Have you ever wondered if “wine in a can” tastes good? Are you hesitant to give up your wine bottles in favor of a can? I am here to help you answer those questions. Join me at our PrimeWomen Media wine tasting to determine our picks for the best wine in a can.
I gathered some impressive wine tasting champs and distinguished Prime Women executives to select our winners for “Best Wine in a Can.” The judges are the CEO and co-founder for Prime Women Media, Dorthy Miller Shore, a co-founder of Prime Women Media, Valerie Freeman, the Vice President of Strategic Alliances, Maureen Martin, and the National Sales Manager for Prime Women Media, Stacy Rudd.
Take a look at this PrimeWomen Media video of our wine judging session complete with plenty of female camaraderie.
It’s not surprising that the “Wine in the Can” category grew 80% in the US last year (Nielsen figures). I prefer to say “Wine in a Can” vs. “Canned Wine,” as I hate to think that wine could seem like canned green beans. And, the Wine in a Can businesses are booming. Inc. Magazine named “Wine in a Can” among The Top 8 best sectors for launching a business.
But stop and think! Think of all the people who go to ballparks, soccer matches, picnics, gold courses, barbecues, tailgate parties, boating, hikes, and to the beach. It is easy to understand the need for portable and chill-able wine.
The Wine in a Can Contenders and How to Drink Them
But are these wines good? We put them to the test. I challenged our PrimeWomen Media judges with rating each wine and choosing the best varietal wines in these categories:
- White Sparkling
- Rosé Sparkling
- Pinot Gris and Grigio
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chardonnay
- Dry Rosé
- Pinot Noir
- Red Blends
- Cabernet Sauvignon
It was determined a winner would not be named if all the contenders in a category failed our taste test. My job was to circle the room for counseling, assistance with wine notes, or to decide a tiebreaker.
Well-known sommeliers were surveyed for brand suggestions for each varietal category. Recent Wall Street Journal and Good Housekeeping articles on “Wine in a Can” were also considered for brand suggestions. Two brands of each of these varietal wines were chosen with the exception of Chardonnay and Sparkling Rosé – there were 3 contenders each in those categories. It’s important to get these popular wines right! We also selected a winning varietal wine with the best label appeal and packaging. The 3 “Best of Show” were chosen among the varietal winners.
The wines were tasted by pouring them into a glass in order to eliminate some of the “tinny” taste of drinking from a can. For a picnic, I’d recommend taking along a GoVino plastic wine glass that is reusable and recyclable, or just drink out of the can using a straw.
And the Winners Are!
Winners for the wine with the most appealing packaging and label: AVA Grace Vineyards, Pinot Gris, California
Our varietal winners are:
Best Sparkling White: Underwood, Union Wine Co., Oregon
Best Sparkling Rosé: No clear-cut winner.
Best Pinot Gris/Grigio: AVA Grace Vineyards, California
Best Sauvignon Blanc: Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sonoma County, California
Best Chardonnay: Buttercream, California
Best Dry Rosé: Sterling Vineyards, California
Best Pinot Noir: (a tie) HouseWine, Central Valley, Chile and Sterling Vineyards, California
Red Blend Winner: 14 Hands Winery “Hot to Trot”, Columbia Valley, WA (Predominantly a Merlot and Syrah blend)
Best Cabernet Sauvignon Winner: Sterling Vineyards, California
“Best of Show” winners are:
#3 Best of Show: Buttercream Chardonnay, California
#2 Best of Show: Sterling Vineyards Cabernet, California
#1 Best of Show, and our Top Selection: 14 Hands Winery “Hot to Trot” Red Blend, Columbia Valley, WA
Choose a Wine in Cans for your next golf outing, tailgate party, boating, picnic, or barbeque. The PrimeWomen executives have made some excellent selections that you are for sure to enjoy. If you have your own favorite that we didn’t try out tell us about it in the comments below.
>READ: SAVVY WINE SHOPPING – TIPS FROM A MASTER SOMMELIER
