A sure sign of summer: wine in a can. They are available year round but when the weather warms, the wine stockers move the displays to the front of the wine section reminding us of how easy it is to slip a can or two into a back pack or cooler for picnics, concerts, pool parties or post yard work refreshment. How lucky can we get?! Before you turn up your nose at the thought of drinking or pouring wine from a can, know that some of the country's leading producers, including organic and small parcel wineries, offer quality juice in a can. Each 375 ml can equals half a bottle of wine or two and a half glasses. Wine cans are lined with a special polymer coating so you aren't tasting "tin". They are easy to produce, ship and recycle. DARK HORSE has offered pinot grigio and rose wine in a can for several years. The latest in its stable of sippers include a pair of dry style bubblies and a bold red. The California Brut Rose Sparkling is made from pinot noir and chardonnay. It's pale pink in color with notes of both red and stone fruit. The California Brut Sparkling is made from chardonnay and gives up bubbly, creamy flavors of apple, pears and a touch of almond. The Dark Horse Pinot Noir is bold, smooth, and very dry with robust flavors of black cherry and raspberry. Drink this one at room temp or slightly cool. Serve the others cold. Add some frozen grapes or berries as natural "ice cubes" for the sparklers.

Wine in a can is NOT meant to be aged. Wine is acidic and the cans are lined but at some point the chemistry of the two will clash so it's best to consume your can within a year of purchase. Which is another reason I like wine in a can. I'm a wine drinker not a collector so I say "flip it and sip it".