The wine-in-a-can revolution began its ascent in 2004 when film director, hotelier, and winemaker Francis Ford Coppola introduced Sofia Blanc de Blanc, a gift to his daughter, which also came with an attached straw. Over the years, the Sofia collection has mimicked the overall growth of canned wine, expanding to include canned takes on riesling, still rosé, chardonnay, and, this year, the Sofia Brut Rosé.
As of last summer, sales of canned wine were as much as $14.5 million, more than doubling the sales from the previous year. A study of millennials indicates that while they consider boxed wine déclassé, they are down with cans that have large, bright graphics. This summer there are more nonsparkling options than ever, including Trader Joe’s in-house line of sparkling white and rosé, called Simpler Wines, which sells for $1 a can.