Over the years, the following alternative methods of sealing and storing wine have gained traction (if not always respect) among wine enthusiasts.

Synthetic Corks

“Some of the pros are that they don’t cause cork taint and you can still open them with a corkscrew, so you still have that part of the ritual, which seems to be important to people,” author Andrea Robinson says. But, she adds, “certain types of corkscrews don’t work well on them because the material is so firm, or the augur goes in and comes right out rather than pulling the cork with it.”

Synthetics also don’t solve a problem that wine merchant Peter Granoff feels strongly about: accessibility. “There’s a fair amount of research that shows that the need to possess or have a corkscrew on hand is a major impediment to broadening the wine-consumption base,” he says. “Why do we require a special implement to access this product we all love and want to expose them to?” (As anyone who’s ever wrestled with a corkscrew knows, it’s not easy to get the darn thing out. )

There’s also a lingering question about synthetic stoppers: Will they allow wine to age as well as cork? For most people, this isn’t an issue — according to the Wine Institute, a public-policy advocacy association of California wineries, 70 percent of wine is consumed within three days of the time it’s purchased. But for the rest, the question remains. “Some wineries say they’ve done longer-term experiments and that those materials give a plasticky type of scent or taste to the wine,” says Robinson, “but I haven’t had that experience myself.” So for now, it seems, the jury is still out.

Screw Caps

Robinson says that screw caps are great for wine that is going to be consumed quickly — these caps offer the valuable bonus of simple and secure resealing. Granoff goes one step further, though, crediting screw caps with lowering the intimidation factor that often comes with wine. “They seem a little less formal,” he says. “They make wine more accessible.” The flipside, as Robinson points out, is that they can make wine seem too informal. “Especially in a restaurant setting,” she says, “it’s hard to give service that people feel is fitting a wine experience if it’s like, ‘Hey, sommelier, can you crack one open for me?’” Despite the perception problem here in the U.S., much of the New Zealand industry has converted to screw cap, and a few domestic wineries are following suit.

Bag-in-Box

“Consumers associate screw tops and bag-in-boxes with cheap wine,” says Robinson. But that perception is starting to change, as is the quality of wine stored in them. “The positive thing is that you can tap the box and consume the wine over three to four weeks with no deterioration in quality,” Granoff explains. “The bag collapses in on itself and does not allow any oxygen to access the inner part of the bag, so there’s no risk of oxidation, which you would normally have when you open a bottle of wine and sit it on a shelf half-consumed.” And when you can’t take glass bottles to some parks and picnics, a box is convenient problem solver.

Aseptic Packaging

You know the juice boxes you give to the kids? Well, wine comes that way too. Also called Tetra Pak, this container is often seen holding milk, soup or apple juice — but you can find some wines packaged this way, especially in Europe. Again, both Robinson and Granoff say this kind of container is best for wines meant to be consumed while they’re still young. “Let’s face it, putting a box on the table in a white-linen restaurant just doesn’t have the same appeal as putting a bottle on the table, and I don’t think there’s any way around that,” says Granoff. But, he adds, the light box does have its advantages: It would be great for backpackers.

Cans

Very few manufacturers currently offer wines in a can, but Granoff figures it’s only a matter of time before we see more. “I don’t have any problem with it one way or the other,” he says. “I suspect that those are going to be like boxes in that it’s probably a wine you want to consume within a year and maybe not ideal for long-term aging.

Plastic Bottles

“They serve a purpose in a context where glass isn’t practical,” says Robinson, who has tasted these wines and found that they didn’t have a plasticky flavor. Still, she thinks it’s best for short-term storage, as does Granoff, who adds an environmental concern: “To the extent that all these plastic products are petroleum-based, at some point, we’re going to have to rethink them.”