This fall, I’ve been to two wine tastings on the completely opposite ends of the spectrum.  One was a Bordeaux tasting, with only First or Second Growth Chateaus allowed.  The other was a blind taste test between bottled and canned wines, with surprising results.

First, the Bordeaux Tasting, which we had at Libertine* restaurant in Philadelphia.  The 18 bottles of Bordeaux ranged in age from 1963 (Chateau Haut-Brion) to 2005 (Chateau Lynch-Bages Blanc).  I brought a ’03 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, which was drinking beautifully: full-bodied, with blackberry, currant, cherry, silky tannins, and an incredibly long finish.  I have a particular fondness for Ducru Beucaillou after sharing a 1983 magnum of it in Bordeaux to celebrate finishing the 2012 Marathon du Médoc.  Yes, I realize how pretentious that sounds, which is why I am now going to recommend some surprisingly drinkable canned wines.

In November, I attended a blind wine tasting set up by some distributors where wines from the bottle were poured blind with the same wine, but from a can.  Canned wines first started appearing about 4-5 years ago, and at that time, I had a Pinot Noir Underwood that tasting metallic.  Well, the producers have fixed that issue, and I was surprised to only guess 50% of the wines poured from a can correctly. 

Two canned rosés I would drink again are Sterling Vineyards Vintner’s Collection Canned Rosé and Bridge Lane Rosé.  The fist is Sterling Vineyards rosé, made from Syrah, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel grapes sources from Edna Valley, Central Coast, California. It has lots of strawberry, summer berries, and subtle citrus on the nose and palate. The cans are tall and narrow, and come in 375 ml cans (3 four ounce glasses), for about $8 at Wineworks. 13.5% ABV.  It’s hard to wrap your mind around that many servings coming a 12 ounce can, but it’s true.

The second rosé I would drink again is Bridge Lane Rosé.  Bridge Lane is the second label of Lieb Cellars, a small farm-winery on the North Fork of Long Island.  This is a very dry rosé, with aromas of watermelon and berries, which continue on the palate.  Great acidity (= good food wine). 11.9% Alcohol. Find it at Wegman’s or Traino’s for $8 for a 375 ml can.

A canned red wine I would drink again is the Sterling Vineyards Vintners Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes sources from three vineyards in the Central Coast of California.  Boysenberry, blackberry, and plum on the nose are joined by spices of cinnamon and mocha on the palate.  13.5% ABV.  I found it at Wineworks for $8 for a 375 ml can.

These cans are easily portable, unbreakable, and the Sterling cans are even re-sealable, making them great for great for tailgating, boating and camping, unlike their glass counterparts.  However, I think the airtight cans are best for wines meant to be drunk young, such as rosés, and would not work so well for wines that need to age.  Also, if I’m not going tailgating or camping, boating, I’ll probably still be opting for glass bottles.

Whether you’re drinking First and Second Growth Bordeaux, or wine from a can, I hope you have a happy and healthy New Year!

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*Although I didn’t get them to pair with Bordeaux this evening, Libertine has delicious fried chicken skins as an appetizer on the menu. (picture Homer Simpson drooling GIF)