Wine in a can for men launched

While wine in a can is nothing new, a fledgling brand called “Mancan” is targeting men keen to distance themselves from the “pretentiousness” of wine.

Reminiscent of Yorkie’s 2002 “It’s not for girls” campaign, the founders of Mancan are encouraging men to “whack one back” and “shut up and drink”.

Designed to be enjoyed on the go, there are three wines in the Mancan range – a “rich, easy drinking” red blend from Sonoma, a “light and refreshing” Sonoma white and a “bright, delicious” sparkler made from a blend of white grapes.

The marketing of the product feels very defensive, as if “real” men shouldn’t be concerning themselves with a wine’s aroma or food matching capabilities.

“At Mancan we believe wine is for drinking, not pairing, and our ‘notes’ are more rock than classical,” the back of the can states, adding, “do us a favour and don’t talk about the ‘aroma’”.

Playing on male stereotypes, it encourages men to crack open a can “at the game” or “at your favourite dive bar”. The website also plays on men’s fears of feeling emasculated if seen drinking a glass of wine at a bar rather than a more manly beer, with Mancan hoping to eliminate the problem. A 24 pack costs £50.

This isn’t the first wine in a can to make waves. In 2013 the Union Wine Company in Oregon caused controversy with the release of a Pinot Noir in a can. Aiming to encourage the “beerification” of wine, founder Ryan Harms aimed the cans at younger consumers keen to enjoy wine on the go.

While Mancan may be aimed at men keen to get their wine fix in the most inconspicuous way possible, we reported last month that a growing number of men are embracing rosé wine in what is being dubbed the “brosé” phenomenon.

Recent research from the Provence Wine Council found that the US, Russia and Australia now have an equal number of male rosé drinkers as female consumers.

Pushing the envelope event further are Brazilian men, who drink more rosé than their female counterparts according to the study. The concept of masculinity, it seems, has never been more open to interpretation.