A gold medal for a box

Results of the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition for 2008 are in, and a boxed wine made it into a fine list of gold medal winning budget wines:

7 gold-medal winning wines for $12 or less
02:16 PM CDT on Thursday, April 10, 2008
By REBECCA MURPHY / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Wines in The Dallas Morning News Wine Competition are judged by grape variety and, in some large categories, by vintage. That's all the judges know when they are tasting the wines. So a $5 bottle or box of wine may be judged beside a $100 bottle.

No disrespect intended to those $100 bottles, which can be quite complex and in need of more time to come together in the bottle. The real finds each year, though, are the budget wines that are worthy of gold medals. These are wines meant to be poured today, so they are delicious today, and they get the attention of the judges. They deserve your attention, too. All the wines on these pages are available in the Dallas market for $12 or less.

. . .

Corbett Canyon, California, Chardonnay NV

If you have resisted buying wine in a box, get over it. Boxed wines have been winning medals in this and other competitions for several years, which means the quality is there. And, packaged in a box, the quality lasts longer than it will in a bottle, because the wine is protected from oxygen. This wine is light-bodied with chardonnay's crisp apple, citrus and pear flavors. Enjoy it with light pasta dishes. You can always serve it from a carafe so your guests will never know it came from a box. Available at Beverage City and Sigel's, $10.99 per 3-liter box.

. . .

7 gold-medal winning wines for $12 or less | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Wine and Spirits | Food | Dallas Morning News

Box wine has been getting better for a while

Although this article is from way back in 2003, it had lots of good tasting notes by Carol Emert:

Box wine is getting better all the time
Carol Emert, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, December 4, 2003

In the American collective conscience, wine sold in a box isn't actually wine, it's a separate category referred to as "box wine."

"Box wine" comes in a box, as distinct from "wine," which is something you'd actually want to drink and which comes in just one kind of container -- a "bottle."

It doesn't have to be that way. The holiday season is the perfect time to throw out old prejudices and give box wine a try. That's particularly true now, as several producers have, as predicted by The Chronicle ("Inside the box, " May 15), recently released dry premium wines -- standard varietals, no funny colors -- in a box.

Box wines are popular in Australia and Europe, where premium wine has long been available in cardboard. The Australian brand Hardys, for example, has been sold in the United States for many years, but just last year the company introduced boxes under the name Hardys Stamp of Australia. In its native country, half of Hardys' wine is sold in a box, or cask, as they call it Down Under.

In several cases, including Hardys Stamp, the boxes hold exactly the same juice as bottles sitting nearby on the supermarket shelf. But there are two key differences: The box wines cost less because the packaging is cheaper. And boxes, which are lined with a plastic vacuum-sealed bag, stay fresh much longer after opening -- about a month, compared to just a day or so for many bottles.

The new premium boxes hold 3 liters of wine, the equivalent of four bottles, while traditional box wines hold 5 liters. Several of the newbies come in cool, monochromatic packaging to look nice for your party. They retail for $10 to $36, the equivalent of $2.50 to $9 per bottle.

I tasted 31 box wines for this column, mostly the new premium varietal wines, but for comparison I threw in five old-style box wines by Franzia, Almaden and Peter Vella ($6 to $10) that happened to be in The Chronicle cellar.

Only two of the box wines, both the old-fashioned types, were awful. Nine were good enough that I would serve them to guests.

Most of the others weren't horrible, just middling -- a trait found in many bottled wines at this price point. Two recurring problems were sour fruit, as if the grapes had been harvested prematurely, and a thin texture that took all the fun away from a couple of nicely flavored wines. I didn't detect any plastic flavors from the packaging.

Good enough for Turkey

I liked the box wines so well that I served one of my favorites for Thanksgiving dinner (in a decanter -- nobody guessed that a box was involved) and took others on a recent weekend trip with friends. One fellow accused me of being tacky when he saw the boxes, but I suppose (sniff) that's the hazard of being a trendsetter.

One big advantage: Packing and transporting the boxes was much easier than dealing with glass bottles, with no concern about leaks or breakage.

Sales of premium box wines remain low -- in the hundreds of thousands per year -- but are growing fast and getting good distribution in independent stores and chains like Beverages & more, Safeway, Albertsons, Whole Foods and Longs Drugs. The Wine Cube is sold only at Target. Le Cask Zinfandel is in limited distribution in the Bay Area currently, but can be mail ordered (lecask.com, see Uncorked this page.)

As with bottled wines, a higher price tag and classy demeanor don't necessarily equate to quality.

The most expensive brand, Blackburn, by Sonoma Hill Winery, sports a snazzy gold box, a Sonoma County appellation and a retail price of $36. But the 2002 Chardonnay was just plain sour. The 2001 Merlot and 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon both displayed promising noses, but were disappointingly thin on the palate.

Target's Wine Cube ($16) was another disappointment. The Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot, made by Trinchero Winery, all fell short in the fruit department.

A favorite

My favorite white wine from the tasting was the 2003 Banrock Station South Eastern Australia Chardonnay ($16), which is full of green apple, lemon and pear, rounded out with a good dose of butter and a hint of nutmeg. The deep-gold-colored 2002 Black Box Napa Valley Chardonnay will please lovers of very oaky Chardonnay. It smells of wood and butter and tastes like a carameled Golden Delicious apple.

