What is canned wine?
Quick answer
Canned wine is wine packaged in 18.7 or 25 cl aluminium cans, designed for on-the-go drinking. The format has been growing globally at 20 % per year since 2020.
Detailed answer
Canned wine is exactly what it sounds like: wine (red, white, rosé, or sparkling) packaged in an aluminium can instead of a glass bottle. The standard format is 25 cl — roughly one-third of a bottle.
The global canned wine market was valued at 311 million USD in 2023 and is projected to reach 570 million USD by 2028 (Grand View Research). Growth is driven by millennials and Gen Z, who value convenience and sustainability.
The advantages are real: lightweight, portable (picnics, festivals, outdoors), single-serve portions, superior recyclability compared to glass (aluminium recycles infinitely without quality loss), and no corkscrew needed.
Quality has improved dramatically. Modern interior linings prevent contact between wine and aluminium. Serious producers, including in France and Italy, now offer canned wines of decent to good quality.
The limitations: canned wine is not meant for ageing and works best with fresh, fruity styles (rosés, crisp whites, sparklings). Perception remains a barrier in Belgium, where wine culture is firmly anchored in the glass bottle.