Sofia Wines, part of the Francis Ford Coppola Wines portfolio, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with the launch of newly-designed mini canned wines.
Sofia Wines was originally launched as a tribute to Francis Ford Coppola's daughter, Sofia Coppola. The brand revolutionized the wine industry by offering California bubbly in mini cans, positioning Sofia as the “original wine influencer.” This innovative approach to wine packaging quickly gained popularity among consumers seeking convenience and style.
Introduced this summer, the brand’s revamped packaging was designed by Sofia Coppola herself.
A notable change in the new packaging is the increase in the size of the mini cans to 200-milliliter. Additionally, the packaging has become more environmentally friendly, with the elimination of cellophane wrap around the bottles and plastic straws with the minis.
Andrea Card, senior winemaker at Francis Ford Coppola Winery, played a significant role in the evolution of Sofia Wines. A fourth-generation Sonoma County native, Card has deep roots in the wine industry, with her great-grandparents growing petite sirah and carignan grapes in the Alexander Valley, Sonoma County’s largest American Viticultural Area (AVA), before Prohibition. With over 20 years of experience, Card's journey began at a biodynamic winery and vineyard, which sparked her fascination with plants, wine and the winemaking process.
When not in the vineyards, Card is also active in logging sports (derived from traditional logging activities such as log chopping, axe throwing and cross-cut sawing) as well as other pursuits such as water skiing, crafting and spending time with family, friends and pets.
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Card recently shared more with Forbes about the milestone for Sofia Wines and the continuation of a family legacy.
These wines have been revolutionary in offering California bubbly in mini cans. What do you think has been the impact of this innovation on the wine industry and consumer preferences?
When Sofia Wines launched 25 years ago, they were really the innovator of successfully putting sparkling wine in cans and marketing it in a compelling way. Simply putting California bubbly in a playful, little can really gave people that opportunity to take it to the pool, the beach and other less-conventional places where you’d drink wine. Having Blanc De Blancs and Brut Rosé in a can format makes you feel like you don’t have to be in a fancy setting to drink it.
Rather than saving sparkling wine for special occasions, the Sofia Minis feel like an “everyday” kind of beverage. It’s what I feel like beer is to a lot of people, because it’s portable, light and the packaging is easy to deal with.
As a fourth-generation winemaker, what has been the most significant evolution you've witnessed in the Sofia Wines portfolio over the past 25 years?
My great grandparents grew petite sirah and carignane in this region and had a small winery on their property. They were making wine for themselves, friends and family, but they were also selling grapes to what is now the Asti Winery—one of Sonoma County’s oldest and largest wineries. They stopped during Prohibition, so now that I’ve been making wine around this area for the past 20 years, it feels like I’m going back to my roots.
I joined the Francis Ford Coppola Winery team in 2020, which includes the Sofia Wines portfolio, and they’ve done so much to raise awareness about winemaking in my community and make wine accessible. Like any great brand with such a rich history, there’s also an evolution to everything.
For example, Sofia Wines’ Blanc de Blancs started off using more floral grape varieties like pinot blanc and muscat, which gave the wines more of a feminine, flirty edge. With this latest release, we switched the varieties to be primarily chardonnay. With maturity, comes reflection and tradition, and chardonnay is such a beautifully traditional grape for sparkling wine, with an even wider appeal.
Could you share more about the inspiration behind the new design for Sofia Wines' packaging, and how does it reflect the vision for the brand's future?
When Sofia Wines first launched in 1996 as an homage to his daughter, Francis Ford Coppola oversaw that design process. Once the brand hit the 25-year mark, Sofia Coppola wanted to give the label a refresh, so the new packaging design was directed entirely by her. The bottle labels and imagery printed on the cans feel bolder, crisper and sleeker. The brand name, which was recognizable and beloved to begin with, just stands out a lot more when you’re walking through the grocery aisle.
Overall, I think this design refresh speaks to the newer, modern approach to winemaking, which includes sustainability and making wine feel approachable, fun and unfussy.
Can you talk about the sustainable practices that have been introduced with the new packaging, and how important is sustainability to the Sofia Wines brand?
It was all about giving Sofia Wines a sleeker, modern look with sustainability in mind and focusing on materials that could be fully recycled. For the bottles, we removed the non-recyclable cellophane wrap. And for the Minis, we removed the single-use plastic straws and the hexagonal-shaped box. The four cans are now in a smaller, square-shaped box that not only cuts down on the weight and amount of materials used, but it features large, playful imagery of the cans.
Consumers now have a quick visual and better understanding of what they’re actually getting. The new cans are also a little larger, because who doesn’t want a little more wine to satisfy your needs? Those extra couple of sips can often make a difference. Additionally, our winery in Geyserville is certified sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance and certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers.
What message do you hope to convey to the next generation of wine enthusiasts with the refreshed packaging and the continued legacy of Sofia Wines?
Sofia Wines is truly about those everyday moments, whether it’s having dinner with friends or just getting through a Wednesday. Sparkling wine shouldn’t be reserved for just formal occasions, which is why the pricing for the bottles and Mini cans are accessible.
It’s awesome to hold onto tradition and honor where something came from, but it’s also important to embrace flexibility and understand that preferences change over time.
As we head into the future, we’re willing to take some risks and adjust accordingly to provide what our Sofia Wines fans want, all without sacrificing the core of what this fun and playful brand stands for.
