Canned Wine Co. partners with The National Gallery on art-inspired labels

Canned Wine Co.’s latest collection of labels in collaboration with The National Gallery will help to “change perceptions” of wine in cans through the association with fine art, according to co-founder and chief wine buyer Ben Franks.

“Just as much as fine art can capture a moment, so does a good glass of wine,” said Ben Franks, who co-founded the company with Canned Wine Co. CEO Simon Rollings.

The National Gallery has licensed artwork by Vincent van Gogh, Paulus Theodorus van Brussel, and Paul Gauguin for use on the cans. The artworks been wrapped around the labels of Canned Wine Co.’s Grüner Veltliner, Grenache Rosé, and Old Vine Garnacha wines.

“We worked with the team at the National Gallery to choose from selected artworks the best paintings to reflect the taste profile of each of our wines,” Franks said.

The concepts and canned wine labels were then developed in partnership with Amphora Design, run by Neil Tully MW.

Canned wine companies have been tasked with shifting the narrative about alternative formats, and partnering with a “heritage brand” like The National Gallery is a “real credibility boost” for the brand and the format, Franks explained.

“The team at the National Gallery have tasted our wines and trust us as a licensee partner,” he said. “It means curious wine drinkers believe in the brand enough to give it a go, and from there we’re confident that our quality will prevail.”

Vincent van Gogh’s oil on canvas Sunflowers (1888) features on the Canned Wine Co. Grüner 2021, an Austrian white wine made from hand-harvested Grüner Veltliner by the Huber family in Niederösterreich. The grapes are organically grown and the wine is suitable for vegans. It has been rested in stainless steel tanks prior to canning, with a focus on fresh fruit flavours with green apple, peach and citrus.

“We are working hard to change perceptions and improve quality around canned wines by working with some of Europe’s leading winemakers,” Franks said. “We want to show people that when the wine is handled properly for the format, you can create delicious canned wines without compromise.”

Paulus Theodorus van Brussel’s Flowers in a Vase (1789), an oil on mahogany painting, is the artwork for the Canned Wine Co. Grenache Rosé 2021. This varietal, light pink rosé is made by winemaker Thierry Boudinaud in Pays d’Oc, southern France. The grapes are picked at night and cool fermented to ensure a fruity character with notes of grapefruit, clementine, and strawberry.

Paul Gauguin’s A Vase of Flowers, detail (1896) is the oil on canvas painting chosen for the Canned Wine Co. Old Vine Garnacha 2020. Norrel Robertson MW is the winemaker for this full-bodied red, sourced from old vines at high altitude in Aragon, Spain. The wine is aged in barrel for 12 months to develop complexity and has rich aromas of black cherry, strawberry, and chocolate.

Franks added: “Just like fine art, good wine is all about people, perspective, and place. Styles and quality vary on the moods of people, the moods of the weather, the market, and so on. Just as much as fine art can capture a moment, so does a good glass of wine.”