WASHINGTON — If you’re planning on celebrating St Patrick’s with a beverage in a can, don’t discount wine.
That’s right, wine in a can. Evidently, it’s all the rage and gaining popularity every year.
According to Nielsen, canned wine sales have more than doubled in the past year, growing 125.2 percent in sales in the 52 weeks ending on June 18, 2016. In that period, the canned wine industry reported $6.4 million in sales. That’s a pretty big jump from the $1.9 million in sales reported for the same period just a few years earlier.
Part of the growth is due to increased availability from more brands entering the market, but a big part is simply convenience: It’s portable, you don’t need a corkscrew and the fact that it comes in a can means that it’s unbreakable.
Canned wine is perfect for hiking, picnics, tailgating, the beach, or just a day out with friends on the patio. I was recently on a ski lift when one of the passengers pulled a can of wine out of his jacket and offered his fellow riders a sip of rosé.
Another appealing factor is the novelty of the packaging. It attracts Millennials who crave convenience as well as something “new” to try.
But what about the taste? Well, with the growing popularity, more and more notable brands are “canning” some pretty good juice. For example, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly launched a canned wine spritzer in April of last year, geared toward customers drinking outdoors. And popular brands, such as Oregon-based Underwood and Backpack Wine Company, are making the wines straightforward and approachable. These are wines that are meant to be enjoyed as soon as they are purchased; they are not meant to be cellared or aged.
In case you’re wondering, canned wines do not have metallic taste. Just like many other beverages sold in cans — soda, beer and water — the wines appear to retain their intended flavor without interference from the metal container.
Some products have special liners to prevent the wine from coming into contact with the aluminum container. However, I personally prefer pouring the wine into a glass first, instead of consuming it straight from the bottle. It’s probably just psychological, but it did appear to taste “fresher” when sampled from a wineglass. It could be due to the fact that the wine cannot display a bouquet in the can as well as it can in a glass.
Here are a few canned wines you can find in the D.C. area that are worth a try:
Seven Daughters offers two choices in their canned line up: Moscato Veneto from Italy and Pinot Noir from California. The moscato is light and bright, with notes of ripe pear, apricot and candied orange rind. There is a bit of residual sugar to keep the flavors a bit sweet, but the acidity keeps it refreshing and tangy. The pinot noir uses California fruit and is straight forward and easy to enjoy with notes of red cherry, cranberry and strawberry flavors. There is a touch of acidity to keep it fresh and bright on the finish. Both varietals come in packs of four 250ml cans. $15
Backpack Wine Company says, “skip the cork,” with its two offerings, a Cheeky Rosé™ and Snappy White™ blend varieties. The Snappy White definitely has a touch of sweetness while delivering flavors of ripe pear, green apple and tangy nectarine, buoyed by crisp acidity. The Cheeky Rosé is simply fun to drink. It is light and refreshing with pretty flavors of strawberry, raspberry, peach and cherry on a crisp, clean frame. This is a summer wine meant for campfires and cookouts. Both varietals come in packs of four 250ml cans. $20
The Underwood Wine Company from Oregon has several offerings, but my favorites were definitely the Underwood Sparkling Wine and Underwood Pinot Noir. The sparkling wine is simply fun to drink. There’s a bit of a mind game that goes on with this wine, since in comes in a classic 375ml can — the same size as a beer can — so when you pop the top on this carbonated beverage, you’re not expecting a sparkling wine. But the crisp, fruity flavors of nectarine, white peach, tangy apple and citrus fruit will quickly recalibrate your palate and get you in a festive mood. The pinot noir is juicy and fruit-forward, featuring flavors of bright red cherries, strawberries, cranberry and baking spices. This was definitely a pleasant surprise from a wine in a can. Both varietals come in packs of four 375ml cans. $28
Other wine-in-a-can brands to look for include Sofia Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine, Barefoot, Fiction and Lila.
