Let friends in your social network know what you are reading aboutTwitterGoogle+LinkedInPinterestPosted!A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Why America is drunk on canned wineCLOSExEmbedIt's never too late to crack open a can of chardonnay.This summer, millions of wine drinkers ditched corks and slipped a can of wine in to-go bags. Canned wine is a booming, if relatively new, sector of the wine business in the USA. Nielsen reported a whopping 125.2% increase in sales of canned wine alone in the past year. Sales went up to $14.5 million from $6.4 million the previous year.A new study featured in Wine Spectator from the Texas Wine Marketing Institute found in a small focus group of wine drinkers, followed by a national poll of 21- to 39-year-olds, canned wine "generally had the highest overall perceptions of (wine) quality based on the packaging."The trend is new, but the idea is not: Sofia Mini blanc de blancs have long been served in diminutive pink cans (straw sweetly glued to the side), and Trader Joe’s has sold canned wine since 2009.The concept is finally fermenting.

No longer relegated to eye rolls at the supermarket, Millennials and wine drinkers on the go have made four-packs of wine a must-pack for hiking, camping and beach trips.“I like that it looks fun and a bit tacky, but when you try it, the wine is actually great,” says Jeffrey Masters, 27, host of the podcast LGBTQ&A, which premieres on iTunes in September. “Each can is half a bottle, so they’re deceptively small.”It doesn’t hurt that vintners are starting to uncork the good stuff.Take the California-based Field Recordings winery, which first tested cans of their varietals in October 2014. “We were kind of joking around when we thought about first doing it, and the more I researched, it seemed like a pretty good idea,” says owner/winemaker Andrew Jones, who has seen his Alloy Wine Works and Fiction labels of canned granache rosé, pinot noir and chardonnay leap in production from 2% to 40% in two years.Many individual cans hold up to half a bottle of wine — and fans say  convenience is king.“

It’s one-stop shopping as you don’t need a wine opener, glasses or bottle, just the can,” says publicist Carly Haller, 27. “It’s also a perfect portion, so everyone can buy whatever kind they like and have enough for a couple of glasses worth.”True, some traditional wine enthusiasts are  holding out, but the Oregon-based Union Wine, which makes the popular Underwood line of canned wine, aims to change perception around the product.Its wine is offered in both cans and bottles. “We regularly do blind tastings with them, and for the most part, we tend to get them wrong,” says Heather Wallberg, marketing manager for Union Wine. “We’ve tripled our production from where we started this year, and we still have't made enough," she says. "The rosé we can’t make enough of. Though the repackaged libation may have a ways to go before it hits a mainstream level of acceptance — just think what screw-tops had to go through before gaining begrudged respect — it's making a sizable impact on retailers.

The canned wine category is still “an infant," says Doug Bell, head buyer for Whole Foods, noting that canned wine is less than 1% of total retail wine sales. where to buy wine online canadaBut those sales are up 1,000%.” name for wine masterBell cites the success of Presto, a canned Italian sparkling wine, and West Side Wine, which offers canned chardonnay and cabernet. cost of a glass of wine in nice"It’s the fastest-trending wine subcategory in our industry."buy fair trade wineWill trendy aluminum cans of cabernet find their way into coolers when football season starts? buy a wine farm

“The $64,000 question,”  Bell says.top 3 wine production in the worldIt looks like South African fine wines in 2016 are reaching new heights internationally. best red wines for christmas 2015Some talk about, ‘the most exciting phase in history for South African wine’; best white wine for lemon chickenothers say, ‘It’s South Africa’s time to shine’ or ‘South Africa is the most exciting country in the wine world at the moment’. best place to buy italian winesWine buyers, critics, writers and discerning consumers are all enthralled by the rise of adventurous winemakers exploring new terroir, new winemaking techniques and new varieties.

“Overall, wine quality has increased dramatically over the last five years and the consumer is now spoilt for choice with a wealth of new producers, varieties and styles,” says Roland Peens, director of wine retailer, winecellar.co.za. So, what are top wine trends in 2016 in South Africa?It was predicted a while ago, but it seems that 2016 is going to finally be the year of chenin. “Over the last few years, consumers are realising how good chenin blanc is to drink, how many styles are available and the good value at all levels. The use of old vines have made chenin blancs even more palatable,” says Allan Mullins from Woolworths. “We are no longer afraid to say it out loud, that chenin blanc is awesome,” adds Adam Mason, winemaker at Mulderbosch. Trending in Woolworths: Klein Zalze Chenin Blanc and one of my favourite, Cederberg Chenin BlancSavvy consumers want red wine with more character, freshness and less alcohol. “Think cinsault, grenache noir, gamay, even unwooded pinotage!” says Higgo Jacobs, certified sommelier.

“Cinsault and grenache – I call them ‘ladies’ reds’ – both have feminine appeal and, when served lightly chilled, make a great summer red. Flavourful, but with a certain elegance in their body,” adds Rebecca Constable, product developer at Woolworths. Think Waterkloof Cinsault, Ken Forrester Grenache NoirCool climates such as those of Hemel-en-Aarde and Elgin are leading the way,” says Ewan Mackenzie, the sommelier also called the ‘wine thief’. Some of the stunners: Paul Cluver and Newton JohnsonIt’s a real deal,” says Pieter (Bubble) Ferreira from Graham Beck wines. “No longer sickly sweet and a deep rusty pink in colour, sophistication has hit with a bang – with lighter colours, subtle, balanced flavours. A great sundowner option,” says Rebecca. Try Tamboerkloof or Warwick RoséSparkling wine is booming all over the world. It is becoming an any-time drink, rather than just a wine for celebration. Also, people are realising what a great accompaniment it is for a meal.

In South Africa, the upswing in sparkling-wine sales is very much due to wine lovers discovering the amazing quality and value of our Méthode Cap Classique bubblies. Try Silverthorn or Graham BeckInnovative viticulturists and winemakers are exploring (or reviving) different varietals better suited to South Africa’s soil and climate. “Watch the following: viognier, grenache blanc, roussanne and marsanne from the Rhône; Semillon has been overlooked for too long and is (hopefully) due to make waves. The Rhône varieties have got winemakers very excited and have great wines are on the way,” says Allan Mullins. Discover Steenberg and Shannon Semillon, Mullineux Semillon Gris, Eagles Nest Viognier or The Foundry Grenache Blanc.Over the years, we have seen the rise in popularity of craft beers led by a new generation of consumer in search of more authenticity, a return to a set of earnest values. This is why, as Adam Mason says, “Farming is cool – live the dream of raising your own animals, grinding your own wheat, making your own honey, membrillo and cheese and pair it with your own wine, beer, Kombucha, while sitting at the table you made from the old oak tree that fell down on your barn.”