Full metal jacket: Three wines in cans to try

Way back in the 1980s, the wine club I belonged to used to do an annual inventory of the wines in the club cellar. There were some gems, but there were also oddities, like a can of Beaujolais, the famous French light red. Nobody knew where it came from, nor do I know exactly where it ended up, but it was the first tinned wine I'd ever seen. Since then there have been a number of attempts at packing wine in a metal jacket. Was it for ease of storage? Easy chilling and drinkability? Durability? Or marketing pizzazz backed by trends in the US? Whatever the reasons for putting wine into cans, in recent times a new wave has appeared speaking truly of varietal or regional origin. The quality can be pretty good.

Hootenanny Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $5.50 250ml can

Inside this tartan can is a wine that follows all the cues for Kiwi "savvy". Green melon, passionfruit and herby scents are pronounced, and the palate treads a zesty path through soft, ripe, juicy flavours with an appetising tang at the end. 13 per cent alcohol.

Ageing? No.

Stockists include BWS stores nationwide.

Le Chat Noir Rosé 2017 $6.50 250ml can

A pale, coppery pink drop with light red berry and savoury earthy aromas. It's soft in the mouth, with attractive underlying structure and vibrant, succulent balance. A great quaffer from France's south-west, made from cinsault, grenache and syrah by a Belgian winemaker named Hilde Chevillot. 12.5 per cent alcohol.

Ageing? No.

Stockists include BWS stores nationally.

Take it to the Grave Shiraz 2017 $5.50 250ml can

Old vine shiraz from Langhorne Creek, it's deeply coloured, with an assertive nose of jammy berries, fruit-cakey spice, licorice and background smoky savouriness. It's ripe and fruit-sweet to taste with easy mouthfeel and very soft tannins enhancing its easy drinkability. 14 per cent alcohol

Ageing? No.

Stockists include BWS stores nationally.