No-Compromise CANNED WINES

By Fran Miller

Irecently took a line-up of canned wines, rather than a bottle, to a friend’s home as a hostess gift. The immediate reaction was skepticism. Canned wine? Are you kidding? But after popping open each and taste-testing, my recipient joined in my enthusiasm. Canned wine is the real deal. Sure, there may or may not be an ageability-indicating vintage denoted on the label, but it’s really no secret that canned wines are meant to be relished in the here and now.

Canned wines are convenient and easy to enjoy during activities at the beach, at picnics, or really any outdoor activity where glass is ill-advised. And lucky for wine lovers, high quality means no compromise. Here are some of our current favorites:

WEST + WILDER

The West + Wilder style can be summed up in one word: beautiful—both the taste and the matte can design, the illustrations of which depict the native plants from the West Coast states where the brand’s grapes are sourced. The wines are bright, crisp, clean and refreshing, delivering deliciousness straight out of the can.

A collaboration with C. Mondavi & Family, West + Wilder was founded in 2018 by friends Matt Allan and Kenny Rochford with a commitment to sustainability. The duo is dedicated to giving back via a partnership with 1% For The Planet, supporting the preservation of wild spaces that inspire the wines. The aluminum canned wines (red, white, rosé, sparkling rosé and sparkling white) are convenient for all the activities where glass is not—poolside, beach, golf course, spa, concerts and more.

Paper Planes Flight School Ros Of Pinot Noir

This lightly sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir from Paper Planes Wine Company is made with the same attention to detail that proprietors Laura and Kyle Gabriel pay to their bottled wines—a Rosé of Pinot Noir, Hidden Track Grenache and Hidden Track Pinot Noir. The husband and wife team start by sourcing Sonoma Coast vineyard fruit that provides a great balance of texture, crisp acidity and mouthwatering freshness.

The grapes are lightly pressed and fermented in neutral oak barrels before the addition of a light spritz that makes it extra refreshing. Sneak this one into the movie theater—it pairs perfectly with popcorn.

BROC CELLARS LOVE RED, LOVE WHITE, LOVE ROSÉ, LOVE SPARKLING

Berkeley is the last place you’d expect to find a winery, but Broc Cellars has made the city its home for nearly ten years. Known for his creativity and restraint in making approachable wines in a natural way, proprietor and winemaker Chris Brockway is known for single varietal offerings, but his Love Series blends are a great introduction to his streamlined style.

Love Red is a chuggable blend of heritage, dry-farmed, organic California grapes—a mix of carignan, valdiguie and syrah. The unfiltered and unfined Love White, an organic blend of marsanne, grenache blanc, roussanne and picpoul, looks like spun honey and tastes like liquid sunshine. Love Rosé is a rich, watermelon-flavored wine made mostly from valdiguié with a touch of zinfandel and trousseau. And the new Love Sparkling is a blend of chenin blanc and muscat that tastes of lemon, lime, pineapple and green apple.

Avaline

Beloved for its delicious flavor and a clean profile, Avaline canned wines now come in perfectly proportioned cans. This brand created by global icon and wellness author Cameron Diaz and her good friend Katherine Power features vegan-friendly wines made with organic grapes. Each offers a lower ABV and is free of unwanted extras like sugars, colors, and concentrates.

Avaline White is a dry Spanish wine offering a crisp flavor with a fresh finish. Fruit-forward and French Avaline Rosé offers a light and fresh mouthfeel with flavors of zesty melon to bring the wine’s light pink hues to life. Ideal for any time, this one is perfect for spending an afternoon in the sun with your best friend.

UNE FEMME WINES PIQUETTE PINOT & PIQUETTE CHARDONNAY

It’s a woman’s world at Une Femme Wines, where sister-brother proprietors Jen and Zach Pelka work with female winemakers, investors, distributors, designers and wine retailers in making, promoting, and selling their canned Piquette Pinot and the Piquette Chardonnay. (Piquette is an age-old style invented as a way to utilize skins and stems for a second pressing—true upcycling.) Every can sold contributes to charities that positively impact the lives of women.

The stainless-steel-aged, naturally farmed, Mendocino County Three Streams Vineyard Chardonnay Piquette is bright and zippy, and best served chilled or over ice. The Pinot Noir Piquette is a blend of organic, biodynamically-farmed pinot noir and pinot meunier from the sun-drenched Van der Kamp Vineyard atop Sonoma Mountain and is perfect for weekend picnics, beachside brunches and happy hour hangs. The Pelkas recommend this one with avocado-topped burgers, corn on the cob, and pesto pasta salads.

Whether you’re looking for bronze or ceramic windbells, planters, tiles, pots, or jewelry, we can help you find something that fits your style and needs. Our artisans work hard to create unique pieces that will last a lifetime and make a lasting impact on your home or garden. Each piece we create has supported The Cosanti Foundation and other worthy causes for over 65 years.

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