The current slowdown in this country's sale of wine has been attributed to several drawbacks. One is the difficulty some people have opening a wine bottle.

Industry people told me 20 years ago that the use of screwcaps on fine bottles of wine eliminated the antipathy some corkscrew-averse consumers rarely admitted. Such folks were pleased with screwcaps.

Similarly, the recent fine-wine line extensions of wine in cans figured to be equally appealing to folks who hated trying to get that darned cork out of the bottle. Alas, it hasn't worked as well as the canners had hoped.

Wine in a can remains a potentially fascinating category for the wine industry, but thus far it has made almost no impact in wine lovers' repertoires. One reason is that quality remains extremely variable.

One thing is certain, however: the convenience factor. Without needing a corkscrew, this easy-to-chill package has several uses where glass bottles can't go.

The industry quality leader today is a small California company called Maker. There are two secrets to this product: wine quality and precision engineering.

The first is the wine. Maker contracts with high-quality producers, such as Handley Cellars in Mendocino County and Ser in California's Central Coast for excellent products.

The engineering bonus is how it is canned. To maintain quality, winemakers specifically target the product for canning.

Allan Green, who staged an international canned wine competition for several years, pulled the plug on that event recently. He said in an interview that quality from several brands wasn't consistent.

"Most of the wines you find in a can are sweet or a spritzer," he said, adding that about 15% of the canned wine on the market is excellent.

Analytical firm Grandview Research recently published a report on the canned wine industry. It said the entire category was valued at approximately $125 million, making it equal to what Coca-Cola sells in about an hour.

However, the report suggested that by 2033, the category would grow to more than $285 million.

Green said Maker wines "are so good that they are now being sold at (Golden State) Warriors' games and at several local golf courses."

One obvious drawback of wine in a can is that it typically is consumed straight from the can, which obviates swirling so that the aroma can be enjoyed.

One key point: there are no sizes for canned wine. Can sizes vary. And several fine wine shops do not carry cans.

Wine of the week: 2025 Lubanzi Chenin Blanc, Swartland, South Africa ($6/355mL): this fresh and delightful white wine is imported by Cape Venture in Kansas City and put into a can in New York state. It has excellent fruit, is relatively dry and has good acid for balance.

To find out more about Sonoma County resident Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Ambo Ampeng at Unsplash