As early as 2003, wineries began to explore canned wines. Since then, wineries have started canning an ever-growing range of sparkling and still wines. Hermit Woods Winery & Deli is no exception.
Over the past six months, Hermit Woods of Meredith has released four of its most popular wines and ciders in cans.
Bob Manley, a co-Founder of Hermit Woods, says, “We don’t intend for cans to replace bottles. We simply see cans as another choice for our widely diverse customer base. Considering our winery is located a few hundred yards from our state’s largest lake, Winnipesaukee, we are frequented all summer long by folks arriving by boat. We felt cans were the perfect way for these guests to enjoy our products while experiencing the great outdoors.”
Hermit Woods is not alone. Several other NH wineries have joined the trend, including LaBelle Winery of Amherst, Moonlight Meadery in Londonderry, and Sap House Meadery of Ossipee, to name a few. Nielsen reports off-premise canned wine sales for the 52-week period ending June 15, 2019, rose 69% from the previous year, totaling $79.3 million in sales so far, per Forbes Magazine last August.
The U.S. Government recently changed rules governing the size of containers that can be used for wine. For example, until now, wineries were prohibited from using the more common 12 oz (355ml) cans, causing them to use the less available and more costly 375ml cans.
Cans are 100% recyclable. Roughly 80% of cans today are made from recycled material. Cans are also less costly to recycle and lighter to transport, lowering their transportation costs, which reduces their carbon footprint.
“We are excited about the reception of our canned products and encourage you to give them a try," says Manley. "We are confident you will be pleased. We hope to continue to grow our canned options in the future.” Hermit Woods canned Cider is available at the NH State Liquor stores and other canned products are available at the winery and other select retailers around NH.
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