The only Zinfandel offered by the box is Lodi's spicy Le Cask Old Vine California Zinfandel ($24 retail, $22 mail order). It's a medium-bodied Zin with a nose of dried cherries, stewed fruit and vanilla. Le Cask's even tannins and 14.5 percent alcohol do a good job balancing its bright cherry/berry fruit.

Zin is a favorite holiday wine for me; this one would go well with the melange of sweet and savory flavors typical of most holiday spreads.

Two spicy Syrahs also promise to stand up to le holiday buffet. The 2002 Banrock Station South Eastern Australia Shiraz ($16) is a fun wine with lots happening: a nose of black licorice, dark fruit, spice and earth, accompanying candylike flavors of raspberry, cassis and cherry-vanilla soda-pop.

The 2002 Delicato California Shiraz ($18) is full on the palate and busy, with wide-ranging aromas of toast, cherry, mushroom and black olive. Flavorwise, it's a winning combination of cherry and raspberry, cinnamon and a hint of bittersweet chocolate. It's a well-made wine with an extended finish.

Merlot is not a varietal that I typically go out of my way to drink, but nearly half of the box wines I liked were Merlots. They were surprisingly rich and balanced, with enough tannin to serve with meat and other rich foods. All displayed good varietal character.

The 2003 Hardys South Eastern Australia Merlot ($16) has a strong, earthy, green bell-pepper nose with a hint of white pepper and coffee. The finish is dry, with strong flavors of coffee and caramel.

The 2001 Corbett Canyon California Merlot ($10) is exceptionally good for the price. It displays a cherry-and-cigar nose along with tasty cherry, plum and cranberry on the palate. The long finish combines bright plum with caramel.

The 2000 Black Box Sonoma County Merlot ($25) is a rich and interesting wine with aromas of roasted green pepper and black pepper. Flavors include thyme, oregano, roasted red pepper and leather. It is consistently flavorful and full throughout.

The 2001 Delicato California Merlot ($18) sports a light nose of toasted marshmallow, banana, leather and berry. Mouth-filling cranberry and dried cherry flavors are balanced nicely by dry tannins.

The traditional, 5-liter box wines ranged from surprisingly good to shockingly bad. I was most impressed with Almaden's Cabernet Sauvignon ($10), which tasted and smelled like Cab, although it was very, very light.

The worst was Peter Vella's white Grenache, a wine that I will not taste again without hazard pay. My tasting notes say it best: "Ick. Skunky odor with port underneath. Cat food and gasoline. Cloying flavors. Oooooh, icky cat food finish. I MUST BRUSH."

Box wine is getting better all the time

Technorati Tags: box, boxed, cask, wine, reviews

Groovy or Grim?

From OttowaFood.com, the online Ottowa restaurant guide. The wines tasted were 1 liter packaging which indicates Tetra Pack, but some of these are also available in 3L bag in box:

Boxed Wine groovy or grim?

Ok, maybe it’s just because of fond memories, but I love the idea of boxed wine. My first wine experiences included boxed wine in Australia, where you could get pretty good quality vino in a box. It was so convenient that I brought it just about everywhere with me as I backpacked around the country.

When I returned to Canada after my Aussie travels, I was psyched to try out the local boxed wine. Unfortunately, what I had here was so disappointing; all I got out of it was four liters of cooking wine (I made a lot of mussels). So when Tetra Pak wines showed up on the market recently, I was skeptical. But as more and more selection flooded the stores, I started to get curious again – was this stuff any better than what I had tried a few years back?

Besides my soft spot for wine in a box, there are lots of other reasons why I think boxed wine is a great idea. First, as I mentioned before, it’s convenient. You don’t need a corkscrew and you don’t have to worry about glass bottles, which means it’s perfect for camping, the cottage, or other casual travels.

Then of course there are the environmental and economical considerations. Tetra Pak cartons are recyclable and are actually being recycled in most regions across Canada. In addition to their recyclability, wine cartons are a more environmentally-friendly packaging option than glass because they are based on source reduction, the first and most important component of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). A Tetra Pak carton weighs 40 grams. A glass bottle weighs at least 600 grams, or 15 times more. Even if you didn’t recycle any of your Tetra Pak cartons and recycled most of your glass wine bottles, the Tetra Pak format would still win out. And because they are so much lighter than glass, packaging wine in cartons reduces both fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, wine in a box creates less waste and less pollution than traditional glass bottles. (Source: Tetra Pak Canada Inc.)

So back to the quality – can you actually get any good tasting wine in a box? The statistics say yes. According to Tetra Pak Canada “The LCBO said Ontario consumers have purchased nearly one million liters of wine in Tetra Pak cartons in the past 10 months, and that U.S. figures show North American demand growing by 30 per cent per year.” Not only that, there are currently 30 wines in Tetra Pak cartons available at the LCBO and because of the demand, another 40 products are now in production.

So, I decided to put these statistics to the test and got a group of wine-loving friends together for a little boxed wine taste test. The results – not bad. Some we enjoyed, some not so much, but overall we agreed that for cottage and camping or for everyday, boxed wine is definitely an option. Will I throw my corkscrew away? Well, not just yet.


our favorite whites

Banrock Station Unwooded Chardonnay (Australia)
LCBO 668954 | $12.50 | 1 liter
Crisp and fruity, this wine is refreshing and food friendly with citrus and stone fruit flavors. This was our favorite wine of the whole tasting.

