Over the past few years, one of the hottest trends within the wine industry has been the appearance of wine in non-traditional packaging, including cans and boxes. For young millennial wine drinkers, consumption patterns are rapidly changing, especially when it comes to consuming wine at outdoor events, where traditional wine bottles may not be as convenient as lightweight, portable aluminum cans.

In an era of boxed and canned wines, Francis Ford Coppola Winery continues to distinguish itself as a market leader. The famous California winery, which almost single-handedly created the canned wine category back in 2004 with the launch of its Sofia Minis, is now making three of its premium quality Diamond Collection white wines - Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc - available in four-packs of single-serve aluminum cans.

The canned wine movement, once thought to be just a passing fad, is clearly here to stay. For those who once viewed canned wines as the sole domain of lower-cost, affordable wines, it’s now clear that premium wines can also become part of this fast-growing market segment.

"It was Francis's instinct and creativity that first brought wine-in-a-can to the forefront of the wine industry with the introduction of the Sofia Mini cans more than a decade ago," says Corey Beck, Francis Ford Coppola Winery's President and Director of Winemaking.

"For a category that's accelerated so rapidly over the years, consumers are still loyal to the Coppola brands they trust and admire, because they know we will deliver the same premium quality, consistency, and authenticity they know and love in a bottle, into a can,” notes Beck.

The Diamond Collection wines will come in stylish silver cans with green and yellow design elements. For the modern young wine drinker, sipping a Pinot Grigio from the Coppola Winery will now be as easy, convenient and stylish as sipping any other drink that comes in a slim aluminum can.

The task ahead for Francis Ford Coppola Winery, of course, will be to differentiate itself from a multitude of new canned competitors that are also seeking to leverage this new trend. According to the Coppola family winery, the focus will be on uncompromised brand integrity and consistent signature flavor profiles. The winery will emphasize the award-winning, critically-acclaimed wines that consumers recognize, making clear that they will enjoy the same premium wine, even if it now comes in a can.

The winery has been repeatedly awarded top honors from prestigious wine industry competitions – receiving the coveted Winery of the Year and Producer of the Year accolades multiple times – earning the reputation as one of the world's most impressive, top-tier, premium wine producers.

The first release of the new premium Diamond Collection cans occurred in early August, at Francis Ford Coppola Winery's “Shine, Splash, Shindig” mid-summer pool party event in Sonoma County. The event showcased how these slim aluminum cans could make the perfect complement to any fun outdoor activity. For young drinkers, “popping open a cold one” no longer has to mean opening up a beer.