Vintage Eve Circa 7/2018: Canned Bonny Doon Fizzy White and Pink…Would you try?

February 2, 2021 by evebushman

I shared a press release recently on canned wines. Suffice it to say, most of the comments, mine included, were biased against canned wines. Most of us didn’t care for the presentation – just like the people that resist screw capped wines for their lack of romance – and some questioned if there was a metallic taste. Got a lot of discussion in one of my Facebook posts and prompted the powers that be at Bonny Doon Vineyard to send me some canned wines to sample.

The two cans I tried below did turn me around. There was no problem with the flavor in these lighter-styled wines sparkling wines:

Fizzy White

AKA La Bulle-Moose Blanche

100% Vermentino

Color: Dried hay, and a little fresh green grass.

Aroma: Pineapple, lemon hard candy, kiwi, wet concrete, cantaloupe and honeydew melon.

Flavor in a wine glass: tingly, Prosecco-like, that same lemon but not as sweet, more like a light lemonade, paler melon fruit, green apple.

Flavor from the can: Same, of course, maybe more fizzy but that may just be perception.

Fizzy Pink of the Earth

AKA La Bulle-Moose de Cigare

57% Grenache, 18% Grenache Blanc, 9% Mourvèdre, 6% Roussanne, 5% Carignane, 5% Cinsaut

Color: Peach, rose gold.

Aroma: Bruised strawberry, yellow peach, raspberry, lemon-lime, akin to sparkling wine.

Flavor in a wine glass: overall light nuances of fruit cocktail, pear and peach with a medium finish.

Flavor from the can: same.

Conclusion

Basically: Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. The company sent me two of each flavor and my husband liked the idea of keeping the two we didn’t open in the fridge to have on our porch before dinner some night soon. I liked the idea of just splitting a can of wine before dinner, and before moving over to cocktails or a full bottle of wine to pair with our meal.

I also felt that both of these would also lend themselves well in a Sangria with fruit, and maybe a little rum or spirit of your choice.

I would probably have a harder time being convinced of the merits of a heartier or higher quality wine served in a can. I also can’t imagine moving people with strong opinions for cork closures to try canned wines any more than they would accept screw-capped wines. It’s just too much change…for the present. Who knows how wines will be served in 100 or so years? Everything may be canned soon enough.

Side note, I’m not a fan of wines with names that do little to tell you what grapes they’re made from. Every time I get served a Rose I find myself asking what grapes they’re made from, so this may just be my pet peeve. Plus I’m not attracted to puppies or kittens or a moose on a label though I know other people do select their wines based on a cute label, so I get the desire. Maybe it’s just me?

Click on cans for details –> https://shop.bonnydoonvineyard.com/Shop/Cans

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 15k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

CAINE THOMPSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ROBERT HALL WINERY, NOMINATED FOR WINE ENTHUSIAST’S “INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR” WINE STAR AWARD

November 12, 2020 by evebushman

Paso Robles, CA – Robert Hall Winery in Paso Robles, California, is pleased to announce new hire, Caine Thompson, has been nominated for Wine Enthusiast magazine’s “Innovator of the Year” Wine Star Award.

Thompson is being recognized for his achievements in virtual currency and augmented reality during his time as President of Paso Robles winery, Rabble Wine Company. Thompson led the winery to accept over 40 forms of virtual currency in 2019. In 2018 the winery launched an augmented reality app that brought to life the historic woodblock carving labels from the 1400th century Nuremberg Chronicles, being one of the first US owned wineries to do so.

Thompson joined Robert Hall Winery as Managing Director in October 2020, working with the hospitality, tasting room, wine club, and winemaking teams to evolve the winery’s direct-to-consumer sales, consumer experience, and community relations. Thompson will also work closely with the winemaking team on the winery’s tasting room only wine offerings. O’Neill Vintners & Distillers, based in Larkspur, California, purchased Robert Hall Winery in 2016. Thompson joins the executive leadership team at O’Neill as the company looks to continue its rapid growth in the US.

“We are excited to have Caine join our O’Neill and Robert Hall family at such a pivotal point for the winery. Wine Enthusiast’s recognition of his innovative achievements at Rabble demonstrate what a strong choice Caine is for Robert Hall and for O’Neill,” comments Christine Moll, VP of Marketing at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers.

