The Copper Crew Review
Three great South African canned wines
If you've read my previous posts you'll know that I'm quite bullish on canned wines. If you haven't, here's a post to read. Canned wines have the potential to significantly increase the share of drinkers who are enjoying wine. By their very nature they're great for drinking in a whole host of occasions where traditional bottles aren't suitable, and their environmental credentials are far superior. I was therefore very happy when Oli at The Copper Crew got in touch to see if I'd like to try their wines. Their tagline of 'Not for the cellar. For everywhere else' is absolutely spot on.
The Copper Crew was set up earlier in 2020 (what a year to start a new business) by three friends Oli, Theo and Sam. Oli and Theo have ginger hair, hence the name Copper Crew.
They currently offer three wines, all made by Sam in South Africa (Sam also runs the brilliant Minimalist Wines). First up is a Rosé which would go down a treat at a summer picnic, it's very reminiscent of a Provence Rosé. Next is a wonderfully crisp Chenin Blanc, perfect for a relaxing afternoon in the sunshine, it's zesty and very easy to drink. Finally there's a fruity Merlot which is their newest wine. It's great to drink on a cold Autumn evening, although I wish I had poured it in to a glass to give it some air before drinking.
Both the Rosé and Chenin recently won Bronze at the Drinks Business Blind Tasting.
All of their wines are Vegan friendly and certified sustainable which of course matches with the dietary and ethics considerations of a lot of younger drinkers that these wines are mostly aimed at.
I love the packaging, it's vibrant and fun. It will certainly help them stand out on a supermarket and wine shop shelves.
At £12.50 for a box of 3 which is equivalent to a 750ml bottle they're not the cheapest. For a lot of consumers spending £12.50 on a bottle of wine would probably be seen as a weekend treat rather than an ad-hoc purchase for a picnic in the park. With £12.50 you could get a 12 pack of Brewdog IPA beer. Now I know that's not quite comparing Apples with Apples (or Grapes with Grapes) but consumers looking for a few drinks in the park of a summers evening will be making this comparison.
That said, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend The Copper Crew wines to anyone, whether a wine connoisseur or an average consumer. With three great South African wines in modern and vibrant packaging I think Oli, Theo and Sam are on to a winner.