Canned wine used to be the punchline. Now it’s the plot twist. In Los Angeles—where beach picnics, rooftop sunsets, and casual luxury rule: Nomadica wines is quietly changing how serious wine lovers drink.
After tasting the lineup with Kristin Olszewski, one thing became clear: this is not a compromise pour. It’s a deliberate, sommelier-driven rethink of what modern wine should be: portable, responsibly made, and genuinely delicious.
Kristin spent more than a decade inside Michelin-starred dining rooms before founding Nomadica Wines.
Her goal?
Bring people back to wine by removing intimidation, waste, and the idea that great wine only lives in heavy glass bottles. For LA drinkers who want flavor, fun, and integrity in the same sip, this story hits home.
From Michelin Cellars to the Canned Wine Aisle
Kristin’s path to canned wine wasn’t casual—it was earned. After studying sustainable agriculture, she left Harvard Medical School to pursue wine, working in some of the most demanding restaurants in the country, including Saison, Husk, and Osteria Mozza.
“I just really fell in love with wine… it’s the intersection of history, agriculture and gastronomy,”
Kristin says
“And then also there’s something so fun and communal—and you’re getting a little tipsy. It’s everything.”
But she noticed a shift. Younger diners—especially women—weren’t ordering wine. They saw it as overpriced, intimidating, or not worth it unless you spent big. That disconnect sparked Nomadica.
“I want to be people’s guide, hold their hand and walk them into the world of wine,” Kristin explains. The result is wine that feels welcoming, not gatekept. Relatable? Very. Revolutionary? Quietly so.
Today’s conversation with Sommelier / Businesswoman Kristin Olszewski from Nomadica Wines has been edited for length and clarity. For the full, un-edited conversation, visit our YouTube channel here.
Why Cans (and Boxes) Actually Make Sense
Here’s where Nomadica gets serious. Sustainability isn’t marketing—it’s math. Only about 30% of glass is recycled in the U.S., and the rest ends up in landfills. Glass is heavy, energy-intensive, and often unnecessary.
“Most wine does not need to be in a glass bottle,” Kristin says plainly.
Nomadica’s cans reduce carbon footprint by roughly 70%, while the bag-in-box format cuts it by nearly 90%. That’s indulgence without guilt—something LA absolutely understands. And yes, the wine inside is fermented dry, organically farmed, and made with low-intervention methods.
What’s in the Can (and Why It Tastes So Good)
Nomadica offers sparkling white, still white, rosé, red, and orange wine, available in cans and box formats. All are sourced from responsibly farmed vineyards, with much of the fruit coming from Mendocino and Lodi. The winery itself is based in Sonoma—Kristin proudly admits she’s “a Sonoma girly.”
Across the lineup, the wines share a common thread: brightness, freshness, and crushability. These are flavor-forward, fun-loving wines with aromatic lift and zero residual sugar. They’re designed so that, as Kristin puts it, “99% of people will love it.”
The standout surprise? The orange wine. Skin-contact, balanced, and wildly food-friendly, it’s been converting skeptics everywhere. Kristin jokes that when her mother-in-law in Orange County started serving it to friends, she knew she’d done something right.
Pairings That Feel Like L.A.
Nomadica wines are built for real life. Sparkling rosé with charcuterie. Rosé with green salads and peak-season produce. Orange wine with sushi (trust this—it’s mind-blowing). And the red, made from Teroldego, delivers dark fruit with alpine freshness, making it pizza-night gold.
Another relatable truth? Sometimes you just want one glass. Cans solve that problem beautifully. No half-finished bottles staring at you from the fridge. No waste. Just good wine, exactly when you want it.
Industry Respect Is the Real Seal of Approval
Getting canned wine into luxury hotels isn’t easy. But Nomadica cracked it by letting the wine speak. Kristin, her VP of sales, and her winemaker are all industry veterans. When buyers taste—out of a proper wine glass—they get it immediately.
“We’ve always had the industry behind us,” she says. That credibility has helped Nomadica land in places like Whole Foods, Total Wine, and major hospitality groups nationwide.
Mini FAQ: Nomadica wines
Q: Is canned wine actually high quality?
A: When it’s made like Nomadica—yes. These are sommelier-curated, dry wines made from responsibly farmed fruit.
Q: Does wine taste different in a can?
A: No. The packaging doesn’t affect flavor; oxygen and light exposure do—and cans actually protect against both.
Q: Where can I buy Nomadica wines?
A: Online at ExploreNomadica.com and at major retailers nationwide.
Nomadica proves that serious wine doesn’t have to be serious about itself. For LA drinkers who value sustainability, flavor, and a little freedom in how they enjoy wine, this is the future—already chilled and ready. Open the can. Pour into a glass if you want. And drink better wine, more often.
You can buy Nomadica online and their new rosé yuzu spritz, which is delicious at ExploreNomadica.com. And then socials are at Nomadica on Instagram.
And if you want to follow me. I’m at Kristin__O.
