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We’re not wine snobs here, which is why we’re fully on board with the canned wine trend. They’re portable, easy to recycle and safe to sip poolside (without risk of broken glass). Not to mention some of the latest brands to hit the market are offering seriously great vino in those 250- to 375-mL containers. After sampling 20+ types of canned wine on the market—yeah, they call this work, and yeah, we’re hiring—here’s what we’re deeming the best canned wine of 2022 (so far).
Scroll down for in-depth reviews of each.
The PureWow100 calls for a 100-point scale, but Wine Spectator we are not. In our world, The Perfect Wine would score top marks for its value (because we’ve got bills to pay), overall quality (which encompasses everything from the packaging to the terroir to “uh, does this taste like they mixed the dregs of stale box wines with some Juicy Juice?”), aroma, flavor (one-note wines need not apply) and finish.
Best Overall
TOTAL: 94/100
When it comes to choosing crowd-pleasing wines, look no further than Underwood. Whether you’re into a crisp bubbly, a juicy rosé or a smoky Pinot Noir, you’ll find it here. The flavors are bold but not overwhelming; the kind of drink that’s memorable yet has a clean finish, so you don’t feel the need to brush your teeth 20 minutes after your final sip. (The Pinot Noir does have a lingering, leathery aftertaste—but we weren’t mad about it.)
Best Variety
TOTAL: 93/100
If you’re headed to your friend’s pool party and she’s, ahem, incredibly discerning about wine—to put it politely—Maker’s Best-Sellers Mixed Pack is the vino to bring. The women-owned brand works with small wineries to feature varieties you won’t find at your local liquor store. Each can tells the maker’s story, along with tasting notes to guide you through each sip. This pack features two cans of Pinot Noir, Verdelho and Sparkling Rosé. The flavors are dry, vegan-friendly and well-balanced. Even your pickiest friend won’t be able to resist ‘em.
Best Red Wine
TOTAL: 92/100
There’s no pretension when you’re drinking House Wine—and we love them for it. There’s a juicy, jammy flavor to this red blend (which is 40 percent merlot, 40 percent cabernet sauvignon and 20 percent Syrah) that gives way to a mouth-clearing dry finish. It’s a bold, medium-bodied blend that’s so easy to sip, you’ll want to keep it on hand at all times.
Best Dry Red Wine
TOTAL: 89/100
At least something good came out of 2020. Maker’s Pinot Noir sold out faster than any of its other wines, and after a sip, we see why: It’s fruit-forward but has an acidic bite at the end, making for an edgy drink you’ll enjoy savoring on its own. Preferably in front of a roaring fire (or beach bonfire).
Best Bold Red Wine
TOTAL: 90/100
Raspberry, cacao nib, peppery spice—this medium-bodied wine takes you on a journey. The range of flavors live up to its over-the-top, “freakshow” branding, which is what makes it so intriguing. It’s the kind of red that can warm you up on a chilly night, with a lingering, oaky finish you’ll be thinking about well after the can’s been emptied.
Best for Converting Wine Snobs
TOTAL: 91/100
Just Enough recommends serving its red wine at a beach bonfire, but really, we’d crack open a can just about anywhere, be it an art gallery opening, wedding reception or plain ol’ Tuesday. The red is medium-bodied, with a more fruit-forward flavor that finishes with the spice of cracked peppercorn. Just be aware of how sip-happy you get: Each can boasts a 14.6 percent ABV.
Best Sparkling Rosé
TOTAL: 94/100
Some sparkling rosés are so carbonated they might as well be deemed bubbly, because there isn’t any real flavor beyond that. Not so with Empathy Rosé & Bubbles*—there’s a mellow, watermelon-like flavor at first that gives way to a gentle effervescence and crisp finish. It’s the type of drink that’s made for cookouts: It cuts through the grease of mayo-based and buttery sides and can hold its own against grilled meat and veggies.
