“Summertime, and the living is easy”, and what is easier than can wine?  I admit I’m a bit of a wine snob when it comes to the idea of wine in a can, but Lucky Rock Wine Co. has definitely turned my head around!

With the 2020 vintage of Lucky Rock Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc came a new twist, in addition to great wine that is value-priced.  First, the 2020 County Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc is the Inman Brothers third vintage, and it seems that each year gets better and better.   The fruit is sourced from one sustainably farmed vineyard in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley, which makes it 100% Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc.  Then the wine is aged in a couple of different techniques, 92% percolates in stainless steel barrels and tanks, and 8% slumbers in new French oak barrels, finally blended and bottled in March of this year.   It’s a small production, only 419 cases, but already receiving notice among wine critics.  There’s a lot going on in the bottle, it’s highly aromatic of tropical fruits (passion fruit, guava, and a note of cherimoya), grapefruit, lime and grassy notes.  Well balanced, with vivid acidity and a long finish, it has a bit of roundness on the palate (from the barrel aging), and a compelling crispness that keeps you coming back for more.  Mouthwatering and thirst quenching, it is a perfect summer sipper, light on its feet but distinctive in its aromas and flavors

So, now for the easy living part, Lucky Rock Wine Co. offers this 2020 vintage in cans, perfect for summer picnics, beach days, barbecues, and concerts in the park.  While the exact same wine is in the can, it presents itself slightly differently.  I did a taste test, with the same amount of time open, in glass and in can, and this is what I observed.  Initially, upon opening the bottle, the wine is more intense and linear, with the acidity taking center stage.  When you pop the tab on the can, you can’t experience the aromas so I poured it into a glass.  The can wine is at first smoother, rounder, and less angular, but very delicious.  Over the next ten minutes, it was fascinating to see the evolution, the bottle wine got smoother and rounder, the can wine became more bright and the acidity was expressed more.  And then, I drank from the can, and I could picture myself by a pool, a beach, at the Hollywood Bowl, totally transported with the same flavors and structure as the bottled wine.

So refreshing and kick back, both versions are an incredible value.  The 2020 Lucky Rock Wine Co. County Cuvée Sauvignon Blanc is $17 for the bottle, and the cans come in a 6-pack.  And while the bottle is the standard 750ml, each can is 250ml, more than a standard glass of wine.  And currently the cans are on sale, for $40, a savings of 20%, including free shipping.  Lucky Rock wines can be found in select wine shops and restaurants within California, and online at luckyrockwineco.com.

I’ve been a fan of Lucky Rock since they started sending me samples a couple of years ago, and Jesse and Aaron Inman have a great story.  Lucky Rock Wine Co. was founded in 2013 by the Inman brothers, whose love of wine inspired them to make wines that can be enjoyed everyday.  Prospecting for their own niche among California wines, these sons of gold miners have taken their “enjoying wine” sensibilities and translated them into two inaugural wines, the Lucky Rock County Cuvée Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.  Wines that pair with the joy of life is their motto, more precisely “made with intention, not pretension”, easy drinking wines that reflect balance and California essence in the glass.