I admit I don’t equate wine that comes in boxes with high quality. When I was in my 20s, most of the house parties I attended featured a warmish box of wine set out on the counter for those who didn’t like cheap beer or trash-can punch. It was a good night if you managed to get drunk without throwing up.
Thankfully, a lot has changed since those days (including the fact that I no longer indulge in trash-can punch). So it seemed like time for a re-think of boxed wines.
Change is Good
In theory, there’s a lot to love about boxed wines, starting with their incredible value. Most come in 3-liter boxes and sell for around $20. Guess what? A 3-liter box holds four 750-ml bottles of wine, so that means you’re paying only $5 per bottle.
if that’s not enough, if you keep them in the fridge boxed wines stay fresh for up to six weeks. There’s no need to worry about having to rush through a bottle before it spoils.
Finally, boxed wines are more environmentally friendly than wine that comes in bottles. Most have eco- friendly packaging, including the spout, bag and box. And just think of the carbon burned to produce and distribute four bottles vs. one box.
The Lineup
That’s all good, but my burning question was how do they taste? I’d read that quality has increased substantially from my house party days due to improved winemaking techniques and a worldwide grape glut (meaning there are more high quality grapes on the market than needed for bottled wine, so the juice going into boxed wines is way better than in the past). I decided it was time to let go of my old notions and organize a blind wine tasting with members of all four tribes (not sure what your wine tribe is? Take this quick quiz to find out). We sampled four of the most popular boxed wines on the market, focusing on red blends:
- Barefoot Sunset Red Blend (California): $18.99
- House Wine Original Red Blend (Chile): $17.99
- Black Box Red Blend (California): $19.99
- BotaBox RedVolution Blend (California): $16.65
The Best of the Boxes
The Barefoot Sunset Red Blend was a clear winner for the Accessible and Balanced Tribes. Tasters commented on sweet, juicy notes of plum jam, blueberries, vanilla and brown sugar. This smooth wine is easy drinking, but because of its sweetness, it’s a no go for the Developed and Complex Tribes.
The Developed Tribe preferred the House Wine Original Red Blend. While the wine had some unappealing characteristics (scents of gasoline and some sourness on the palate), it also had rich, earthy flavors complemented by hints of raspberry and pomegranate. This wine is medium-bodied with some nice heft, and it pairs well with food. I, for one, would drink it again.
The Black Box Red was another favorite of the Developed Tribe, whose members commented on its smoky tastes of barbecue sauce, cloves, leather and black plums. It also has a nice weightiness and hints of tannins and acids, which means it pairs well with food. It’s worth noting that this wine just placed No. 34 on Wine Enthusiast’s list of top value wines. That’s gotta be worth something.
And finally, the Bota Box RedVolution. It was smooth, easy drinking and had sweet tastes of black plums, figs, graham crackers and a bit of black olives. This wine is fine. No one hated it, no one loved it. Given that all tribes found it passable, it would be my pick if I was trying to find a crowd pleaser.
Are Boxed Wines Worth It?
So again, I ask, what’s not to like? Well, it was pretty weird for me to drink a cold red blend. Since the wines should be refrigerated after opening, I had to plan ahead, pull the wine out of the fridge, decant a big glass and then let it warm up to room temperature. But that inconvenience was offset by the knowledge that, with refrigeration, I had six weeks to get through the box.
Also, call me a snob, but there’s the spout. Nothing says “incipient drinking problem” like hoisting that 3-liter baby up onto the counter, pushing on the little knob, and quickly maneuvering your glass underneath the spigot to catch your wine. If the ceremony of opening and pouring wine is important to you, boxes might not be the best bet. (And if you can’t get your glass under the spout in time to avoid spillage, maybe consider calling it a night.)
Finally, you might have noticed that none of the wines we tried made the favorite list for the Complex Tribe. That fact showcases the central issue around these boxed wines: as a whole, they have very little complexity.
Maybe that’s OK, because what do you expect from a wine that costs the equivalent of $4 to $5 a bottle and lasts for six weeks? If you’re looking for easy drinking wine at a good value, boxed wines are worth trying. I am keen to sample more, so if you’re in the Developed Tribe like me, please leave a comment with your favorite brand.
Cheers!