Best Sweet Rosé
TOTAL: 90/100
Canned rosé tends to be on the drier side, so if you’re looking for a sweet (but not cloying) option, reach for House Wine. It’s a bright, fruity drink that’s ideal for pairing with charcuterie board recipes and, well, anything you’d serve at a picnic. It’s basically a spring day in a can, with faint, floral notes and a clean, crisp finish.
Best Dry Rosé
TOTAL: 87/100
Dubbed a “polite drink” by our tasters, Le Rosé is light all around, from its aroma to its finish. The strawberry and grapefruit notes are mellow and balanced, resulting in a clean drink that’s more like boozy spa water than slap-in-the-face strong. It’s dry, but not so much that you’re reaching for a glass of water after every sip.
Best White Wine
TOTAL: 94/100
Again, the crowd-pleaser award goes to Underwood. This lighter-body wine is a total porch pounder, veering on the drier side but not parchingly so. The pear and apple notes shine through, making for a refreshing Happy Hour drink.
Best Dry White Wine
TOTAL: 93/100
Just because Archer Roose’s ads are lighthearted doesn’t mean the brand isn’t serious about vino. Its Sauvignon Blanc can hold its own against high-end bottles, with citrus-meets-bell-pepper notes, dry taste and shimmering minerality. It’s excellent paired with seafood or Mediterranean dishes (it can really hold its own against salty feta and olives and garlicky shrimp, in particular).
Best Full-Bodied White Wine
TOTAL: 93/100
Chardonnay is typically described as buttery or oaky, and while Simply Cutrer delivers on those fronts, it’s so much more than that. This robust Chard features notes of tropical fruit, citrus and, surprisingly, toasted nuts, which make you savor every sip. Oh, and don’t even get us started on that long-lasting finish. *chef’s kiss*
Best Minerality
TOTAL: 89/100
If you like seafood that tastes like it came from the sea, you live for weekends at the lake or on a boat—or you just prefer wine that isn’t fruity and jammy—Nomadica’s sommelier-selected cans are for you. The descriptions are poetic (“wait, what does the inside of a waterfall taste like?”), but then you take a sip and you get it. The white wine and rosés have a slight saltiness to them that won’t weigh you down on a scorching summer’s day. They’re the Coastal Grandmother of canned wine, and we are here for it.
Best Fruity Spritz
TOTAL: 90/100
Imagine strawberry lemonade, only cut with seltzer to keep it from tasting too bitter or too sweet…and make it boozy. That’s what you get with Space Age’s Meyer Lemon Strawberry Rosé Wine Spritz, which has 5.5 percent ABV and a brut finish.
Best Floral Spritz
TOTAL: 94/100
Just because you’re drinking a spritz doesn’t mean it should taste like a spiked juice box. Yes Way Rosé’s spritzes are well-balanced, and its latest offering—launching March 23—is arguably its most elevated take yet. There’s a light blueberry flavor, yet the floral-meets-herbal notes of the lavender keep it from tasting too sweet or too tart.
Best Palate Cleanser
TOTAL: 93/100
Even the heaviest, sauciest dinners are no match for Avaline’s clean, dry rosé and white wine. Both varieties are light and refreshing, with a crisp acidity that cleanses your palate, so you’re not reaching for a toothbrush 10 minutes after downing that baked feta pasta. Made from organic grapes, the wine is vegan friendly, and it’s free from added sugar and artificial coloring. Grab a 12-pack, and your alfresco dinners will never be the same.
Best Crowd-Pleaser
TOTAL: 90/100
Quick, you've invited a bunch of people over and you don't know their tastes. (And you don't want to end the night with a bunch of open bottles and half-sipped drinks.) Order a mixed pack of Fisk's Wine-In-A-Can. It may not have the range of Maker's varietals, but the four types of wine included are practically guaranteed to suit everyone in your crew's preferences. Decant the red wine—a blend of California zinfandel and merlot—into a wine glass, and even your snobbiest friends would never know it came from a can (which, c'mon, they need to get over, stat). Sparkling wine fans will appreciate the tingly effervescence of the bubbly white and rosé, and chardonnay stans will love the white wine's smoothness.