Three Thieves “Bandit” Pinot Grigio (California)
LCBO 614131 | $13.85 | 1 liter
Light, crisp, and simple, this wine is easy drinking. Nothing too complex going on, but enjoyable nonetheless.

our favorite reds

Banrock Station Shiraz (Australia)
LCBO 668962 | $13.80 | 1 liter
Coincidentally, this was one of my favorite boxed wines during my Australian travels. Classic berry fruit and black pepper, perfect for the bbq.

Red Lips Syrah (France)
LCBO 613968 | $12.85 | 1 liter
To quote my friend Angie “you could easily fall into a box of this” … it’s juicy and ripe with flavors of blackberry, cherry, plum, and vanilla, and a surprising hit of tannin. Ladies, enjoy this with your girlfriends sitting by the lake.

Le Petit Sommelier Shiraz/Grenache (France)
LCBO 619338 | $10.90 | 3 x 250 ml
I’m not sure which is better – the cute mini-carton packaging of this wine (each 250 ml carton gives 2 good sized glasses of wine) or the wine itself – the peppery spice of Shiraz, the fresh, juicy berry flavor of Grenache, and super food-friendly too.

Boxed Wine - Find an Ottawa Restaurant at OttawaFood.com

box boxed cask wine

Sutherlands Try Boxed Reds

From the Battle Creek Enquirer, Battle Creek, MI, September 6, 2007:

Wine in Nashville
Boxed reds have improved in quality

Last week we reviewed boxed white wines to augment tailgating, but for many fans, red wine might be more appealing - especially in a box.

There are plenty of reasons to go red on game day - to pair with burgers and hot dogs, to avoid chilled drinks once the weather turns cold, or simply because a lot of people just prefer red wine.

Boxed reds are available in a wide range of varietals, and although they did not fare as well in our tasting as the white wines overall, boxed reds have improved in quality in the past few years. And just like the whites, the reds come in unbreakable, vacuum-sealed containers holding the equivalent to four to six standard bottles, making them easy to transport and dispense to the masses (who are supporting your team, of course).

We tasted four boxed red wines. Here are the results:

2005 Delicato shiraz. $18.99/ 3 liters

The aroma reminded us of raspberries, blackberries, cedar, clove, pepper and bacon fat. On the palate, we found flavors of black cherries, tea leaves, lots of tannins and alcohol and a deep, dark coffee finish. This wine was far more complex and better balanced than the others and an obvious choice as our favorite. We thought the high alcohol might appeal to certain tailgaters, too.

Non-vintage Almaden red sangria. $17.49/5 liters

We discovered scents of cherries and lemon/lime soda - like a Shirley Temple. In the mouth, we tasted orange gumdrops and a hint of cinnamon. A sweet blend of red wine and fruit, this wine would be best over ice.

Non-vintage Pinot Evil pinot noir. $19.99/3 liters

The nose suggested lots of cherry, plum, fudge and cotton candy. It was very light-bodied with watery flavors and a vinegary finish. The nose was promising, but the palate was meek.

2005 Free Range red Bordeaux. $29.99/3 liters

In the bouquet, we found scents of ashes, coffee, black cherries, stems and weeds. The wine showed stemmy flavors on the attack and green bell peppers on the finish. This wine did not compare favorably at all with the others.

. . .

Contact Frank Sutherland at fsutherland@gmail.com. Frank and his daughter Kate Sutherland's wine-tasting group consists of representatives from the five wine distributors in Nashville, Tenn., a wine collector, a sommelier and food columnist Thayer Wine.

Battle Creek Enquirer - www.battlecreekenquirer.com - Battle Creek, Mich.

Hardys Boxed Wines Reviewed

From the News-Leader of Springfield, MO, August 26, 2007.

Boxed wine cheap, but doesn't taste it

Hardys of southeastern Australia is a major producer of wines in the land down under.

One of the company's claims to fame is the production of really good wine packaged in three-liter boxes, the equivalent of four regular bottles of wine. These boxes are made of heavy cardboard with a plastic bag inside that is filled with wine and sealed. At the bottom of the bag is a pouring spigot.

The wine can be kept in the refrigerator or on a shelf without any deterioration problems from oxidation for an incredibly long six weeks. The boxes also are a great way to carry your wine to a party, barbecue or out to the lake.

The wines from southeastern Australia are similar in style to the wines of California's Central Coast: full-flavored, fruity and very easy to drink. To us, the Australian wines have a bit of a mineral flavor in the background which enhances the drinker's enjoyment. Putting it simply: Hardys wines are good, sound table wines. They are the type of wines that you can serve every night with dinner without fracturing the budget. While they are affordable, they are not cheap in quality. Hardys offers an excellent value for your wine-buying dollar.

- Hardys 2006 South Eastern Australia Shiraz (three-liter box/$18.99): Shiraz is about as Australian as zinfandel is American. It is the signature wine of the land down under. The grape variety used in shiraz is known as the syrah to the rest of the world. The name and style "shiraz" has become so popular that many other wine-producing countries are now making shiraz wines, including our own. Hardys 2006 shiraz is typical of an Australian shiraz, displaying all of the charm and warmth for which the variety is famous. The deep ruby color heralds an aroma of full and inviting plum, red berry, spices and oak. The flavor is clean and soft with no rough edges or harsh tannins. There are hints of red summer berries mingling with plum, and a soft and interesting oak background. This wine will go exceptionally well with lamb dishes as well as lighter meats and pasta.

