Allan Green, the man with the largest collection of canned wines in the world, , also happens to be the founder of Greenwood Ridge Winery in Anderson Valley, famous for its award-winning Riesling and pinot noir. Although he’s not in the wine business anymore, having sold the winery six years ago, Green still runs the International Canned Wine Competition, which I’ve been judging in Boonville for the last four years.
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While the number of entries has been shrinking since the competition began five years ago, the wines are getting way better. We rate the wines as either gold or no medal, and my fellow judges—wine journalist Dan Berger and Safeway beverage steward Greg Richtarek—weren’t being overly generous but still awarded 40% of the wines gold. A typical wine competition gives golds to fewer than 30% of entries.
We simply asked, “Is this the kind of wine you’d expect, based on what it says on the label?” We wondered if a given sparkling or pinot noir or rosé would float your boat as you canoe the river or raft the lake, or would it make you want to jump overboard?
We found many reasons to crack open a can. This year’s Best of Show Sparkling Wine was the 2024 Archer Roose Bubbly Rosé from Veneto, Italy, sporting a stylish moose on the label. A selection of Archer Roose wines can be found at Whole Foods. Best Spritzer went to the strawberry-lemon flavored Somerbella Rossini Spritz from San Luis Obispo. The gorgeous label declares it a craft wine cocktail. Somerbella also make a canned mimosa with fresh orange juice, which I loved. The labels are gorgeous and won the company Best Label Art award.
Our Best Canned White was a tie between a lovely white pinot noir from Freetime in Columbia Valley (11%), and a California chardonnay from Wise Villa (13.8%), hawking a smarty pants owl on the can. Chardonnay lovers who enjoy oak would not be disappointed, while the Freetime white pinot noir would satisfy those looking for a low-alcohol, oak-free white.
Best Canned Rosé went to Attimo Craft Winery 2024 Estate Rosato from Italy (10.5%) for its serious but fun orange and cherry flavors, but we also liked the 2024 Maker Wine Company SIP Certified Rosé of Grenache from Monterey. Best Red was a tough fight between a beautifully done pinot noir from Victoria, Australia (13%), also made by Archer Roose Wines, and a spicy, juicy, sophisticated Attimo Refosco from Venezia, Italy (12.5%). They are both winners.
It’s time wine in cans got more traction. Consumers should embrace these canned wines as a fun—and serious—way to enjoy some creative and exciting beverages, whether they are going boating, camping, hanging out by the pool or just camping out on the living room couch.
Richtarek, beverage steward at the Campbell Safeway at Hamilton and San Tomas, noted, “Many canned wines are lower in alcohol, plus you don’t have to commit to a whole bottle. And they are lighter to transport and far easier to recycle.”
Canned wines make as much sense at home as they do when you’re on vacation. Maker Wines, one of the top performers every year at this competition, are now available at Safeway stores.
Vino Locale Celebrates 20 years in Palo Alto: Hard to believe two decades have passed since this inviting and homey spot at 431 Kipling St. opened with an almost exclusively Santa Cruz Mountains wine focus. It’s morphed over the years, but the current owners are committed to offering a great selection of local and imported wines and an ever-changing fusion food menu, including cheese and charcuterie platters with baked sour cherry brie and burrata and linguica, and full-on meals of lobster ravioli, roasted seabass or salmon, and saffron lemon chicken kabobs. Local artists play live music nightly. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 3-9 p.m., with Happy Hour from 3-5:30 p.m. On Saturdays, bottles of wine are 30% off.
Picnic at House Family: When was the last time you had a picnic overlooking the valley? House Family Vineyards in Saratoga invites you to book a two-hour Bring-Your-Own-Picnic on Thursdays and Fridays, the only two days of the week where outside food is permitted on the premises. You can also purchase a charcuterie/cheese or cheese box while enjoying a wine tasting with the spectacular views for which House Family Winery is known. Make reservations at https://www.exploretock.com/housefamilyvineyards.
At the recent Taste Of The Mountains at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, there was big buzz around young winemakers like Cole Thomas of Madson Wines for his fresh and wild Santa Cruz Mountains chardonnay and pinot noir and his superb Ascona Vineyard syrah. Ritz-Carlton somm Marco Menendez praised Ryan Beauregard for his Ben Lomond Mountain chardonnays and Coast Grade pinot noirs. Specializing in mountain-grown wines, Sam Smith of Samuel Louis Wines wowed the crowd with his exciting, white pepper-infused Sandstone Terraces Syrah, a combination of Gali Vineyard and Nelson Family fruit.
The 40th annual Winesong, a fundraiser for Mendocino Coast Healthcare Foundation, takes place Sept. 5 and 6 in Mendocino. The annual Pinot Noir Celebration kicks things off at The Little River Inn on Friday, Sept. 5, it is followed by the Winesong grand tasting and auction at the Mendocino Botanical Gardens on Sept. 6, with bites from local chefs, caterers and restaurateurs, plus wines from Mendocino, Sonoma, Lake and Napa counties. For tickets, visit https://www.mchfoundation.org/winesong-2025.