Is this wine ready to drink? A new definition of ‘prete a boire’
A big question for wine lovers in France and, indeed, all over the world, is whether a bottle is ready to drink, or ‘prête à boire’. Since wine changes with age, some excellent wines may be barely palatable if drunk too young. On the other hand, wait too long and you may find your wine lackluster, a pale shadow of what it could have been had you drunk it when it was at its peak.
However, in today�s world of global competition and creative packaging, the term �prêt à boire� has taken on a new meaning. You may buy a �ready to drink� wine which is far from its peak � or which may likely never have a peak � but is packaged in a portable form, to be sipped, presumably, anywhere but at a dining room table.
One French company, ��, specializes in �stand up spout pouches�, a packaging format that presents : protection against oxidation; lower transport costs because the containers are light (food miles anyone?); better security for travellers on mass transport; and 25 times less waste volume.
One place ready-to-drink wines are making a hit is on the , the French high-speed train. (link in French) reports that: the sales of traditional 25cl bottles of wine have remained steady, and the train snack bars are selling just as many �prêt à boire� wines. This would suggest that the new packaging appeals to a different type of consumer, and Vitisphere.com concludes that in supermarkets this �new wine concept� will be presented outside of the traditional wine departments.
Shall we break open a pouch to celebrate?
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