Canned Wine

After finding myself once again coming to the defense of canned wine this past weekend, I felt compelled to bring myself up to speed on the new phenomenon (as my friends can confirm, lack of knowledge rarely discourages me from picking sides). While still striking many as a novelty (Neilsen estimates canned packaging to only comprise ~0.2% of the US off-prem sales), the canned market has actually been booming over the past couple years (+59.5% YoY in 2017). [1]

I was first introduced to canned wine about 12 months back in my local San Francisco grocery store, and was immediately struck by its convenience: its portion size was perfect for a Saturday afternoon at Fort Mason (admittedly, the back of the can says 2-2.5 servings), and it was easy to carry / dispose of without the added headache of a glass bottle.

While beer and other beverages have been retailed in cans for some time now, canning still wine has required a recent step-forward in material science. In addition to a specially designed resin liner on the inside of the can (you never want the wine to touch the aluminum can), canned beverages need to be manufactured in a sturdy way. While beers and soda have the benefit of carbon dioxide (which creates a high pressure level inside a sealed can), wine requires liquid nitrogen (harmless to the health of the wine and consumers) to re-create equivalent pressure levels inside the can. Recent advances in cost-effective manufacturing techniques for both the resin liner and use of liquid nitrogen have allowed quality canned wine to become reality. [2]

In fact, there may also be quality and environmental benefits as well. As the packaging's (non-aesthetic) goal is to prevent the air and light from contaminating the wine, aluminum cans' UV resistant exterior and air-tight design are actually a cost-effective option for producers (particularly those small scale wineries looking to minimize packaging costs). Additionally, as canned wines reduce total weight on a volumetric basis, this also results in fuel cost savings for wineries (cans are also much easier to stack, which could drive additional transportation / handling cost savings through the logistics chain). [3]

If you're convinced, here's a list of top canned wine options: https://vinepair.com/buy-this-booze/10-best-canned-wines-2018/. In addition, I'm partial to West + Wilder as it's what I started off with (available at K&L in Redwood City).

Sources:
[1] https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2018/heard-it-through-the-grapevine-wine-trends-to-watch-for-in-2018.html
[2] http://palatepress.com/2015/12/wine/the-some-science-behind-canned-wine/
[3] https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/216899/is-canned-wine-the-new-boxed-wine/