# Wine-Based RTD Cocktails SqueakyWheel's Debut Trio is Crafted with All-Natural Ingredients By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2026-08-03 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/squeakywheel References: [bevnet](https://www.bevnet.com/pr/2026/07/02/squeakywheel-nobody-needed-another-hard-seltzer-so-we-didnt-make-one) & [squeakywheelbev](https://www.squeakywheelbev.com/)  Many ready-to-drink cocktail consumers are wary of not knowing what's actually in their can, so SqueakyWheel was born to share wine-based RTD cocktails without artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors, giving them the transparency they're craving, and drinks they can trust as much as enjoy. The brand's debut trio of wine-based ready-to-drink cocktails that "taste like vacation" includes the Squeakyrita (Baja Lime with Salt), the Squeakytiki (Tropical Fruit Punch), and the Squeakyspritz (Bright & Bitter Orange,) all of which come in at 6% ABV. SqueakyWheel was created to fill a gap in the market for not only real-ingredient beverages but also refreshing, flavor-forward and well-balanced alternatives to intensely sweet seltzers and ready-to-drink canned choices that are heavy on the spirits. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 7.4/10 - Popularity: 67% | Activity: 70% | Freshness: 84% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Drinking](https://www.trendhunter.com/drinking) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Transparent Alcohol Labels:** Ingredient clarity in canned cocktails creates space for brands to differentiate through trust, cleaner formulations, and more informed adult beverage choices. - **Wine-based Rtds:** Wine foundations offer an alternative to spirit-heavy canned drinks, opening new positioning around lighter cocktail formats with familiar flavor experiences. - **Vacation-flavored Beverages:** Escapist flavor profiles such as citrus, tropical punch, and bitter orange give RTD brands a lifestyle-driven route to premium refreshment occasions. ### Who This Affects Most - **Alcoholic Beverages:** The shift toward natural ingredients and balanced sweetness signals new competitive territory for producers modernizing ready-to-drink alcohol portfolios. - **Food and Beverage Packaging:** Canned formats with transparent ingredient cues support packaging innovation centered on convenience, credibility, and shelf-level consumer reassurance. - **Retail and Grocery:** Premium RTD cocktails with cleaner positioning expand merchandising possibilities for stores seeking differentiated alternatives to hard seltzers and traditional spirits. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Refreshing Ready-to-Drink Spritzes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spritz-del-conte-hugo-spritz.md) - [Classic Cocktail Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/line-of-classic-cocktails.md) - [Mediterranean Aperitivo-Inspired Beverages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/saint-spritz1.md) - [Flavorful Limited-Edition Margaritas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rocket-pop-margarita.md) - [RTD Rosé Refreshers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bubly-wine-refresher.md) - [High-ABV Wine-Based Punches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/giddy-up.md) - [Creative-Empowering Sparkling Wines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spritz-21.md) - [RTD Wine-Based Highballs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peaceminusone-highball.md) - [Celebrity-Backed RTD Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/action-bronsons.md)