- Hardys 2006 South Eastern Australia Merlot (three-liter box/$18.99): The idea of the term "fruit-forward" will make perfect sense to you with the first sip of this excellent merlot. The aromas of plums, blackberries and cedar rise from the glass when the wine is poured. The flavor is a romp of blackberries, boysenberries and plum wrapped in a soft oak robe. The finish is expansive and fruity. To sum it up, this wine at this price is an outstanding bargain.

- Hardys 2006 South Eastern Australia Chardonnay (three-liter box/$18.99). Here is a perfect example of a modern Australian chardonnay, and an example of what can be accomplished with grapes from a fine growing area. The aroma stresses green apples, pears, melons and spice, with oak and vanilla in the background. The green apple and the melon are the most prominent flavors, with an entire collection of tropical fruits lying just offshore. This chardonnay deserves your attention, especially at the price.

- Hardys 2006 South Eastern Australia Cabernet Sauvignon (three-liter box/$18.99). This wine is a full-flavored delight that is further enhanced by a deep, dark, ruby color. The aromas of cherry and blackberry are presented up front and seem to fill the room when the cork is pulled. The flavor is as big and expansive as the aroma and is loaded with cassis, spice and a dusty mushroom flavor in the background. This is a well-made, full-flavored wine that takes second place to none in or around its price range.

Sheila and Bennet Bodenstein of Nixa write about wines each week for the News-Leader. E-mail your wine questions to frojhe@cebridge.net.

News-Leader.com | Homes

Washington Post Samples Some Boxes

Today, from the Washington Post

washingtonpost.com
Sunday Source Tip Sheet

Putting Bacchus in a Box

Boxed wines are anti-chic. They are the wino's wines, Mom's tipple from the fridge after Dad has gone to bed, or painful reminders of cheap college hangovers when our knowledge of wine was limited to "red," "white" and "pink."

Yet wine in a box has some advantages: A three-liter carton takes the space of two bottles but offers the buzz of four. Smaller boxes offer possibilities for covert sipping in places where alcohol might be frowned upon. Boxes fit neatly into a picnic basket and won't break on a patio or pool deck. And they are cheaper than bottles and corks, so the winery can pass that savings on to you.

Despite these conveniences, the stigma remains. After all, wines should bear vintage dates, not freshness dates. Yet with a glut of wine from California, France and Australia in recent years, some producers have been putting better-quality juice in unconventional containers.

The most common uncommon packaging is called "bag in a box" or even, in earthier company, a "bladder pack." Inside the box is a plastic bag that collapses around the wine as it is dispensed, keeping the remainder fresh for as long as four weeks, some companies say. Other wines are packaged in Tetra Paks, those European ´cardboard boxes you may have seen carrying soups at your grocery that come with their own spigots. (And there's something to be said for wine by the spigot!) Here are six locally available wines for those who don't mind thinking inside the box.

— Dave McIntyre - Special to The Washington Post

Sunday Source: Tip Sheet - Putting Bacchus in a Box (washingtonpost.com)

The following are some of the wines McIntyre sampled, and his remarks.

Banrock Station (Australia), 3-liter bag-in-box, $20; 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Chardonnay

Drinkable, but with an out-of-balance oak flavor — and at this price one suspects these wines never saw the inside of a barrel.

Black Box Wines (California), 3-liter bag-in-box, $20; 2005 Monterey County Chardonnay, 2005 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 Pinot Grigio, 2004 Merlot

For the price, we're just looking for something fun, tasty and interesting, and these deliver. The chard almost makes me want to get geeky and talk of mangoes and tropical aromas and a vague air of complexity. Extra props for the regional-appellation wines that show a hint of the character of the place.

Franzia (California), 5-liter bag-in-box, $12; Old World Classics Chianti, Argentina

The name Old World Classics Chianti Argentina should be enough to send you to the next aisle, even before you see the freshness date (Nov. 13, 2007, on the box I bought). Sweet, gamey and nothing at all like Chianti, but not nearly as disgusting as I feared, either. Just don't offer me a second glass.

Hardys Stamp of Australia, 3-liter bag-in-box, $20; 2005 Riesling, 2005 Chardonnay

The Riesling, a nice picnic wine, is semi-dry (geek speak for slightly sweet), with the flavor of key lime that helps define Riesling. Quite quaffable and enjoyable in moderation, especially with spicier foods.

Boxed Reds, Six Recommendations

Sunday's New York Daily News lifestyle section featured an article on boxed red wines. A blind tasting of 14 wines resulted in thumbs up for six wines including Powers 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Banrock Station 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Black Box 2005 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, Delicato 2005 Merlot, and Black Box 2004 Merlot.

Six boxed reds deserve to fly off the shelf
By MARY EWING-MULLIGAN
Sunday, June 10th 2007, 3:28 PM

If you're planning to eat outdoors or load up the car for a vacation, you might be thinking about buying a box of wine because of its low cost and convenience. But choose carefully. Even though many boxed wines are vintage-dated varietals, the wine is not always adequate.

