Continuing on the theme of alternative wine packaging, I'm now going to go into the actual packaging a wine comes in. Specifically, I'll discuss bottles, cans, kegs, bag in a box, and tetra packaging.
Bottles are the most traditional packaging for modern wines. Glass is incredibly sterile, sturdy, and, aside from the issue of the hole in the top of the bottle (see my post on closures), generally protect very well against heat and oxygen. On the other hand, they do expose the wine to light, and different types of glass are better than others for this. Green glass is generally the worst at keeping harmful UV rays out of wine. Because some light does get through glass, and because cork is designed to let some air in, wine continues to age and develop as it sits in a bottle, and, since most winemakers are used to using glass bottles to package their wine, this is accounted for in the wine making process, and these changes are, generally speaking, positive changes.
Bag in a box wines have a pretty bad rep in the U.S., thanks largely to Franzia. From an objective standpoint, there are a lot of variables. The quality of the bag which goes into the box is important, as both alcohol and acidity can degrade plastic, and can lead to a leaching of plastic flavors into your wines. Most winemakers who use bag in a box packaging use grades of plastic which don't do this, but it is still a factor. Objectively speaking, there are some pluses and some minuses to bag in a box wine. For starters, the box keeps out light. Light can be a major source of spoilage in wine. On the other hand, some light can also lead to desired flavors that come with maturation of wine. Similarly, BIB packaging is pretty much air tight, which, while reducing the chance of harmful bacteria, can also prevent maturation. On the other hand, the ability to reseal the bag completely means that your wine will stay fresh for longer after it is opened. This is somewhat mitigated by the large quantity of wine, as I still wouldn't want to keep it around for too long. While most of the BIB wine out there is not very good, much of this has to do with the quality of what's going into the box, not the effects of the box on the wine. In fact, there are some very drinkable boxed wine options out there (I've heard Target has some good ones, in fact). My verdict on this is similar to my verdict on screw caps, which is that it is a perfectly acceptable way to package wines which are ready to drink when bottled, and meant to be consumed young. For wines expected to mature in bottle, however, a BIB is probably not the ideal package.
Tetra paks are similar to bag in a box, and are, from what I've heard, quite popular in Europe. This is a specific brand of boxes, which are highly sustainable and very portable. The packaging, from what I've heard, is not susceptible to leaching, which is great. The plus side versus a traditional bag in box is that Tetra Paks come in smaller, single sitting servings. The biggest disadvantage that I can see (again, compared to a traditional BIB) is that the option to re-close the package is more like a screw cap and not quite as air tight as the method used in most BIB. That being said, I think because of the more carton-like appearance, rather than the bulky square box we all associate with Franzia, I think both consumers and wine-makers are more open to putting mid-range wines in these packages.
Cans are a relatively new way to commercially package wine. I have yet to actually try wine in a can, so this is a) theoretical and b) second hand information that I'm using to judge this. The linings on aluminum cans are strong enough to keep harmful bacteria, rust, and minerals out of your beverages. Soda is notoriously high in acid content, so leaching from modern cans should not be an issue. Moreover, they are impermeable to light, which, as mentioned above, is a good thing from objective quality and consistency standpoints. Metal does, however, conduct heat, so if you leave this in your car in the dessert, then throw it in the fridge, then back in your car, the temperature change will likely have a noticeable affect on the wine. Cans are completely air tight, which is, again, from an objective quality and consistency standpoint, great. They are also convenient and one of the most sustainable options. People don't really understand that not all "recyclables" are created equal. While glass is technically recyclable, it is difficult to recycle, and because of its weight, expensive to transport to a facility equipped to do so. Aluminum is a much easier product to recycle. My judgement on cans would be twofold, first of all, wait and see. There's not enough wine in cans yet to really see how it does with different quality levels and varietals. Second, my gut feeling is the same as screw caps and BIBs. For bright, meant to be drunk young, wines, it could be great. It probably won't allow full maturation of more complex wines which are meant to age in bottle.
Kegged wine is something I am a huge proponent of. Essentially, there are two ways to keg wine. First, you can use what's called a "pub keg." These consist of a reuseable and recyleable hard outer plastic keg, which looks just like a beer keg, but plastic, and a disposable liner which holds the wine. This is essentially a larger BIB, meant to hold more wine and dispense using low pressure. The second is an actual beer keg, which is cleaned and refilled. The advantages to keg wine overall are huge. They are incredibly sustainable, reducing waste in the bar and restaurant industry dramatically. They also reduce waste and improve quality because, since no oxygen is introduced to the wine, there is no waste of opened bottles at the end of the night. Moreover, they protect completely from heat, light, oxygen and bacteria, and mean a restaurant or bar can count on a much more consistent product than in a bottle. In traditional, cork and bottle packaging, I have heard estimates as high as 1 in 10 for the number of corked bottles. With kegged wine, there is a much more consistent product. As far as sustainability, the traditional steel keg is a much better option than the pub keg, as there is no waste from a liner being disposed of each time the keg is refilled. The biggest disadvantages to kegs are two fold: 1) as mentioned above, some wines are meant to have some exposure to heat, light, and oxygen in order to fully mature and develop. 2) While in the long run, kegging is a less expensive packaging option, the initial investment in the kegs themselves, as well as the equipment to clean and fill them is huge, as is the investment in setting up kegged wine lines at a bar or restaurant. Kegged wine shouldn't be dispensed with either regular CO2, or at normal pressure. What this means is that a bar needs to get a separate gas system or a gas blender (unless they are already pouring Guinness or other nitrogenated beers), as well as a high enough end draft system that they can adjust pressure on individual lines. This is a major reason that a lot of craft beer bars are pioneering the tap wine system, since they already have both gas blenders and individual regulators on each tap. Because of the expense of installing these systems, restaurants have been reluctant to try it, unless they know there are plenty of unique, quality options out there for them to put on tap. Wineries are reluctant to invest in the equipment and cooperage unless they know they have accounts who will buy it. So kegged wine has been slow to grow. It is starting to become more popular though, which means there are some really great options out there now.
A final note on kegged wine, which I also think affects how I think about other non-traditional packaging. While it is easy to set general rules, like "wines which need to mature should go in glass" there are some factors which we simply don't know about. In my experience, different varietals react very differently to kegs. Bright, un-oaked Chardonnay, and Chardonnay which is more "oaky" than "buttery" tastes great in a keg. Buttery Chardonnays, in my experience, tend to taste kind of flat and dull out of a keg. One interesting varietal is Pinot Noir. This may be just the specific brands I dealt with, although there were several, so I don't really think it's just coincidence. Some of the "better" brands in bottles really don't hold up well in keg. On the other hand, inexpensive ($9/glass) California pinots which would definitely be considered "value" or "table" wine in a bottle really got bolder and more exciting in keg. In fact, I had many a $14/glass pinot returned (I'm not going to name names, because I really like the producer, and they are known as one of the best Burgundy-style producers in California), and BOTH of the $9/glass pinot noirs were my top selling wines when they were on, even outselling my whites in a hot California summer. I also don't think that it had to do with a problem or flaw in packaging, as I also carried a Chardonnay in keg from the same "top producer" which did very well. Simply put, I think there are things which are beyond logic or (at least basic) science which go into winemaking, and similarly which affect the way a wine's packaging affects is taste. The best way to find out is to try more wine (responsibly, of course) in different packaging, and decide for yourself what works best for what varietals.
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