Elgin Vintners Launches Fynbos Lite Premium Wines In Cans

Elgin Vintners Brings Cool-Climate Elegance to Cool Canned Wine Trend with Fynbos Lite Premium Wines

Elgin Vintners has joined the growing global trend for canned wine with the launch of Fynbos Lite, premium vintage red and white wines in convenient, eco-friendly packaging that are light in all senses of the word – a lighter carbon footprint, light on alcohol and lighter on the waistline.

Fynbos Lite celebrates the home of Elgin Vintners in the Elgin valley surrounded by the World Heritage Site of the Kogelberg Biosphere, the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom which is world-renowned for its unspoilt beauty and exceptional biodiversity. Fynbos Lite cans capture the natural beauty of the region with striking illustrations of abundant wildflowers and the malachite sunbird (green sugarbird) found in the Kogelberg area.

Canned wine is an increasingly popular choice for its convenience, especially for those who enjoy nature and an outdoor lifestyle – cans are light and compact, easy to carry and to serve (no glasses or corkscrews needed), unbreakable and quick to chill, making them ideal for picnics, concerts, hiking and other outdoor adventures.

Canned wines offer the benefit of portion control for those watching their alcohol intake, especially as Fynbos Lite is a low-alcohol wine, at 8.5% ABV, and the packaging keeps the wine fresh.

Cans come with environmental benefits too – they are infinitely recyclable, have a lighter carbon footprint than glass and they are easily crushed and taken home for recycling, leaving less litter in pristine natural areas.

“We are passionate about farming sustainably and conserving this unique biosphere of the Kogelberg. Fynbos Lite reflects that commitment and celebrates our natural heritage, while also opening up Elgin Vintners to new audiences for our wines.

“Fans of Elgin Vintners wines will find the same quality, cool-climate character, elegance and fruit purity that they love in our wines, now in a convenient, eco-friendly package with the added bonus of being lower in alcohol, which suits healthier, outdoor lifestyles,” Elgin Vintners winemaker and business manager Marinda Kruger-Claassen said.

Elgin Vintners is a WWF Conservation Champion, one of 38 environmental leaders in the Cape wine industry recognised for its contribution to biodiversity-friendly sustainable farming and environmental conservation. More than 100 ha of the Elgin Vintners farm is under conservation, with extensive clearing of alien vegetation helping to restore the balance of the ecosystem, and they have invested substantially in water quality by restoring and protecting the natural river system of the Palmiet River which runs through the farm.

Elgin Vintners Fynbos Lite Premium White 2020 is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Semillon and barrel-fermented Chardonnay aged on the lees for six months. The four wines were fermented separately before blending, and the alcohol reduced to 8.5% before packaging.

The wine opens with perfumed apple blossom and white stone fruit, leading into subtle tropical and citrus, a touch of minerality and gentle vanilla, with a full palate surprising in a low alcohol wine, Kruger-Claassen says. Natural acidity gives the wine backbone and a mouth-watering lingering finish.

Elgin Vintners Fynbos Lite Premium Red 2020 blends Merlot and Shiraz, whole-bunch fermented and aged for six months after blending and malolactic fermentation. The alcohol was reduced to 8.5% before bottling.

“An explosion of fresh ripe red berry fruits on the nose mingle with red cherries and enticing soft, creamy oak notes. Soft tannin grip on the palate indicates this is a serious wine, and the long, juicy finish calls for more,” Kruger-Claassen said.

As well as lower in alcohol, the Fynbos Lite wines are a third lower in kilojoules than regular wines, at 234-250kJ per 175ml serving.

Fynbos Lite wines are presented in packs of 4 x 300ml slimline cans, each holding roughly 2 glasses of wine, and priced at R42 per can.

They can be purchased from Elgin Vintners’ newly-opened dedicated tasting room or online at https://elginvintners.co.za/buy-wine/ from Wednesday 18 November and will soon be available nationally in leading retail outlets.