In a blind tasting of 14 boxed reds, all were big, high-alcohol wines with dark flavors of baked fruit rather than medium-weight wines with fresh, lively flavors. Although they were generally soft (not very tannic), and many people will find them easy to drink, their heaviness reduces their refreshment factor, especially in warm weather.

Compared with boxed whites I bought - mainly Chardonnays, except for a couple of Pinot Grigios and a lone Riesling - the reds offered more variety in terms of their grapes. They included Pinot Noirs, Shirazes, Merlots, Cabernets and even a Grenache-based blend from southwestern France. But the best were the Cabernets, which stands to reason, because Cabernet Sauvignon makes sturdy wines that tend to be less affected by adverse conditions, such as the short shelf life boxed wines seem to have.

Of the 14 I tasted, I can recommend six.

Powers Winery 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley ($24 for 3 liters): This is my highest-scoring red because it is an authentic Washington Cabernet. That is, a full-bodied, well-made wine with ripe fruit flavors that isn't trying to please a mass-market consumer who wants a bit more sweetness. Also available in bottles, this is a wine to drink yourself but not necessarily to serve at a party with novice wine drinkers.

Banrock Station 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Eastern Australia ($19 for 3 liters): This is a crowd-pleaser, soft, ample, round and flavorful - think dark plums and black cherries. It's not light on its feet, but it has lots of ripe, dark fruit flavor. A good guzzle.

Three Thieves 2003 "Bandit" Cabernet Sauvignon ($11 for 1 liter): A classic Cabernet, lean, dry, with clean, concentrated flavors of black currants - and it's well-made. Considering it's a 2003, it's very fresh, which suggests reliability. Available as a 1-liter brick or four mini-bricks of 250 ml each.

Black Box 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles ($18 for 3 liters): This wine is full-bodied with soft tannins, making it easy to like. But connoisseurs will realize the winemaker is relying on a bit of sweetness to pull off its taste. It's a great value for a party or large outdoor family feast.

Delicato 2005 Merlot, California ($17 for 3 liters): This wine is dry, full bodied and soft, with substantial texture. It has lots of flavor, suggesting ripe black fruits with herbal and minty notes. Very well-made and very solid.

Black Box 2004 Merlot, California ($18 for 3 liters): This wine is more flavorful than the Black Box Cabernet and could be even more of a crowd-pleaser, with its soft style and ripe, black fruit flavors. But its alcohol is a bit too obvious, in my opinion.

Six boxed reds deserve to fly off the shelf

Related Tags: box, boxed, cask, red, wine, review

Sunset's Boxed Wine Picks

This excellent article about boxed wine was published in the May 2006 issue of Sunset Magazine. Ten of the Sunset staff (including the wine and food editors) tasted 25 boxed wines and picked the top five: Black Box Chard 2005; Delicato Merlot 2004; Stonehaven Chard 2005; Wine Cube Pinot Grigio 2004; and Wine Cube Shiraz 2004.

Wine in a box?
Premium wines can come in surprising packages. Read about the trend and see our top picks.
by Kate Chynoweth

When winery owner Jill Beaven hosts a dinner party, she fills two carafes — one for each end of the table — from a cardboard box of her own Cabernet Sauvignon that she keeps on the countertop. “It looks pretty, and pouring the Cabernet in advance lets it breathe a little bit and open up,” she says.

You know things have changed in the world of wine when you have to let boxed wine breathe.

Jill and her husband, Andrew, source their vines from a producer on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, an area comparable to California’s Central Valley. Last fall, the bicontinental couple, who split their time between Seattle and Adelaide, launched Tindindi Cellars in the Northwest, selling their 2001 Cab and 2004 Chardonnay all over Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, building on the hottest trend these days in the once-snobby wine world: premium boxed wines.

Aussies have actually been drinking decent wine out of a box for years — more than 50 percent of all wine sold Down Under is square. (Ironically, they call it “cask wine,” even though the boxes look like anything but casks.) The States, on the other hand, have traditionally snubbed anything but the cork.

Technological advances in the last five years or so, though, have made boxed wines much better than the cheapo jug-style schlock of the past. And Americans are drinking up these newer options — as illustrated by the more than 75 percent increase in sales of premium 3-liter boxed wines last year.

“People are starting to realize that the box is just a package,” Jill says. “It’s what’s on the inside that matters. And in Seattle especially, you get a very wine-savvy audience — Northwesterners aren’t afraid to try something new.”

Info: Tindindi Cellars’ wines ($20; www.tindindi.com) are available in the Northwest at QFC as well as some grocery stores and specialty wine shops.

Five reasons to buy boxed wine:

1. You get more bang for your buck. Premium wines come in 3-liter boxes (the equivalent of about four bottles) and sell anywhere from $15 to $25 a pop. Do the math — you’re getting a good deal on a good wine.

2. There’s no pressure to polish it off in one night. Unlike a bottle, which goes bad within a day or two of uncorking, boxed wine lasts about four to six weeks.

3. You can drink it now. Forget about the whole let-it-age thing — boxed wines are meant to be drunk within a year of being made.

4. It’s transportable. Because it won’t shatter, boxed wine is perfect for picnics, the beach, and tailgates. Take the oxygen-tight bag out of the box and bring it backcountry camping.

