Boxed Wine - A convert

[kytivafan]

I have to admit that I have shied away from boxed wine in the past - to me it just said "cheap wine", but now I am a converted boxed wine drinker.

Last weekend was a girl's weekend - and of course it goes without saying - much wine was going to be consumed.

I was browsing the local Liquor Barn looking for something different - as we like to try new

Comments

[cork_dork]

There's a number of good wines out there in boxes. I particularly like the Octovin line (easy to spot -- it's in an octagonal box); the sauv blanc is excellent, as is the riesling. Decent reds too, especially the Osborne seven-grape blend. All of them are about $16-$20 here. Also, Maipe makes a very good malbec, which can be found both in bottles and boxes (a bottle runs $10-$15 depending on vintage, the box is about $25 around here).

Gotta remember, packaging != content. Just because something's in a nonstandard package, doesn't mean it's bad.

[jaiden_s]

Bag wines are the "next" thing. We don't carry any boxes at the moment, but we'll be getting some bags in sometime pretty soon. I haven't tasted any of them yet, but once I do, I'll post a review.

I'm actually in a hotel room right now, and packed a box of Black Box merlot for the trip. It sucks. Bad. First and last time I drink that.

[musiquephan]

Thank you for the recommendation. I'll see if I can find Bota locally. Box wine is always such a mystery. Some are tasty, but others...not so much, and certainly none have ever made me flip a cartwheel in glee.

I am, in general, a self-admitted culiary snob. But I do believe that every wine, from Arbor Mist all the way up to the most expensive of champagnes, has a purpose and an audience, and have saught to find a favorite in each category and type of wine.

My latest "crack" is Black Box Reisling. http://www.blackboxwines.com It's fresh, fruity; and served cold, it is the perfect finish to a hot summer day.

Yes, box wine to flip a cartwheel over! So far I've had their Reisling, Malbec, and their Savignon Blanc. All three were exceptional in color, flavor, and finish. Here on the East coast, they run approximately $24.99 per box, in Arizona, they're around $19. They don't take up a large footprint in the fridge either (the same as Bota).

I highly recommend them.

Cheers!

[ramalama]

Hmm, thanks for the rec. I've not had box wine because I don't know what to risk trying. I'd like being able to just have a refreshing glass every day or two and not have to worry about any going to waste. Can you confirm it stays good for six weeks, or is that just what the box says?

[kytivafan]

I don't have first hand experience as this is my first box, but from what I have read on the internet - it seems to be true. Light and air is what causes the wine to break down and the box protects against both - the box blocks the light and the bladder collapses around the wine keeping the air to minimum.

I don't drink much outside of social occasions, so the left over box will possibly last me a few more weeks. I will post again when I finish it off and let everyone know if the "freshness" stuck around.

[rozabellalove]

I've had a box in the fridge for at least 2 weeks before and they've stayed fresh. None ever lasted much more than two weeks though, not due to the freshness, just the rate of consumption!

[fitfool]

I know this is a really old thread but I just found this community.
I'm a big fan of box wines too. I'm often the only person drinking any
alcohol so it's nice to not have to worry about the rest of a bottle
going to waste. I recently found a box of Crispin's apple wine and
since I love hard cider, this made me very happy I've heard that box
wine is quite common in Europe (BiB = Bag in Box) and they'll often
put even quite good wines into BiB form.

[kytivafan]

threads are like wines - they are never too old to enjoy! *grins*

I am utterly in love with boxed wines now - in fact I pretty much always have one in the frig. I am the only wine drinker in my house and I don't have a glass every night, so I was always hesitant to open a bottle without a social engagement looming for fear that it would go bad before I could finish it off. With boxes, that fear has all but disappeared!