In case you haven’t heard, canned wine and cocktails are a thing. (And I’m saying this only in the nicest way because this past weekend, I talked with a few people who had no idea that wines or cocktails in a can exist…) During a recent virtual tasting for which I was sent samples, our group was reminded of the history of “wine coolers” by Emcees Shana Bull and Robert Larsen. And yes, the group was adult enough to remember quite a number of these beverages, although most of us didn’t disclose the circumstances surrounding their imbibement.
In 1976, the California Cooler was introduced and in 1985, the company was purchased by Brown-Forman – 12 million cases were sold per year. By the 1980s, Seagram’s Club Cocktails, Bartles & Jaymes and Harley Davidson were in production with unique branding. In 1987, these wine coolers hit their “peak popularity” with about 10% of wine lovers holding one of these beverages in their hand.
However, once the government got their hands on this trend, the situation changed. Taxes on wine quadrupled resulting in the malt beverage market becoming the newest “thing.”
But wait! How can we forget White Claw, introduced in 2016 and leading to a White Claw shortage in the summer of 2019 with sales up 250%. (I admit that my adult offspring may have had a hand in that situation. During our 2019 vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, White Claw was sipped at the pool on a steady basis.)
And now? At the virtual tasting, I popped the tops of GAZE Wine Cocktails, introduced in 2018, Roseade and flavors from Beautiful Drinks Co. Social, unpretentious and clearly a lifestyle beverage that oozes summer (think picnics, poolside sipping, sharing with friends on the boat, camping, etc.), each was incredibly refreshing and ever-so-easy to drink.
The GAZE Wine Cocktail (around $5.50 per can) offered a mere 4.5% alcohol and, depending on the flavor, between 4.8g and 8.8g of sugar per serving. Each can held 12.7 ounces with 2.5 servings in each. The Blueberry/Pomegranate/Moscato was delicious with grilled shrimp and fresh fruit, the Green Tea/Moscato was a winner with soft goat cheese on crostini and the Kombucha/Moscato was a star with grilled fish.
Ready to pop the top and begin happy hour on-the-go? Join me!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
For more ideas for summer sipping, watch the Crush On This YouTube video, “Wine on the Go with Canned Wines!”
To grab your free infographic “4 Keys to a Stellar Wine Pick” click here.
