High Noon (seltzer)
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Alcoholic beverages |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | E & J Gallo Winery |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Hard seltzers, vodka-based alcoholic beverages, hard iced tea, vodka-infused lemonade |
| Parent | E & J Gallo Winery |
High Noon is a U.S.-based brand offering alcoholic beverages, focusing on hard seltzers crafted with vodka and fruit juice blends. Launched in 2019 by E & J Gallo Winery, it became the leading spirit brand by volume in the United States by 2023.
History
Originally, E & J Gallo Winery created High Noon as an 80-proof vodka distilled from Midwestern corn, evolving from its New Amsterdam line. Following a year of experimentation, the company transitioned to producing ready-to-drink canned hard seltzers containing 4.5% ABV by combining vodka with fruit juice, distinguishing itself from rivals that utilized fermented sugars or barley.
Debuting in 2019, the initial flavor offerings were grapefruit, pineapple, black cherry, and watermelon. Sales reached 600,000 cases within the first year, surpassing expectations. By 2021, the flavor portfolio grew to include lime, peach, passionfruit, and mango. In 2022, the High Noon Pool Pack added guava and kiwi varieties.
March 2023 marked the introduction of a tequila-based seltzer line featuring lime, grapefruit, passionfruit, and strawberry flavors. Britt West, general manager of spirits at E & J Gallo, remarked that tequila’s expanding market presence complemented High Noon’s commitment to using genuine spirits.
In May 2024, High Noon expanded its range with Vodka Iced Tea—a non-carbonated hard iced tea selection available in original, peach, lemon, and raspberry flavors. West emphasized that hard iced tea emerged as a leading ready-to-drink segment in 2023, providing consumers with a premium option combining authentic vodka and iced tea.
The brand further diversified in May 2025 by launching ''Lucky One Lemonade,'' a vodka-infused canned lemonade line offered in Original, Peach, Blueberry, and Raspberry. Brandon Lieb, vice president at Spirit of Gallo, highlighted the growing demand for hard lemonade and the potential for innovation within this category. The packaging features Miss Peaches—the rescue pitbull owned by Dave Portnoy—and supports animal rescue organizations through the ‘Our Pack Gives Back’ campaign, aiming to raise $1 million alongside partners such as Lifeline Animal Project and Best Friends Animal Society.
In July 2025, High Noon issued a recall for its Beach Variety vodka seltzer pack after cans distributed across eight states were mistakenly labeled as nonalcoholic Celsius Astro Vibe energy drinks. The mislabeling was traced back to a supplier error. While no adverse effects were reported, Gallo cautioned consumers about potential unintended alcohol consumption.
Marketing
Since May 2020, High Noon has collaborated with sports media company Barstool Sports, integrating its brand into multiple Barstool sports programs and securing endorsement from founder Dave Portnoy. The brand also served as the primary sponsor for Barstool’s trivia competition series The Dozen: Trivia Tournament Championships.
Reception
High Noon has received acclaim for its distinctive flavor profile and use of natural ingredients. It was awarded Best Tasting Seltzer by The Tasting Panel Magazine in both 2020 and 2021. In 2023, Taste of Home honored High Noon as the top hard seltzer, praising its "excellent fruit flavor that fades into a crisp, clean seltzer finish." According to Delish, "each High Noon genuinely matched the flavor indicated on the label," though they pointed out that the sugar content is somewhat elevated because of the real juice used.
Christian D'Andrea, writing for USA Today, observed that High Noon's tequila seltzers generally meet expectations, highlighting the lime variant as a "superb canned cocktail" produced by a prominent macro-brewer. Jenn Carnevale from The Daily Meal described High Noon Vodka Iced Tea as "an excellent choice," with particular praise for the original flavor.