Boxed wine

[BeeR]

I hear these aren't always the low-end crapola often associated with such things nowdays. detlef, others, confirm/deny? I don't feel like wasting money on one if it's gonna be garbage, but it doesn't have to be amazing and I love the convenience idea.

[isleseeya]

I hear these aren't always the low-end crapola often associated with such things nowdays. detlef, others, confirm/deny? I don't feel like wasting money on one if it's gonna be garbage, but it doesn't have to be amazing and I love the convenience idea.

 

could be wrong but any wine worth something will end up in a bottle and not in a box

[twiley]

Actually, there's some good affordable juice being put in a box.

 

BOTA box Old vine zin is decent. Check it out.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

the box of Twisted Tea is the best invention since sliced bread

[Zooty]

[BeeR]

Insights like this are why I come here.

 

Anyway -

 

Someone at Total Wine recommended "Santiago Station" as making some decent reds. ?

 

I'm hesitant about it all but again it would be nice to have 3L of a decent wine on hand at an affordable price all at once. I hit the reds pretty hard in the winter.

[Zooty]

Insights like this are why I come here.

 

Anyway -

 

Someone at Total Wine recommended "Santiago Station" as making some decent reds. ?

 

I'm hesitant about it all but again it would be nice to have 3L of a decent wine on hand at an affordable price all at once. I hit the reds pretty hard in the winter.

 

from the guy that hates everything...

 

Wine in a box = not good

Hope that helps

 

you probably buy spices in pre-mixed packs too....

[twiley]

Try the bota box, recommended by some Somms I know.

 

It was better than some bottles I've had in the 25-30 range.

[BeeR]

Try the bota box, recommended by some Somms I know.

 

It was better than some bottles I've had in the 25-30 range.

Thx. Yeah BOTA and Black Box seem to keep coming up.

 

 

from the guy that hates everything...

giggle

 

Wine in a box = not good

Hope that helps

It helps to reinforce that you know nothing about the topic and are proud of it but otherwise no, not really.

 

Found this. I'm going out on a limb and thinking maybe they know a little more than you about wine - not that that appears to be saying much:

 

http://www.winespectator.com/magazine/show/id/40580

Edited November 20, 2011 by BeeR

[detlef]

could be wrong but any wine worth something will end up in a bottle and not in a box

Absolutely untrue. We currently are featuring a box wine as one of our wines by the glass at Jujube. And it's by no means the first time we've done it. This is a place that prides itself on the wine list.

 

Box wine makes a ton of sense and its time has certainly come (in terms of wine that's worth drinking).

 

1) Bottle and cork are just old technology. The jury is still, somewhat, out on fine, age-worthy wines, but for wines that are meant to be drunk upon production, more should be put into boxes than are. I would say at least 85-90% of wines should not be put into glass and cork.

2) It takes way longer to go bad than an open bottle, so they're great for the home (or for restaurants by the glass). Park that thing on the kitchen counter (or in the fridge) and, provided you get through all four bottles worth in less than a couple of weeks, the last glass should be as good as the first.

3) The carbon footprint is way smaller. All the hippie chight aside, who doesn't want to buy something that uses less packaging and is lighter, resulting in less fuel to ship?

 

I can't actually suggest any specifically because most of what I've been buying has been coming from small, boutique importers and I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase. I can say, however, that there is currently no shortage of quality wines in boxes and any wine shop worth a crap has embraced the movement. So just ask.

 

ETA: The shelf life, of course, only counts for boxes with bladders. There are "tera packs" that are basically like soy milk boxes and those will oxidize once open just as fast as any other container.

Edited November 21, 2011 by detlef

[twiley]

Absolutely untrue. We currently are featuring a box wine as one of our wines by the glass at Jujube. And it's by no means the first time we've done it. This is a place that prides itself on the wine list.

 

Box wine makes a ton of sense and its time has certainly come (in terms of wine that's worth drinking).

 

1) Bottle and cork are just old technology. The jury is still, somewhat, out on fine, age-worthy wines, but for wines that are meant to be drunk upon production, more should be put into boxes than are. I would say at least 85-90% of wines should not be put into glass and cork.

2) It takes way longer to go bad than an open bottle, so they're great for the home (or for restaurants by the glass). Park that thing on the kitchen counter (or in the fridge) and, provided you get through all four bottles worth in less than a couple of weeks, the last glass should be as good as the first.

3) The carbon footprint is way smaller. All the hippie chight aside, who doesn't want to buy something that uses less packaging and is lighter, resulting in less fuel to ship?

 

I can't actually suggest any specifically because most of what I've been buying has been coming from small, boutique importers and I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase. I can say, however, that there is currently no shortage of quality wines in boxes and any wine shop worth a crap has embraced the movement. So just ask.

+1000

 

Embrace and enjoy it.

[Kid Cid]

Nothing wrong with box wine, the only thing you absolutely have to be aware of is shelf life. The clock starts ticking on the wine the minute that it is put in the box. Depending on the bladder it is in, six to nine months is what you are looking at before you can notice the degradation. Other than that, it is absolutely worth looking in to, there are some tasty treats in a box for those willing to take the time to find them.

[SEC=UGA]

I am particularly fond of the Franzia blush Chablis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm being sarcastic. But that is what people typically think of when talking about wine in a box.

