I have always been wary of wine in cans. Good wine in a box – now that I agree with. Not all of them of course, but I have tried good ones in the past. Something about the can and wine has always been unsettling, however. Yet there’s always a new experience to be had, and an opinion to possibly change, so we ended up with a sample of an Italian Pinot Grigio in cans and embraced the opportunity.
The wine is from Sicily, and produced by Stella. Grapes are from various vineyards. This is the very definition of a Mediterranean climate, being an island sitting in the Mediterranean Sea just off the Southern coast of Italy. The sea keeps the temperatures more moderate, which is why Pinot Grigio is doing well here, a bit further south than you might expect. We’ll describe the wine in more detail below, but the convenience part of the equation we can discuss here. It was about a week before writing this that I was finishing up some work around the house, it was hot, and I was really in the mood for a white wine, nicely chilled. Alas, there was no bottle in the fridge. I was disappointed until I remembered the Stella cans on the top shelf. I popped one open and had my cold glass of white ready to go. I like this aspect of the cans, along with the fact that they are 250 ml, more than your average single glass serving.
But how about the wine itself?
Wine: 2016 Stella Pinot Grigio -in CANS! (One Liter total in a four pack)
Winery Location: Sicily
Tasted By: Neil Date: June 2018
Tasting Notes: This had a touch of “caniness” right away, or at least I thought so. Maybe my pre-conceived notions got the better of me? Anyway, any hint of that blew off quickly, and the wine had a bright nose. There was a pretty bold citrus component, as well as peach. It is full of fruit on the palate, has a racy acidity that keeps it fresh, as well as a nice, clean, long finish. It’s pretty good, it’s out of a can, it’s really convenient, and it doesn’t cost a lot.
Price Point – $13 for a four pack, with each can containing a quarter of a liter.
Would We Buy It? – I would. Certainly this is great for parties, barbecues, picnics, tailgating and other assorted gatherings. As I mentioned above, I really appreciated the convenience of being able to pull a can out of the fridge at any time. I can see keeping some on hand, just for that. It is not the best Pinot Grigio in the world, but it is good, and a good value.
A votre santé
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