MAS TANK: A NEW WAY TO STORE WINE

Sometimes, when it comes to wine, it’s what’s on the outside that counts. Just walk down a wine aisle in your local grocery store, and you’ll see a whole range of critter labels, outlandish titles, boxes, juice boxes and single-serve four packs. In fact, ACNielsen numbers show that boxed wines are the fastest growing category with a volume growth of 44% last year. This shift in consumer interest is also paving the way for other types of packaging, which can include containers the consumer never sees.

MÁS Wine Company, a negociant wine firm based in Sonoma, has launched the nation's first wine airtight mini-tank, called MÁS Vino. The German engineered mini-tank keeps wine fresh for 60 days by basically mimicking the way wine is stored at a winery, according to the company.

Mini-tanks contain MÁS Vino, a 2004 blend of Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon and Napa Valley Sangiovese. Each mini-tank is reusable and holds the equivalent of 20 bottles of wine. MÁS Wine Company services and replaces the mini-tanks, from which restaurants can start pouring wine immediately.