Curious About Canned Wine? Here’s What You Need to Know…

All Things Wine

Jul 30

Have you ever packed a bottle of rosé in your cooler for a round of golf, or stashed some bubbly in your bag the last time you went to an afternoon baseball game? My guess is probably not. Traveling with whole bottles of wine is not the easiest, or most ideal situation. Especially since pulling out that bottle, popping open the cork (or screwcap), and tilting the bottle back to take a swig makes you look like a total lush. You’d probably get a few concerned eyes shifting in your direction, as if you soon might be reenacting that downright hilarious airplane scene from the movie “Bridesmaids”… You know the one! Hey, no judgement here if that’s actually happened to you. However, I think I have a better alternative for you.

If you haven’t met already, let me introduce you to canned wine! It has just the right amount of good vibes, but without signaling to the rest of the world that you’re going to be that embarrassing person stumbling everywhere and slurring their words in the next hour. Once you two get to know each other better, I think it will be a match made in heaven!

In case you weren’t aware, wine in a can has taken the industry by storm and become one of the fastest growing trends. According to a recent Wine Spectator article, canned wine sales have jumped from just $2 million in 2012 to $183.6 million as of July 2020. This nontraditional packaging option offers consumers an easier way to enjoy wine in a more convenient and portable way, and can be sipped just about anywhere.

I’ve spent the last month doing a bit of field research (such hard work, you know😉), exploring several canned wine options from small guys to big producers, and various white to pink to red wines. Here are my thoughts on why you should incorporate more canned wines into your rotation:

Convenience is Key

With the speed of today’s society and always being on the run, a glass bottle is not always the best option. Cans are incredibly convenient, especially on camping trips, a day at the beach, or a pool party. Plus, there’s no need for a corkscrew (how many times have you forgotten to bring one and then have to get creative?). Simply pop the top, and sip away!

Drinkable Now

There’s absolutely no need to age canned wine; in fact, you should drink it now instead of holding onto it. Modern-day drinkers are less patient with laying wines down to mature, and more about consuming immediately. It could literally be purchased at a grocery store on the way to the beach, thrown into the cooler in the parking lot, and consumed within the hour. Can’t get much easier than that!

Save Those Special Bottles

One of the many beauties of canned wine is that you don’t have to open an entire bottle of wine if it’s just you. Personally, I hate feeling pressured to open a whole bottle if I know I won’t drink it all within a few days (don’t judge me!). Especially if it’s bubbly… There’s nothing worse than flat sparkling wine the next day. I’d rather save those bottles to share with someone special—like my husband or a girlfriend over a nice dinner—and crack open a can instead.

Less Pretentious, More Casual

The one thing I strongly dislike about the wine industry is the level of pretentiousness and pomposity that is associated with certain wine brands and regions (hence why I started this blog). Yet, canned wine is fun because it’s more approachable and casual. There aren’t many rules about how to pour it, how to sniff it, which aromatic notes you can smell, what side of the mountain the grapes were grown on, what forest the French oak that the wine was aged in originated from, and so on. In my opinion, the only rule for canned wine is to not follow any rules. Soak up that sunshine and gorgeous view, or wherever you’re enjoying your canned wine—and don’t feel guilty for not aerating the wine in your mouth properly (if you don’t know what I’m talking about here, let me know and I’ll do a video on this soon!).

Size Matters

An important thing to note about canned wine is that they vary in sizes. Unlike the standard wine bottle size, it’s not one-size-fits-all. You can easily choose which size cans you want, depending on which brands offer what. If you’re keeping an eye on serving size, take a peek at the label on the can to find how many servings it holds. Here is a quick guide to keep in mind, as one standard serving of wine is 150 milliliters:
- 187 milliliters = 1.24 servings
- 375 milliliters = 2.50 servings (half a bottle of wine!)
- 500 milliliters= 3.33 servings

Cans Fit Easily in a Fridge or Cooler

Wine bottles are often too tall or oddly shaped, and don’t fit well in ice chests or fridges unless you have a fancy wine fridge. Cans are more compact and stackable, which means you can fit more in a smaller space without having to be overly creative. Those long necks on wine bottles can be difficult, right?!
Cans can be chilled faster since aluminum cans are opaque, and don’t allow sunlight to shine through—compared to clear wine bottles, which allows light to directly hit the wine itself. This is due to aluminum being an excellent thermal conductor, which helps to cool liquids down pretty quickly. Simply chill the can, insert into a koozie, and you’re ready to go.

Same Wine, Different Package

Though the quality might differ a bit, canned wine and bottled wine are essentially the same. Wine found in cans is often comparable to a $20-and-under bottle. The wine in a bottle of Dark Horse Rosé you find at a grocery store is the same wine that you find in a can of Dark Horse Rosé.

More Options On the Way

Many wineries are currently experimenting to improve canning technology, which will eventually lead to better ageability of canned wine.
Familiar wines are popping up in this rapidly growing market, while several new brands are quickly pivoting to capitalize on canned wines.

Unlike a few popular seltzer options (I don’t think I have to name specifics here…😄), canned wine is clearly here to stay. In fact, wine in a can has come a long way since it was first introduced back in 1935. Eighty-five years later, this trend is still going strong. Certain brands have even won some impressive awards, such as the Maker 2019 Mendocino Viognier that was recently given a gold medal with 96 points at the North Coast Wine Challenge. Currently, my top-pick brands are Alloy Wine Works, Field Recordings, and Companion Wine Co. All three have some interesting wine varietals and styles that you don’t see canned very often, not to mention their super eccentric and eye-catching labels. These are what you’ll catch me sipping for the next few months!

A few quick tips to optimize your canned wine experience:

I highly recommend refrigerating all canned wines—even reds!
If you’re REALLY going to pay attention to smell and taste, pour it into a glass to swirl appropriately. Otherwise, ignore this tip and enjoy straight from the can😜
Like all wine, you don’t want to leave cans in the car for an extended period of time. Never a good idea there.
Canned wine is meant to be consumed relatively soon. Don’t think that you need to age it by any means. Enjoy ASAP!

Are you a fan of the can? Which canned wines have you tried lately? I’d love to hear which you can’t keep stocked long in your fridge, or which you’ve added to your shopping list and look forward to trying soon!