3 Unexpected Reasons You Should Be Drinking Canned Wine
The case for cans.
Canned wine is here — and here to stay — thanks to loyal fans who enjoy imbibing in a way that doesn’t require a corkscrew or a special stemmed glass.
The first canned wine was reportedly sold in 1936, but sales have only really started to skyrocket in the past two decades after Francis Ford Coppola’s Sofia launched in 2002. Canned wine still makes up a relatively tiny segment of the total wine market (trailing boxes, bottles and tetra packs), however, it’s the fastest-growing of all packaging options, according to a Nielsen report.
And we know what you’re wondering: Doesn’t it taste like metal? Each can is lined with a flavor-proof barrier before being filled, so in a word, no.
If you need more convincing, here are three more reasons beyond “no corkscrew required!” to give wine from a can a try.
1. Cans offer built-in portion control.
A bottle is a commitment. Each standard-sized 750-milliliter bottle holds 25.4 ounces, or about five 5-ounce glasses. In comparison, a 375-milliliter can is a couple healthy pours; perfect for sharing with your dinner date on a weeknight. That way you can both score the optimal amount for health benefits (which is a glass a day).
2. Cans can’t get corked.
Wine pros estimate that about 3 percent of all cork-topped bottles exhibit “cork taint.” It smells like soggy cardboard or a wet dog, and is a sign that there’s fungal growth in the natural cork that’s sealing your bottle. While you won’t get sick from drinking corked wine, a tainted cork throws off the natural smell and taste of every ounce inside. Cans and screw-top bottles have zero risk of rotting via cork closure.
3. They’re better for the environment.
A glass bottle weighs 35 times as much as an aluminum can, so imagine the impact of transporting a can from France to Florida compared to a bottle. UK researchers estimate that vineyards that can rather than bottle cut their shipping-related carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent.
Ready to give the trend a try? Here are options for every kind of wino.
BUY IT: Field Recordings, $20.00 for pack of 4
At just 7 percent alcohol, this sparkling citrus-flavored wine is an easy drinker that’s ideal for popping open on a patio or at a picnic.
BUY IT: Union Wine Co, $24.00 for pack of 4
A radler is typically half beer, half fruit-flavored soda. Here, crafty vintners are combining fermented riesling grape juice (read: wine) with Oregon-grown hops and grapefruit juice.
BUY IT: Mancan, $24.99 for pack of 4
Are you on Team Red or Team White? If your answer is, "All of the above!" this mixed bag of California wines is for you. It includes a rich merlot-like red, an unoaked white, a smooth sparkler and a lightly fruity rosé.
BUY IT: House Wine, $32.00 for pack of 6
With its gold logo, this can of crisp, green apple-forward sparkling wine is already dressed up to party.
BUY IT: Wine Right Now, $138.00 for a case of 24
Stock up for a large gathering by going all in on this crowd-pleasing light red that tastes like berries with a dash of spice.
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