Unpopular opinion about canned wine: Actually, the stuff is great.
No longer relegated to weirdo gas station blends of lighter fuel mixed with turpentine, the market for canned wines is popping off, with Nielsen reporting nationwide sales of $28 million last year from $6.4 million in 2015. Plus, the boom of affordable and portable wines is being dominated by Oregon wineries, particularly Underwood, and a handful of local newcomers are poised to take it even further.
Cans are showing up in specialty bottle shops and grocery stores— since last July, even Plaid Pantries have stocked a great selection of tab-topped options.
The trend for cans is “crazy high,” even though it’s still a small part of the Portland-based chain’s sales base, says Tim Cote, Vice President for Marketing at Plaid Pantry. He explains they started selling House Wine, Underwood, and Portland Sangria after noticing both a jump in canned wine sales and how well the format fits a convenience store.
“Typically a can has two standard servings of wine inside, where a bottle has four,” Cote says. “This is better for our typical customer’s needs. Cans are also better for the wine, since they eliminate light damage, and the weight of aluminum requires less fuel to transport the product.”
While Underwood and Portland Sangria claim more than one-third of the national market for canned wine, newcomers Free Public and Dear Mom Wine are putting out high-quality quaffs that are worth seeking out.
“The wine is intentionally crafted for a can,” says Free Public founder Michael Etter. “It’s meant to be tossed into coolers, backpacks, and your back pocket. When we started this company, we envisioned a wine that people would enjoy while lounging around campfires or at the end of a hike. Or maybe even on the sly at your kid’s soccer games. The possibilities seem endless once it’s glass-free.”