[sundaynfl]

Absolutely untrue. We currently are featuring a box wine as one of our wines by the glass at Jujube. And it's by no means the first time we've done it. This is a place that prides itself on the wine list.

 

Box wine makes a ton of sense and its time has certainly come (in terms of wine that's worth drinking).

 

1) Bottle and cork are just old technology. The jury is still, somewhat, out on fine, age-worthy wines, but for wines that are meant to be drunk upon production, more should be put into boxes than are. I would say at least 85-90% of wines should not be put into glass and cork.

2) It takes way longer to go bad than an open bottle, so they're great for the home (or for restaurants by the glass). Park that thing on the kitchen counter (or in the fridge) and, provided you get through all four bottles worth in less than a couple of weeks, the last glass should be as good as the first.

3) The carbon footprint is way smaller. All the hippie chight aside, who doesn't want to buy something that uses less packaging and is lighter, resulting in less fuel to ship?

 

I can't actually suggest any specifically because most of what I've been buying has been coming from small, boutique importers and I don't want to send you on a wild goose chase. I can say, however, that there is currently no shortage of quality wines in boxes and any wine shop worth a crap has embraced the movement. So just ask.

 

 

 

ETA: The shelf life, of course, only counts for boxes with bladders. There are "tera packs" that are basically like soy milk boxes and those will oxidize once open just as fast as any other container.

 

I second this... many winemakers are looking for ways to sell their extra juice without affecting their flagship wines. If you do your research or know the wine market you can find some terrific values... One of SLD's favorites Garagiste offers up mystery wines that are either relabeled or even have the original label on them for a fraction of the cost.

A few years ago I found out that David Arthur's flagship red wine's "extra" juice of 1147 was being bottled as "Knights Valley" red wine and sold to liqour stores back East for about a sixth of the cost of the flagship. I bought as much as I could... the winery denied it, but it was VERY similar to the 1147. IMHO

I know that good juice is being sold off to box wine companies....

 

DET, on aside note have you ever thought about featuring a wine directly from the cask in your restuarants? A very cool and environment friendly way to serve wine!

[matt770]

Bota box Cabernet and Malbec are very good and for ~$18 for 3 liters, pretty damn good value. We still like to keep the wine rack stocked with a good variety for when guests come but almost always drink Bota when it's just the missus and me.

[detlef]

I second this... many winemakers are looking for ways to sell their extra juice without affecting their flagship wines. If you do your research or know the wine market you can find some terrific values... One of SLD's favorites Garagiste offers up mystery wines that are either relabeled or even have the original label on them for a fraction of the cost.

A few years ago I found out that David Arthur's flagship red wine's "extra" juice of 1147 was being bottled as "Knights Valley" red wine and sold to liqour stores back East for about a sixth of the cost of the flagship. I bought as much as I could... the winery denied it, but it was VERY similar to the 1147. IMHO

I know that good juice is being sold off to box wine companies....

 

DET, on aside note have you ever thought about featuring a wine directly from the cask in your restuarants? A very cool and environment friendly way to serve wine!

We've been approached about "keg" wine and I'm interested, but here's my issue. There's only a handful in my market right now and I'd have to invest in a special draught line to do it. Further, once I'd done so, I'd be married to featuring just a handful of wines and, those that are so far available to me don't represent the kind of value I was expecting. They'd be the equivalent of about $8 per 750 and I'm literally tripping over very solid wines that I can buy for that price by the bottle. Meanwhile, the box options that are also quite tasty are coming to me at $4-$6 per 750. I can make some serious jack on those as well as charge a price that will lure people into having a glass even if they have reservations about getting away from their precious bottle and cork.

 

I do hope the keg wine thing gets legs enough so that a small restaurant like mine can play ball, because I'm very into the concept. It just doesn't work for me yet.

[mulehead]

It isn't boxed wine, but a 4L jug of Carlo Rossi Paisano is quite drinkable and very easy on the wallet at around $10.

[Infinity]

I drink a ton of Franzia. $10 for a box of wine, it's 4-5 bottles worth, girls like it, i like it. I can even put it in a beer bong! Franzia Sunset Blush is the best flavor.

 

At least on a college budget it's fantastic.

Edited November 25, 2011 by Infinity

[BeeR]

Thx for inputs. FWIW bought Santiago Station cab at Total Wine on the recommendation of an employee. It's drinkable and only about $16 but I wouldn't recommend.

Edited November 25, 2011 by BeeR

[twiley]

Buy the bota box!

[detlef]

I drink a ton of Franzia. $10 for a box of wine, it's 4-5 bottles worth, girls like it, i like it. I can even put it in a beer bong! Franzia Sunset Blush is the best flavor.

 

At least on a college budget it's fantastic.

When I was in college, we played this messed up version of "kill the pill" or "smear the queer", whatever you called the game where someone would have the ball and try to avoid getting killed by everyone, at which point they'd have to surrender said ball. We'd get a good heat on and then take the bladder out of a box of wine and play with that. So you'd be running around, drinking from the spigot as fast as you could until you got tackled and someone else got it. Those bladders are surprisingly durable.

 

I'm pretty sure nobody ever got sick.

[chester]

Bonny Doon.

Just had some Cardinal Zin in a box. It was great. The Big House is also nice.

[Croe]

Black Box is good wine.

 

If you want something a little cheaper - there is always boons farm. Not very good, but you are guaranteed to be F'ed by the end of it.