Wine Box Holder

Regarding the previous post, the article mentions a wine box cover.

The article was originally published in December 2005, and since that time, the wine box cover has disappeard from the shopping sites (Target, Marshall Field's, Amazon). This cover is an item that apparently fell flat rather quickly.

If it is that important to "dress up" the box, I can think of easier ways to do it. A decorative fabric cover, for instance.

I had the sales copy and photo in my files, so for what it's worth, this is what it looked like:

Our stylish stainless steel holder is designed to cover boxed wine but still allow access to the carrying handle. Good Wine, Good Friends, Good Times is etched on the front. Fits most 5-liter boxes. 10-3/4Hx4-1/4Wx10-1/4D.

Wine Box Holder News Search

technorati tags: box, boxed, cask, wine, cover, holder, stainless steel

Judge Not Wine by its Container

In the Danville, IL, Commercial-News, August 31, 2006, Julia Megan Sullivan writes about the latest wine packaging trends in Judge Not Wine by its Container.

Let’s look at the evolution of wine containment systems.

First we had goat bladders. They were fashionable in their day, but constantly leaking on the original Ug boots.

Then came barrels; not as easy to transport, but no animals were harmed. They were also good for hiding secret passages (see any classic Scooby Doo episode for a demonstration).

Next came the bottle. Stuffed with a cork, this made the wine mobile again. However, only the true professional was able to open them without “seasoning” the wine with “cork sprinkles.”

From there, some genius decided a screw-top was better, but was forced to sacrifice the stay-fresh-ability of the vino.

Which brings us to modern day, where we have reached wine containment nirvana: the box.

Box wine has gotten a bad reputation, but in recent years, there has been a grass-roots movement to overcome that negative perception. No more shall you feel the urge to throw your coat over the contents of your cart to cover your cardboard-encased beverage when spotted by a co-worker! No more! Judge not the wine by its container.

Box wine is now (I’m not making this up) referred to as “cask wines” by those with distinguished tastes who yearn to dispense their beverages with a tap instead of a corkscrew.

In case you don’t know, box wine consists of a sort of “bladder” encased in an easily-stackable cardboard box with a handle grip on the top for portability, making it the genetic superior of all of its predecessors.

After tearing along the perforation, you expose a tiny cooler-like tap. And instead of that “orange drink” that was forced down the throat of every kid who ever played soccer, it dispenses wine!

Granted, the wine is usually of an extremely low alcohol percent (less than 10), but it usually is very low in price. Locally, you can get 5 liters of Franzia for about $8.99. Head to http://www.blackboxwines.com. Their intro text says it all:

“Black Box Wines makes America’s highest quality boxed wine. …You can now enjoy excellent tasting wine in a 3-liter box for about half the price you would pay for a bottled wine of the same quality. As an additional bonus, our bag-in-box package protects your wine, keeping it fresh for at least 4 weeks after opening.”

Ready to serve a box or two at your holiday party, but still doubtful that your box wine will be able to impress your hoity-toity friends? Wish that there was some way to dress up the box even more?

How about a wine box cover? It’s available from Signals, a catalog that offers everything from inspirational bracelets to replicas of the leg lamp from “A Christmas Story.”

For the low, low price of only $39.95 you can enjoy their “stylish stainless steel holder … designed to cover boxed wine, but still allow access to the carrying handle.” As if that wasn’t enough, there’s an etching on the side that reads “Good Wine, Good Friends, Good Times.” Brilliant.

Can’t wait to buy it? Take the shortcut at http://tinyurl.com/aolzs.

So what is next for wine containment? Well, I got a preview at a local grocery store. There on the shelf was a box of wine. But this was no 5-liter wine system. It was closer to 20 ounces.

Undoubtedly inspired by astronauts, this personal box was all-too-reminiscent of a Capri-Sun pouch. The only kicker? You have to buy the straw separately.

The Commercial-News, Danville, IL - Judge not wine by its container

More about that wine box holder later.

technorati tags: box, boxed, cask, wine

'Tis the Season for Cabernet Sauvignon (in a Box)

W. Blake Gray, wine writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, recently tasted 45 budget Cabernets, and reviewed several of them in Friday's edition of the Chronicle. In Cool Weather Means Cabernet Sauvignon Season Is Here, Gray included the 2004 Black Box Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon from Black Box Wines among his 10 selections from the field of 45.

For great packaging, it's hard to beat the 2004 Black Box Wines Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($18 for 3 liters). Not only is the eponymous black box sleek and attractive, it contains a collapsible plastic bag that keeps the wine fresh for up to four weeks -- a great thing for people who only want to have one glass per night. Because the box holds the equivalent of four standard 750-ml bottles, this is the cheapest wine by the ounce on this list. Yet this is not a pick solely on style or price: It's a food-friendly Cab with flavors of blackberry and black plum that stands on its own merits.

Cool weather means Cabernet Sauvignon season is here

technorati tags: box, boxed, cask, wine, Black Box, Cabernet, Sauvignon, review

Astica Tempranillo Malbec 3 Liter Box

An addition to the Boxed Wine Spot's no-frills list of bag-in-box wines:

Astica Tempranillo-Malbec
Bodegas Trapiche
Argentina, Mendoza
3 liter box, vintage dated
Also available in bottle
Found available in Scandinavian countries

No tasting notes found on website.

technorati tags: box, boxed, cask, wine, Astica, tempranillo, malbec, Bodegas, Trapiche, Argentina

Corbett Canyon Chardonnay 3 Liter Box

The first addition to the Boxed Wine Spot's no-frills (just the facts, ma'am) list of bag-in-box wines:

Corbett Canyon Chardonnay
Corbett Canyon Vineyards (The Wine Group)
California
3 liter box, vintage dated
Also available in bottle
About $10 - $15

Our Chardonnay is medium bodied, brimming with crisp apples and pears. Enjoy its smooth finish with grilled seafood, roast chicken and cream sauced pastas.

Corbett Canyon Vineyards: Chardonnay

technorati tags: Corbett Canyon, Chardonnay, list, box, boxed, cask, wine

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

The Box Is Your Friend at Holiday Parties

The Recipe Source Online blog posts today on Serving Wine at Holiday Parties. Take a look, for good solid advice on purchasing wine for a holiday party. Boxed wine has it's place in the world, and this post does a good job of fitting the box into the big picture. Here's an exerpt

A Box is Your Friend

There is an unfavorable stigma attached to box wine, like lawyers or people obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons. But, box wine is often a party staple. This is because it’s inexpensive, it’s convenient, the leftovers won’t spoil, and even if you don’t enjoy the taste of it, many others do.

Box wine was once the laughing stock of the wine world: people often equated it with cheap wine, it was only purchased by those who had a cash flow problem, and cases of Pinot Noirs were often found pointing and laughing, mocking the box wine from the comfort of their glass bottles. However, over the years this stigma has gone down the drain, and the box wine of today now stores a variety of wine, including wines that are premium.

Recipe Source Online: Serving Wine at Holiday Parties

I find the image of bottles of Pinot Noir pointing and laughing at the lowly box is simultaneously amusing and mildly disturbing.

technorati tags: box, boxed, cask, wine, holiday, party