5. You have a reason to use that carafe. A pretty decanter filled with red wine looks so good on your table.

When shopping, look for:

3-liter boxes. These hold the good stuff. Avoid the old-school 5-liter cartons.

The vintage date and the varietal printed on the box. You want more information than simply “delicious red wine.” More recent vintages are generally better — boxed wine is not meant for the cellar.

The region. Check for familiar winemaking regions such as southeastern Australia or the Napa Valley.

Sunset staff picks

Reviews on Tindindi’s Cabernet Sauvignon were mixed, but the Chardonnay was deemed passable, especially by those who like a big, oaky style. Of the 25 boxed wines tasted by 10 of our staff, including wine editor Sara Schneider and our food editors, five rose to the top. Most of these are available at Beverages & More, except for Wine Cube, which is manufactured by Target and available only at Target stores.

Black Box Chardonnay 2005 (Monterey County, CA; $18). Creamy, buttery nose (with hints of Golden Delicious apple) meets zippy citrus flavors on the palate.

Delicato Merlot Bota Box 2004 (California; $18). Earthy nose with dried cherries. Smooth tannins and a long finish make it pleasant.

Stonehaven Chardonnay 2005 (Southeastern Australia; $18). Minerals and acid keep it from being flabby, despite its buttery nose.

Wine Cube Pinot Grigio 2004 (California; $16). Who knew you could get good wine at Target? Crisp citrus with melon and stone fruit. Great food wine.

Wine Cube Shiraz 2004 (South Australia; $16). Bacony, leathery, earthy, with dark plums and berries.

Wine in a box?

technorati tags: box, boxed, cask, wine, reviews

SF Chronicle Reviews Boxed Merlots

Here's another good article from the past out of my file drawer. Last month, I pulled out of my files an article from the San Francisco Chronicle. Last March in 'Volvo' Vino: Boxy but good, W. Blake Gray recommended three Chardonnays in boxes. Not to ignore the red wine lovers among us, a month later he looked at Merlots. In Think inside the box for inexpensive Merlots, Gray lists three in boxes worthy of mention. They were: Black Box Sonoma County Merlot; 2003 Black Box California Merlot, and 2004 Delicato Merlot.

Last month, I wrote about Chardonnay, some of it in boxes, and the main response I got from readers was, "What about boxes of red wine?"

You ask, we deliver. Well, not literally. You'll have to go to the store yourself to pick up any of this week's recommended bargain wines. But if you're a Merlot fan, it'll be worth the trip.

Despite flat sales growth, Merlot is still America's favorite red varietal, and second-favorite wine overall, after Chardonnay.

Merlot sales in large U.S. food stores actually dropped 0.2 percent over the last year, according to ACNielsen, while overall table wine sales climbed 3.3 percent. But Americans still bought about 60 percent more Merlot than Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel (not the pink kind) combined.

Bowing to the market, I tasted 35 bargain-priced Merlots from eight countries recently; these were the best 10 wines.

My very favorite came in a box. The nonvintage (NV) Black Box Wines Sonoma County Merlot ($24 for 3 liters) is an outstanding wine for this price range; a true bargain superstar. While $24 may not seem cheap, consider that the box holds the equivalent of four standard 750 ml bottles. This wine is both fruit-forward and complex, with flavors and aromas of black and red berries, a floral note and a measured touch of oak. The fruit tastes more red than black on the medium-long finish. Plenty of $24 bottles of Merlot aren't as good as this.

I also liked the 2003 Black Box Wines California Merlot ($18 for 3 liters), which was earthier and a bit sweeter than the Sonoma County version.

The winery's Web site, blackboxwines.com, has a nice summation of some of the advantages of boxed wines, including the fact that the wine can stay drinkable up to four weeks after opening because it's contained in a vacuum pack inside the box which deflates each time you draw a glass. The site also answers that ever-popular question "Where can I buy this wine?" with a search bar that lists California stores in locations from Alameda to Yuba City.

Wine in a box is more an accepted part of daily life in Australia than in the United States, so it's no surprise to find a good boxed Aussie Merlot. The 2004 Banrock Station South Eastern Australia Merlot ($18 for 3-liter) is simple but easy to drink, with a smooth, mild blackberry flavor.

In sampling boxed wines, one thing I keep discovering is that for whatever reason, they often taste different than the bottled versions.

Case in point: The 2004 Delicato Family Vineyards California Merlot ($7) in a bottle tastes of slightly sweet red fruit -- strawberries and red currant. In contrast, the 2004 Delicato Family Vineyards California Merlot ($18 for 3-liter box) is much oakier and more tannic, with flavors of blackberry and wood and decent acidity.

Delicato also owns the Monterey-based Monterra label. The 2004 Monterra Monterey County Merlot ($9) in a bottle offers sweet cherry flavors with oak and slightly gripping tannins; a simple but decent wine.

I tasted some other boxed Merlots, but they didn't make the cut, and our Wine section policy is to not write about wines we don't like. Fortunately, I found plenty of good Merlots in bottles to recommend.

The 2004 Fusee California Merlot ($6), from Sonoma negociant Don Sebastiani & Sons, is my second-favorite wine on this week's list. It definitely shows the effects of oak, with flavors and aromas of blackberry, cedar and lots of vanilla, but it's a whole lot of bold flavor for less than the price of a matinee movie ticket.

