First came glass, then cans, followed by paper, and now aluminium. No, we’re not talking about wedding anniversary gifts, but about the evolution of wine packaging.
In 2023, hit Netflix show Bodies predicted that in 30 years' time glass wine bottles would be extinct, usurped by paper designs. The series’ imagining of what life would look like in the year 2058 showed characters drinking a Château Montcasse Cabernet Sauvignon 2050, and a Château Serephinelle Merlot 2039 Reserve, both housed in paper bottles designed by Frugalpac.
Momentum has certainly picked up speed in the 12 years since the first paper wine bottle, manufactured by Suffolk-based Greenbottle, hit retail shelves, with many in the trade won over by the merits of paper. Italy’s Cantina Goccia even opened a dedicated filling service in January 2023 to help other wine producers make the switch from glass to paper. Based in Umbria, the purpose-built machine fills 1,000 bottles per hour and the company has said it plans to double its capacity due to increased demand.
However, judging by the latest flurry of releases, another material may be about to knock paper off its perch.
First out of the traps
In the last week alone two major brands have officially unveiled wines in aluminium bottles, with more expected to come.
First out of the traps was canned wine brand Vinca with two organic expressions released in brightly printed aluminium, available from 31 March 2025. The 75cl wine bottles for its organic white (made from Sicilian-grown Catarratto grapes) and Syrah/Nero D’Avola blend took a year to develop and are closed with twist-off caps. The visually arresting bottle designs look to be aimed at a younger consumer, with summer in mind, and have undeniable shelf stand-out. Vinca’s initial pre-sale of 100 gift sets (offering both wines for £20) sold out completely within 24 hours. However, the bottles go on general release from Friday 11 April via Vinca’s website and Tesco.
Then hot on Vinca’s heels came supermarket Aldi, which announced yesterday that its own-label The Costellore Pinot Grigio (£5.99) will be housed in an aluminium bottle from 14 April. It’s an impressive achievement for a low-cost retailer, albeit one that has consistently excelled when it comes to the breadth and interest of its wine offering.
Infinitely recyclable
Both Vinca and Aldi have espoused the many positives of using aluminium. For starters, Vinca says, the material is “infinitely recyclable” without impacting the quality of the aluminium. Every gram of its bottle, so the brand says, is made from recycled aluminium.
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