultimately, this research compares the green product marketing strategies between organic and non-organic wineries to determine the extent to which ecological messages are being promoted on wine bottle labels as a form of environmental communication.