California's McManis Family Vineyards caused a stir in Europe recently when winemaker Jeff Runquist admitted to Agence France-Press that he uses oak staves and nylon mesh "tea bags" of oak chips to flavor his wines, rather than the traditional practice of aging them in barrels. The use of oak chips was at the heart of a recent wine trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, in which Europe basically caved to American negotiators and recognized the technique as legitimate. Runquist's unapologetic admission gave European wineries a person to criticize, rather than a method.

To which I say, hey, whaddya expect for $10? Sure, I'd rather drink a hand-harvested, barrel-fermented wine than a factory-processed, flavor-manipulated wine. But I'd also expect to pay $18 or more for it, and many people can't afford to spend that every night. Plenty of other wineries competing in this price range are doing what McManis is; I commend Runquist for his honesty.

Moreover, now I understand why all McManis Family Vineyards wines taste similar, regardless of grape variety. At least they're onto a formula that works. The 2004 McManis Family Vineyards California Merlot ($10) is like most of the Ripon winery's red wines: rich, enticing aromas and flavors of cherry and vanilla. Those of you who decry the international style of winemaking, avoid it. But for people who just want a delicious wine at a good price, it delivers. And McManis is hardly corporate; this is a family-owned, family-run winery competing with the big guys by using the same tools.

Speaking of the big guys, it's easy for longtime enophiles to make fun of Constellation's silly critter label 3 blind moose, but the world's largest wine company is doing the industry a service by wooing young drinkers away from beer and sweet cocktails with these easy-to-drink, slightly sweet, entry-level wines. The 2003 3 blind moose California Merlot ($10) is typically simple but drinkable, with flavors and aromas of cherry, cherry candy and red currant.

You don't expect to see Merlot from Italy, but the huge American market for the varietal has driven growers there to plant it, and the 2004 La Francesca Delle Venezie Merlot ($7), with a cherry flavor and slight herbaceousness, shows it can be a decent value.

Once you start bowing to the market, it's hard to know when to stop. I could decry the internationalization of Italian wine, as the country makes so many wonderful varietals of its own that it has no need for Merlot.

But if Europeans have to live with American oak chips, Americans should accept Merlots from Italy -- until Merlot sales go from "flat" to "plummeting." Unless there's a sequel to "Sideways," Merlot will probably stay America's favorite red wine for a while. We might as well pick the good ones -- even if they come in a box.

Think inside the box for inexpensive Merlots

I love Gray's reviews. He appreciates the place affordable wines have in the world, and has no "box" phobia.

technorati tags: box, boxed, cask, wine, red, Merlot, W, Blake, Gray

Twelve Boxed Wine Favorites

Three food writers, and over 40 boxes of wine. Eating Well has recently been "Thinking Inside the Box". Sounds like fun!

In the not-too-distant past, box and screwtop wines held roughly the same ranking in the wine pantheon as barely drinkable jug brands—the perfect choice for college kids. Screwtops have already made the leap to respectability—plenty of high-end vintners have forgone natural cork in favor of screwtops that assure predictable quality. But is box wine really ready to undergo a similar Cinderella transformation? The answer is unequivocally “yes”—and the revolution has already begun.

Thinking Inside the Box - Eating Well

So what were those 12 favorites? Six Chardonnays (ho hum) and six reds, mostly Cab and Merlot.

The Bottom Line

We tasted over 40 wines in several tasting sessions and have selected our Top 12 favorites from the group. All our picks in the white category were Chardonnays, which was primarily a function of availablility; of the 17 whites we found, five were blends, two were Pinot Grigios and the rest were Chardonnays. There were more varietals available in the red category. While we are not ready to give up bottled wines, there are some eye-opening discoveries to be made in boxes. The joy of uncorking a nice bottle of wine is deeply ingrained in many of us, but the days of judging a wine by its cap or container are clearly numbered.

Top Whites

Delicato, Chardonnay (California) 2004 $16 This rich Chardonnay is full of tart apples and pineapple mellowed in young wood with a hint of vanilla.

Carmenet, Chardonnay (California) 2004 $17 Tropical fruit, bananas, vanilla and a bit of oak burst from this golden-colored wine. Light bitter and sour tastes balance out the big Chardonnay flavors.

Stonehaven, Chardonnay (Australia) NV $17 Butter-yellow-colored wine, with soft oak and warm Golden Delicious apple scents. This smooth wine is medium-bodied with just a hint of acidity for balance.

Hardy’s, Chardonnay (Australia) 2005 $18 Straw-colored with a heady aroma of gardenia, melon and fig, this full-bodied and syrupy wine bursts from its box to fill the glass with heavy tropical fruit flavors of pineapple and mango. A rather hot finish.

Black Box Wines, Chardonnay (California) 2004 $22 Pale color and a rather delicate aroma characterize this crisp, clean Chardonnay with just a subtle suggestion of oak. It has a sweetscent of honeysuckle and sun-warmed fruit with nicely balanced splashes of golden apple and pear.

DTOUR, Chardonnay (France) 2004 $37 We tried to stick with wines available nationwide but this one was so good we had to break the rules; it’s only in New Jersey, New York and Maryland stores to date, but distribution will be expanded across the U.S. in the next year. This light, crisp wine has green apple, mild vanilla and light yeasty flavors.

