A few months back, I received a unique shipment of wine samples from the Scotto Cellars portfolio. Disclaimer: Samples means these wines were free for me to review. This fifth-generation winemaking family based in Lodi, California, has impressed me with their range of offerings, from the Scotto Family Cellars’ delicious, soft 2013 Malbec to the more commercial Rare Red wine label you’re ironically likely to find pretty easily. Well, Scotto Cellars is bringing more ease to the wine life in a new way – portable packaging.
These mobile wines came in two different packaging types, both intended for on-the-go use. Rather than packing up a highly fragile wine bottle and wine glasses, Scotto’s new Heavyweight plastic cups and Anywhere Cellars cans offer portability without worry. You can grab a can (or four-pack; let’s be real) and stow it away for a lawn concert or campfire session with very little forethought. And the best part? These wines are GOOD.
I’ve reviewed a pair of Scotto’s Heavyweight wines before, and if anything, the wines actually improved in this format. I was not expecting that! The cups are cute, durable enough for some gentle tumbling, and come with a lid that I much appreciated. The Heavyweight 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon tasted great! Brambleberry, pepper, not quite ripe blackberry, and sage made for a lively blend. 4/5
The to-go Heavyweight 2015 Chardonnay was a peacemaker, not fully committing to either the buttery or acidic sides of this grape’s profile. You’ll find more solace in this gulp of lemon meringue and green apple than you ever will at the UN – especially on a hot, late summer day in Oakland, when the blowing fans need a little extra chill to help them out. 3.5/5
The four-pack cube.
The Anywhere canned wines kept up the streak of surprising sophistication, and believe me, some canned wines I’ve tried do not pull that off. I won’t mention a label name, but suffice it to say that adding raspberry flavor to wine is not advised if you’re hoping to sway wine aficionados. Ugh, I’m gagging even thinking about that can of pink nightmares.
Anywhere Cellars is another wine story entirely. I love their “No cup? No corkscrew? No problem” slogan. The red wine is quite light, with a smattering of effervescence. It yields cherry flavor so bright, I wonder if it could qualify as a Strawberry Shortcake character. There’s a tart chaser at the end, something like a Smartie finish. It’s fun to drink, and drinking from a can only adds to that impression. 3.5/5
The Anywhere Cellars Rosé pops just enough bubbles to tease the tongue. It’s rich; like browned butter, the foundation is there but the flavor has deepened. Green strawberries with a ripened core and minerality beckon for more. 4/5
The Heavyweight Cellars to-go cups and Anywhere Cellars cans market for $3.99 each, though four packs are available of the cans. Pick one up next time you’re in the need for some wine relaxation without the preparation.
Sampled 16 June 2017.
