The 10 Best Canned Wines and Cocktails for Travel
When freelance writer Adele Chapin isn't tracking dining trends and fun things to do in her hometown of Washington, D.C. for work, she's planning out every meal possible for her next vacation. Her beats include food, travel, fashion, shopping, and event planning, and Adele's stories have appeared in the Washington Post, Eater, Condé Nast Traveler, Bloomberg Businessweek, Bravo, Racked, Refinery29, BizBash, and more.
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1. House Wine Rosé Bubbles
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2. Post Meridiem Margarita
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3. Tip Top Proper Cocktails Old Fashioned
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4. Ohza Mimosa
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5. Maker Pinot Gris
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6. Romona Ruby Grapefruit Wine Spritz
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7. Onda Sparkling Tequila Watermelon
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8. You & Yours Gin & Tonic
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9. Gaze Coconut Wine Cocktail
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10. Pampelonne French 75
Next time you're filling up a cooler for a camping trip or beach vacation, think beyond cans of beer and hard seltzer. There's been a revolution when it comes to canned alcoholic drinks: now you can crack open a margarita or chardonnay without ever touching a cocktail shaker or a bottle opener. Here are 10 of the best canned wines and canned cocktails that are perfect for travel, each one with super fun packaging that feels like a party.
This playful winemaker is well-known for its canned drinks, selling everything from pinot noir to red sangria or white peach nectarine spritzes in cans. For fans of pink bubbly, try the fruity House Wine Rosé Bubbles and just remember that one can equals two glasses of wine. (There are mini cans that are the equivalent of a single glass).
Post Meridiem prides itself on using 100 percent real lime juice in its canned cocktails, as seen in a ready-to-drink Post Meridiem Margarita with just lime, silver tequila, and orange curacao. The Georgia-based company also offers canned Mai Tais, daiquiris, vodka gimlets, and Old Fashioneds.
The packaging of Tip Top Proper Cocktails evokes a Mad Men era gone by, and these classic drinks are served in tiny steel containers that are technically small enough to bring on a plane. The Tip Top Proper Cocktails Old Fashioned is deceivingly simple, with a mix of bourbon whiskey, orange bitters, and cane sugar. Other options include a negroni, Bee's Knees, margarita, daiquiri, and a Manhattan.
Instead of carting around cartons of orange juice and bottles of champagne, Ohza has the bright idea of selling 12-packs of canned mimosas. These cute Ohza Classic Mimosa cans are filled with a fine-tuned mix of bubbly wine and 100 percent orange juice. After trying the classic mimosa, move onto Ohza's mango mimosa and a bellini.
The female co-founders behind Maker want to offer fine wine without the snobbery — and part of that light touch includes putting wines in cans. Maker partners up with small, indie wineries, telling the winemakers' stories and packaging their products in beautifully-designed cans. Try Maker Pinot Gris, a food-friendly white wine from California with notes of white nectarine, guava, and lemongrass.
Related: The 7 Best Wine Bags and Suitcases That Will Keep Your Wine Safe
Of course a sommelier who once managed the beverage program for David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants would make a very hip canned wine. Jordan Salcito's brainchild is Ramona, a line of Italian wine spritzes made with organic juices. Try Ramona Organic Ruby Grapefruit for a zesty, tart drink featuring Sicilian wine. Other citrusy spritzes include Meyer Lemon and blood orange, and there's a canned sparkling rosé too.
Actress Shay Mitchell co-founded a sparkling tequila brand with serious cool points, starting with the bright red can and impeccable branding. The 100-calorie, zero-sugar beverage is made with real juice and blanco tequila from Jalisco, Mexico. The Onda Sparkling Tequila Watermelon flavor incorporates bubbly water, tequila, and lime and watermelon juice concentrate. Find more fruity options like grapefruit, lime, and blood orange.
Love G&Ts? You & Yours makes a canned, ready-to-go version incorporating the San Diego distiller's own Sunday Gin, which is flavored with rose hips, grapefruit and Valencia orange peels, coriander, mint, and juniper. In addition to You & Yours Gin & Tonic, there's also a G&T from the distillery flavored with blood orange.
Coconut water and wine might seem to be a strange pair, but Gaze Wine Cocktails makes it work: the beverage combines a blend of Moscato and Chardonnay with coconut water for a low-alcohol, low-calorie drink. Other varieties combine wine with other trendy, superfoods like green tea or kombucha.
Inspired by the drinking scene in St. Tropez, Pampelonne mixes up sparkling wine cocktails that are packaged in nautical-themed striped cans. Try the Pampelonne French 75, a take on the classic fizzy drink featuring elderflower, juniper, and Meyer lemon.