First off, we need to talk about...you guessed it...the can. Is this weird? Yes. It is kinda weird. Is it acceptable? People are debating that as you read this. But I think NakedWines.com is on to something.
College kids and budget-conscious soccer moms seem to embrace the concept of wine in a can. While the idea may seem questionable, I'm almost always looking for something different and forward-thinking, like a more portable and public-friendly source of wine. I want it to taste good too, but sometimes you’re willing to make small sacrifices for efficiency...or being able to drink wine where you normally wouldn't. Fortunately, Iaconis has managed to put together a wine that almost makes you forget it's in a can...almost.
~Iaconis California Rosé, 2018
The Review: 3.5/5
My initial reaction has me sensing there is a slight edge that has been taken off of the flavor because it’s in an aluminum can. I’m not sure if this is a real thing but I immediately noticed it didn’t “pop” as much as I expected; as much as an Iaconis or almost any Rosé typically does coming straight out of the bottle.
Although it’s in aluminum, it does have some nice flavors. There is fruit... something like strawberries that have been soaking in champagne. Perhaps a bit of pre-ripe watermelon with a dash of the rind tossed in. There is also a softness that I feel is somehow missing or muted by the can. I think it wants to be silky and sexy but it’s being held back a little.
Unfortunately you don’t get much of a scent out of the can, it doesn’t work exactly the same way as a glass does; a vessel that has been painstakingly designed to provide you with the best wine drinking experience. So... I’m going to pour some into a glass to give you the full scope of the wine for the sake of review... for the good of the land!
From the glass, the smells leap out like explosions of tiny effervescent fireworks and the “edge” or x-factor that I felt was missing earlier has seemingly returned to its full glory. This wine is now at attention and ready for battle with my taste buds.
The color is somewhere between a medium salmon and a medium pink...almost a punch or bubblegum kinda pink. Fun looking, honestly.
The ever-so-mild green-ish, rind-ish tartness blends well with the slight sweetness and there is a distinct "strawberry meets watermelon with a touch of champagne" tingle. All things I was picking up earlier but are now much more pronounced. It's not quite fruit-forward, but the fruit isn't hiding either. The strawberry is more active out of the glass, and although there is a touch of tingle, it has smoothed out a smidge... like one or two levels below butter smooth but without all the butter. (I'm unclear if the smooth level goes up or down, we'll just assume you know what I'm saying)
I wonder if it was a simple psychological issue. As if I’m the one causing the flavor change. Maybe that’s too deep(?) hahahaha. Either way, my brain thinks the glass is “doing something” but I’m fairly sure, other than being pretty and allowing me to give the wine a good swirl, it’s not “doing” much.
Speaking of psychological...after about 10-15 minutes I kinda forgot I was drinking wine from a can and had a “wait... oh right this is wine” reaction haha.
Now that I've had time to flesh out the idea, wine in cans isn't my favorite, especially from a wine lover's standpoint...but it does have some advantages and this particular wine didn't sacrifice too much of its luster.
Cheers!!
Winemaker Response:
"Erik, Thank you for your comments! The glass absolutely will affect the taste and aroma of the wine! The shape of the glass does different things to the aromas of wine, which is why specialty glass companies have so many shapes for different varietals. I made the wine so that it would taste great right out of the can, whether or not the person could see the color or experience the aroma. Even better to have the wine out of a glass so that the aroma can waft up! Cans are convenient and the way of the future for the business, but it's not mandatory to drink the wine out of the can!" - Matt Iaconis
Discount/Promo Link For $100 off New NakedWines.com Customers
eriklarsonadventures.com/blog/great-news-massive-discount-on-wine
More Wine/Beer Articles
Rosé Wiki
Matt Iaconis on NakedWines.com
us.nakedwines.com/producers/matt-iaconis
Comments