Top Reds

Delicato, Merlot (California) 2004 $16 Redolent with berry and dark plum, this deep-colored wine smells like a bowl of fruit, rounded out with light oaky notes.

Carmenet, Merlot (California) 2002 $17 The rich garnet color foreshadows its deep fruit tones of raisin, black cherry and blackberry with hints of roasted coffee, clove and cedar. Fruit and spice play off one another so surprisingly well, you’ll want to pour another glass.

Voyage by Origin, Cabernet Sauvignon (California) 2004 $20 Dry, but not dry enough to strip your mouth, this sophisticated wine has bright black-cherry flavors and a whiff of sea air.

Washington Hills, Rainier Red (Washington) NV $20 A red blend full of flavorful fruit balanced by powerful tannins and just the lightest hint of sweetness on the tip of the tongue.

Black Box Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon (California) 2003 $22 A robust-colored red with tastes of cherries and a touch of smokiness. This full-bodied wine has a pleasant lingering finish.

Black Box Wines, Merlot (California) 2003 $22 Bakery-aroma wine that entices you to enjoy it with crusty pizza or grilled vegetables. Surprisingly complex with a nice balance of berries and a touch of fresh herbs and green pepper.

Thinking Inside the Box - Eating Well

And what about 5 liter plonk? It was not excluded, and the result does not surprise me. Almaden actually produces the best wines in 5L box. The Almaden Cab is a fine choice for a big outdoor picnic, and is good for cooking.

To be fair, we did include some of the value wines in our tasting. (We were pleasantly surprised by the Almaden Cabernet Sauvignon in the 5-liter box, though it didn’t make our Top 12 ranking.)

Thinking Inside the Box - Eating Well

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Forget the Corkscrew, Tap the Box

On August 3, 2005, Randy Buckner reviewed several boxed wines in Forget the Corkscrew for These Up-and-Comers, for the Tacoma News Tribune. It's nice to see a tasting list that ventures outside of the Black Box - Delicato - Wine Cube neighborhood. The Avery Lane wines come from Washington, and El Paseo is, of course, Spanish. Buckner's favorite was the Avery Lane Chardonnay. In his 100 point scale rating system, the first number indicates quality, and the second is relative value.

NV Avery Lane, Red Blend, Columbia Valley, Washington, $20, 3-liter cask.
A blend of four red grapes, the wine gives off aromas and flavors of black cherries, berries and vanilla. Crisp acids and soft tannins make it an easy quaffer; 81/81.

2004 Avery Lane, Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, Washington, $20, 3-liter cask.
This is the best of the box wines that I tried. Pears, apples and citrus notes float on a crisp, creamy background. This is perfect for those block parties; 83/85.

2004 Block Wine, Chardonnay, California, $10, 1.5-liter box.
Straw-colored, crisp and clean, the wine offers apricot, pear and oak aromas and flavors. This will make an ideal, inexpensive beach party quaffer; 80/80.

NV El Paseo, Valencia Red, Spain, $16, 3-liter cask.
The wine is 100 percent Tempranillo. It’s a simple but easy quaffer, with raspberry and blackberry fruit and smooth tannins; 80/80.

NV El Paseo, Valencia White, Spain, $16, 3-liter cask. Pale yellow in color. You’ll find floral aromas and pineapple nuances on the nose and palate. Nutty, figgy characters linger on the finish. Simple but slurpable; 80/80.

Forget the corkscrew for these up-and-comers | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA

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The Box Wine Guy Reviews Delicato Merlot

The Box Wine Guy picked a good one to review yesterday. The vintage dated Delicato California Merlot wines in 3 liter Bota Box packaging from Delicato Family Vineyards have been getting plenty of attention in the last 3+ years. The Box Wines blog yesterday featured a review of the 2005 box, and gave it a rating of 8.5 out of 10. Here's what he had to say.

In tasting Delicato Merlot 2005, we seem to have skipped the 2004 vintage. We last tasted Delicato Merlot 2003, and never saw 2004. In any case, the 2005 Merlot is a worthy successor. The aroma has blackberry and saddle leather notes. The wine is nicely structured, with plenty of berry, plum, and oak.

Wines » Delicato Merlot 2005

Follow the link to see the complete review. The Box Wine Guys reviews are always thorough and thoughful, and reflect a respect for the need to judge the wine that's inside the box, not the box itself.

technorati tags: Delicato, Merlot, box, boxed, cask, wine, review

Wine of the Week ... IN A BOX!

From the Baltimore Sun, Michael Dresser's Wine of the Week last Wednesday featured a French wine available in a bag-in-box package.

The 2003 Cuvee de Pena, Vin de Pays Pyrenees Orientales ($10) is a medium-bodied red wine from the south of France. It's an uncomplicated delight that bursts with bright flavors of blueberry, cherries, earth and herbs. It's an outstanding wine for current drinking. It's also available in bag-in-a-box format - an especially good value.

Winston-Salem Journal | Wine of the Week: 2003 Cuvee de Pena

Sounds yummy! Thanks Michael Dresser for bringing this find to our attention. Nice to see a recommendation of a really nice wine in a box getting out to readers .

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