Ideal for picnics, train journeys and festivals, canned wine is a go-to for anyone who opts for vino as their alfresco drink of choice. Easy to pop in a picnic bag and quick to chill, canned wine is a practical way of enjoying wine while out and about without needing a corkscrew or carrying home an empty glass.

Better still, the category has improved dramatically in recent years. Once associated with uninspiring pours, canned wine is now one of the drinks industry's fastest-evolving categories. Respected wineries are embracing the format and specialist brands such as Canned Wine Co. are dedicating their entire ranges to cans.

Supermarkets have joined in on the excitement and have a range of canned wine from crisp sauvignon blanc and Provence-style rosé, to smooth pinot noir and sparkling fizz. But where should your attention rest? I asked a wine expert, Luke Flunder, for the best canned wine to buy at the supermarket. Read on for his picks.

Read more: 9 best supermarket wines, chosen by sommeliers

Meet the expert

Hoping to make wine more approachable, Luke Flunder shares his expertise and recommendations across Instagram and TikTok, where he’s built a following of more than 215,000, as well as on his Substack, ‘Flunder Wine World’. He began his journey in the industry at Majestic Wine before going on to launch his own wine business.

Read more: Best supermarket rosés, chosen by experts

“Made from the catarratto grape, this vegan, organic white has a soft tropical touch with a clean citrus finish,” says wine expert Luke Flunder.

A true taste of Sicilian white wine, the catarratto grape is akin with the region. The fruit is lightly pressed to preserve its taste and notes, while the wine is made without animal-derived fining agents making it vegan-friendly.

Key features:

  • Region:Sicily
  • ABV:11%
  • Grapes:Catarratto

Luke’s second choice for those who prefer a white wine is the grüner veltliner from industry leaders, Canned Wine Co. As well as the classic regions, it sources from Europe winemakers that showcase unusual grape varieties.

Flunder says the canned wine is a “a step up in quality.” He describes it as an “aromatic Austrian white with crisp green apple, citrus and a peppery spice lift.”

Key features:

  • Region:Niederösterreich, Austria
  • ABV:11.5%
  • Grapes:Grüner veltliner

Another choice from Vinca, this time it’s a red wine made from a blend of majority nero d’avola and 20 per cent frappato grapes, which are grown organically.

“A juicy, medium-bodied red with soft tannins and cherry fruit,” says wine expert Flunder, recommending the canned red wine. He advises serving it slightly chilled for the best taste.

Key features:

  • Region:Sicily
  • ABV:13.5%
  • Grapes:Nero d’avola, frappato

A recognisable label from supermarket wine shelves, the Terre di Faiano primitivo bottle has been canned to enjoy for picnics and festivals. The organic red is made with primitivo grapes from Puglia, Italy.

With rich dark fruit and vanilla notes, the wine is a “fuller-bodied red for those who want more weight,” says Flunder.

Key features:

  • Region:Puglia, Italy
  • ABV:13.5%
  • Grapes:Primitivo

Flunders spotlights another wine from Canned Wine Co. – this time it’s a gamay red wine from the Loire Valley. “Light, fresh and lifted with red berry fruit,” remarks the wine expert, who says the can is a “smart pick for barbecues”.

Vegan-friendly, Canned Wine Co. says the wine unites flavours of strawberries, cherries and spice, with grapes from the vineyards in Touraine, Loire.

Key features:

  • Region:Loire Valley, France
  • ABV:12.5%
  • Grapes:Gamay

This canned rosé comes from Bijou, an award-winning winery in the south of France, bringing Provençal quality to a portable, picnic-friendly format. Wine expert Flunder describes it as a "Provençal-style rosé with wild strawberry, citrus and white flowers", adding that it's "light, dry and classically elegant".

Crisp and refreshing, it's an easy-drinking option that's just as suited to festivals and park picnics as it is to summer evenings at home.

Key features:

  • Region:Saint Chinian and Faugères, France
  • ABV:12%
  • Grapes:Grenache

Also making Flunder's list is this organic canned rosé from Mirabeau, one of Provence's most popular rosé producers. He praises the organic grenache rosé’s notes of “ripe cherry, raspberry” as well as its “crisp, fresh finish,” that the Provence wine is known for.

The grapes come from vineyards in the western Bouches-du-Rhône, near the Alpilles mountain range, where the Mediterranean climate helps create the wine's vibrant fruit character and refreshing style.

Key features:

  • Region:Bouches-du-Rhône, France
  • ABV:13%
  • Grapes:Grenache

Flunder calls this canned wine “the best value way to try English fizz”. Made exclusively for M&S by Silverhand Estate in Kent, he describes it as having “floral aromatics and vibrant gooseberry fruit”.

It's a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, meunier and bacchus grapes, all grown in England, making it an accessible introduction to English sparkling wine.

Key features:

  • Region:Kent, England
  • ABV:11%
  • Grapes: Chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier, bacchus

Also making our expert's list is this sparkling rosé from The Uncommon, made with grapes grown on the Kent Downs. The brand focuses on producing wine with as little environmental impact as possible, with its canned format helping to reduce its carbon footprint.

Luke Flunder describes it as “dry, semi-sparkling and elegant”, adding that it's a "fresh summer hit".

Key features:

  • Region:Kent, England
  • ABV:11%
  • Grapes:Pinot noir, pinot meunier