We haven’t seen the Cheer Pack from Palandri Wine in the U.S. yet, probably because the Australian wine firm chose Canada as its initial destination market. We sort of like the idea, even if the package isn’t particularly beautiful. The concept of the Cheer Pack is simple: it’s a plastic and aluminum foil composite bag that looks rather like the packaging that coffee beans are often shipped in, except that the Cheer Pack has a plastic spout poking out of its top. The initial Cheer Packs are 750 ml, the same as a standard glass wine bottle, but can range from a mere 187 ml up to a liter.
Not having seen the actual packs, we have to base our comments on the news release from Palandri and the photos. One advantage of this packaging would appear to be that (unlike a semi-rigid Tetra Pak) excess air can be squeezed out before re-sealing. This should extend the shelf life of opened wine a bit vs. rigid packaging that allows air in as the wine is depleted. From an enivironmental standpoint, this package certainly seems to be quite minimalist.
Don’t expect to find fine wines in these. The stated shelf life is 12-24 months, and the wine is intended for early consumption. No need to build special shelves in your wine cellar to hold your collection of Cheer Packs! Still, the firm terms the wines as “premium,” and notes they have taken pains to ensure the quality and taste of the wine packaged in the Cheer Pack is exactly what you get in the Badivis Estate bottles.
We have to admit this is perhaps the least handsome presentation we’ve seen for a wine package. The bags appear a bit, umm, lumpy, and the oddly projecting spout isn’t exactly a thing of beauty. It seems like an errant squeeze could send your Shiraz geysering skyward, too. Still, for a convenient, lightweight, and unshatterable Merlot to take on a picnic, the Cheer Pack looks like it will serve just fine. Any of you north-of-the-border types who have encountered these in the wild should feel free to comment.