Each year, the Wine Enthusiast editorial team selects the wine and spirits industry’s top individuals and businesses. Thompson is honored to be nominated for “Innovator of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast magazine. O’Neill Vintners & Distillers CEO, Jeff O’Neill, is also honored this year with a Wine Star nomination for Person of the Year, making two 2020 Wine Star nominations for O’Neill Vintners & Distillers.

About Robert Hall Winery

Founded in 1999 by the late entrepreneur Robert Hall, Robert Hall Winery showcases the best Paso Robles has to offer. The winery has three estate vineyards in the Geneseo and Estrella Districts, totaling 136 planted acres of fruit. In addition to growing Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Syrah, the winery also sources grapes across the Paso Robles AVA. This provides Head Winemaker Don Brady with a broad range of soils and micro-climates that, together, create optimal fruit for the beautiful wines that capture the essence of Paso Robles.

Brady has been with the winery since its inaugural vintage. Under his winemaking expertise with Winemaker Amanda Gorter, Robert Hall continues to promote the Paso Robles wine region as one of the top winegrowing regions in California. Together, Brady and Gorter craft wines inspired by the pioneering spirit of the winery’s founder and the honest pursuit of The Good Life. Well-Earned. Visit Robert Hall Winery online at www.roberthallwinery.com.

About O’Neill Vintners & Distillers

O’Neill Vintners & Distillers was founded in 2004 by industry veteran and entrepreneur Jeff O’Neill. The vertically integrated winery has grown to become the seventh largest winery in California with a reputation for producing high quality wines from the North Coast, Central Coast and Central Valley. Through its extensive vineyards and modern production facilities, O’Neill provides premium winemaking services to the industry as well as its growing portfolio of national brands. The company’s national brands portfolio includes Line 39, Robert Hall, Harken, Exitus, Day Owl Rose, Allegro and Charles Woodson’s Intercept. For more information, please visit www.ONeillWine.com.

Second Annual International Canned Wine Competition Gives Gold to Aluminum

September 10, 2020 by evebushman

BOONVILLE, Calif. /PRNewswire/ — In the only event of its kind in the world, over two hundred canned wines flexed their aluminum muscles at the second annual International Canned Wine Competition held July 21-23 at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds in Boonville, California. Seventy producers from around the globe sent in a total of 226 entries. Wines were submitted from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, and Spain as well as from many parts of the U.S.A. While California and Oregon producers took their share of honors, many of the 96 gold medals went to wines from less prominent regions.

Best of Show White Wine honors went to Archer McRae Beverages’ Joiy Wine “Savvy Society” Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. Best Rosé was Hall Wines’ BACA 2019 “Ring Around the Rosé” from California, and Best Red was Fourth Wave Wine’s “Take it to the Grave” 2018 Shiraz, Langhorne Creek, Australia.

Erosion Wine Co. from Napa took home five gold medals and a package design award for their exquisite jewel-like can designs. The Uncommon sent four wines from England; all four won gold medals and the series won package design recognition for their charming illustrations.

According to competition founder Allan Green, it was notable that 30% of the entries were Rosé wines: “Rosé has become so popular in the last few years, and it lends itself to cans: people take Rosé along for a picnic or drink it sitting by the pool.”

The competition judges came from academia, marketing and the wine trade. Professional judge Mark Bowery noted that he has, “been judging wine professionally for 36 years, but this was my first foray into the canned category. And I’ve got to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, across the board. I was especially impressed by the varietal accuracy and deep satisfaction delivered in the Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc submissions.“

Handley Cellars’ winemaker Randy Schock said, “It was amazing to see the improvement in quality across the board compared to the first International Canned Wine Competition last year. Not just with the products oriented to the pop “seltzer” market, which were fun and refreshing, but the wines that expressed traditional bottled varietal expressions exceeded my expectations.”

Because of the Covid 19 virus, the organizers of the competition scheduled the judging over three days, with three judges on each daily panel socially distanced in a large exhibition hall. Judges had individual sets of glassware and bussed their own samples after each flight.

Plans are already in the works for the third annual International Canned Wine Competition, to be held in July 20-22, 2021. Competition director Allan Green promises it will be “aluminating!”

Complete results and photographs are available at www.cannedwinecompetition.com.