Why Your Canned Wine Smells Like Rotten Eggs

Canned wine is fabulous for all sorts of reasons. Perfectly portioned, cans relieve you of having to carry around corkscrews and glasses; they're also quite sustainable. But canned wine isn't without its flaws. While canning doesn't necessarily compromise flavor, there is a tendency for wines to develop the pungent aroma of rotten eggs that masks fresh fruitiness — the question is, why?

According to a study conducted by researchers from Cornell University, the culprit behind the sulfuric scent is none other than sulfites. Despite that sulfur dioxide is typically added to wine for antimicrobial and antioxidant purposes, excessive use may result in an eggy fragrance. When it comes to canned wine, the issue is a bit more complex. Researchers have discovered that the plastic used to line cans isn't completely capable of keeping the aluminum of the can and the sulfur dioxide within the wine from reacting with one another. In turn, this prompts the production of putrid-smelling hydrogen sulfide.

To combat foul aromas, along with risks of corrosion and closure failures, the research team determined that new and improved lining is just as necessary as rethinking the amounts of sulfur dioxide used during winemaking. Though it'll take time to implement changes, that's not to say you can't keep imbibing in the meantime. After all, the eggy scent is a flaw not a sign of spoilage, meaning that the wine is still sippable.

First and foremost, not all canned wines have a pronounced aroma of sulfur. To limit the chances of cracking open a wince-inducing wine, be mindful that canned wines aren't meant to age. Consuming them in a timely manner is the first step in ensuring that they taste and smell their absolute best. Paying attention to canning dates can help you to better keep track of timelines and monitor quality.

Additionally, it's worth considering which types are less likely to display off-putting aromas. While red wines aren't always canned due to their perceived high-quality status, they tend to have lower levels of sulfur dioxide, making them less likely to boast unusual scents in comparison to white, rosé, or sparkling wines that rely on the substance to keep them fresh. Of course, not all occasions call for red wine, which brings us to our next topic: tackling unpleasant odors in any canned wine.

The easiest way to rid your beverage of unseemly scents is to aerate it. Simply pour the contents of the can into a glass, give it a quick swirl, and let it rest briefly before sipping. Otherwise, toss a penny into the wine and wait for foul-smelling molecules to bond with the coin's copper sulfide crystals. If you can't move past the unique fragrance, the canned versions might not be for you. Instead, try boxed wine or stick to tried-and-true bottled wine.