Plastics have always been the future, just never the future for wine. But restaurant owners and wineries are apparently reconsidering that position.
The Chicago Tribune recently reported on how restaurants are looking to save costs and avoid broken glass by purchasing wine in plastic bottles. Although wine in plastic containers has an expiration date, the lower price is making consumers wonder whether the taste is really different. But according to W.R. Tish, a wine
educator who writes a blog called Wine Skewer, "The wine doesn't know what package it is in. It tastes the same
whether it is in a plastic bottle, a plastic bladder inside a box, or a
glass."
In some respects this seems to be another aspect of the trend toward smaller wine bottles (187 ml instead of the traditional 750 ml) being produced in plastic several years ago. The idea was that a single serving of wine in a non-breakable bottle was better for portability and picnics.
There has also been an outcry over the carbon footprint left by the production and shipping of glass bottles, with
eco-conscious producers believing that square, plastic containers are
lighter and can be shipped more efficiently. But it remains to be seen whether plastic bottles will catch on beyond the current wave of publicity,
or the idea will be relegated to a niche in the same vein as synthetic corks or screw tops. New methods of wine production move at about the speed of glaciers.
But plastic bottles, which Time columnist Joel Stein once compared to juice boxes,
are likely going to showing up more often at restaurants (which you
likely won't see) and wine store shelves (where they'll be advertised
as eco-friendly). If you're buying plastic, consider the Bandit line of
wines from Three Thieves. It's even good enough for Oprah.
[Image via Flickr: sporkist]
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