According to Angela Taylor, founder and owner of EFESTĒ, “when it comes to canned wines versus the traditional bottle you’re looking at convenience, portability and, especially these days, affordability.”
The latter point, Taylor stresses, is key. “I want wines to be opened on any random Wednesday evening, ‘just because,’ not saved only for special occasions. Producing really good wine at an accessible price point is a huge factor in that sentiment, and one we employ for all of our wines, not just the cans.”
Michelle Kaufmann, vice president of communications for the Stoller Wine Group, points to the appeal of canned wines to a younger demographic. “Canned wines are catching fire because the next generation of wine drinkers cares about portability as much as they do about quality and value.”
Initially, they thought the target consumer for their canned wines might be millennials, but they found that established fine wine drinkers who lead active and social lives also like the product.
For those looking to raise a glass while camping, boating or another form of outdoor recreation, here’s a roundup of portable wine options from Pacific Northwest winemakers that are made with a craft-not-commercialized focus.
Adulting by Alexandria Nicole Cellars
We all know adulting is hard. Husband-and-wife duo Jarrod and Ali Boyle launched Adulting, a playful sparkling series designed to be fun, lively and perfect for entertaining. The wine is available in both traditional 750-milliliter bottles and 375-milliliter cans. The fourth rendition of the sparkling white wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Horse Heaven Hills, the still Rosé is a Syrah dominant blend and the Red Wine is 55% Malbec married with Cabernet Sauvignon and little Merlot. These single-serve cans have something for every palate—perfect for kicking back, sharing, or just making adulting a little more fun.
Cascadian Outfitters by Goose Ridge
The commitment to embody the spirit of the Cascades can be seen in Cascadian Outfitters‘ line of canned wines. These wines, which have the distinction of being the first Washington winery to can 100% estate-grown grapes, are available in Chardonnay, red blend, Pinot Gris, rosé, Sparkling Pride, sparkling rosé and sparkling white. Also, they offer five of their wines in six-serving tetras designed for a party-to-go.
EFESTĒ
With their canned wines, EFESTĒ sought to bring the same intentional, minimal-intervention winemaking approach they use in all their wines to a more casual, convenient package. Currently, they sell their sparkling rosé and sparkling white cans out of their Woodinville and SoDo neighborhood tasting rooms, as well as through their online store.
Sound Goods
Sound Goods is an emerging canned wine company dedicated to crafting exceptional blends from sustainably grown Washington state grapes. Their current lineup includes: rosé, Blanc Canvas (Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling), sparkling white blend (Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir), red blend (Merlot and Syrah) and Syrah. The cans are sized at 250 milliliters, which is roughly a glass and a half. Currently, these canned wines are available at several of Seattle’s top breweries, along with local bottle shops, specialty stores, and restaurants such as Local Tide.
The Walls Cruel Summer Rosé
Made from 84% Grenache and 16% Mourvèdre, the Walls Cruel Summer Rosé is sourced from the French Creek Estate Vineyard in the Yakima Valley AVA. As it comes in bottle and pouch form, this wine embodies the perfect wine for a group summer activity. The convenient 3-liter pouch, or “Double Bagnum,” is meant for taking Cruel Summer on the go. Vibrant floral tones hit the nose along with aromas of peach, nectarine and pink grapefruit followed by the sensation of light citrus and stone fruit on the palate and hints of crushed oyster shell salinity on the finish.
Stoller Swing
As the founder of the Stoller Wine Group, the late Bill Stoller had a long-held belief that high-quality wine should be accessible for everyone. From the notion comes Stoller Swing, a line of light, approachable wines in a can. The collection includes Pinot Gris, white blend, rosé bubbles, white bubbles and Pinot Noir. This year’s summer hit is the rosé spritz, made from Oregon Pinot Noir blended with vermouth and citrus botanicals enjoyed over ice with a slice of lime or a touch of lime juice.
Beyond the Grape
Some Northwest producers are getting more experimental with their canned offerings, blending wine with fruit juice or botanicals for a different kind of refreshment.
Portland Sangria
Ryan Sharp, founder of Enso Winery, has always thought that when we drink something out of a can, we tend to expect it to be bubbly and a bit sweet given we were raised on soda pop. He found that adding a little bit of fruit juice to his Portland Sangria rounds out the light natural sweetness, thus making it easy to consume either from the can directly or in a glass. Adding a touch of ice helps keep this drink chilled on a hot summer day. Consumers can choose from Blueberry-Basil or Raspberry-Loganberry-Cardamom.
Post Familiar Rosé Wine Seltzer
Post Familiar’s canned rosé wine seltzer blends sustainably farmed grapes with an herbal tea mixture. The herbaceous notes from the tea are meant to complement the wine’s flavor while keeping the entire product below 5.5% ABV. Starting in July, look for this seltzer in Portland shops and on Post Familiar’s website. Future releases may include a white, an orange (skin-contact), and possibly even a red.
COMING SOON
Henderson Ave
Inspired by the street where founder Tiquette Bramlett grew up, Henderson Ave is about turning neighbors into friends, breaking down the barriers of traditional wine culture, and creating moments that matter. Made in collaboration with Patric and Ryan at Dominio XIV these canned creations include a dry white (100% Riesling) and a Pinot Lite (67% Pinot Gris, 33% Pinot Noir). The Riesling and Pinot Gris grapes are sourced from Miranda Vineyard (Dundee Hills) with the Pinot Noir grapes sourced from Sunset View Vineyard (Eola-Amity Hills).
