Not the typical syrupy sweet stuff, this Wahluke Slope Cabernet based blend raises the bar for boxed wine. The Gratsi Old Country Red Box Wine. A Cabernet Sauvignon based red blend from Wahluke Slope in the Columbia Valley of Washington State. The wine has slightly over 1 … [Read more...]
Box Wines! The 2022 Guide To The Best Box Wine
Box wine has a bad rap, and unfortunately a lot of it is deserved. There are way too many producers out there solely using the box to keep their costs as low as possible – including filling it with the cheapest wine possible. Bad wine is bad wine, no matter how cheap it is and the format it comes in!
Once hidden away from judging eyes behind coffee machines or cookie jars or stashed deep inside refrigerators, box wines have begun to come of age and can represent the ultimate value for wine drinkers. The only problem is winnowing the wheat from the chaff because as we found firsthand -- there's still a whole lot of boxed plonk out there.
Before we get to all of our favorite picks, let's answer the question...
Why box wine?
1) Convenience is a major factor. The typical box is three liters (3L), which is the equivalent of 4 bottles. Boxes are easy to buy, easy to transport from the store (seriously, try carrying 8 bottles of wine in your arms and then compare that to just two boxes), easy to use (no corkscrew necessary), and always on hand and ready to please whether you just want a smidge or you need to (discreetly) fill your Starbucks Trenta cup.
2) Cost! Not only do you generally save purely because you are buying in bulk, but bag in box packaging costs a fraction of traditional glass bottlings for the same amount of wine. In addition, with the box packaging itself weighing about the same as a single glass bottle there are massive savings in shipping costs which in theory get passed on to you.
3) It's environmentally friendly. Thanks to the aforementioned lighter packaging, box wines are much lighter to ship at all points in the supply chain and have a carbon footprint less than half that of the equivalent bottles.
4) It stays fresh for 4-6 weeks. Even the best preservation methods for a bottle of wine will only save it for a few days, but with the vacuum sealed pouches used today your wine stays as good as new for weeks after you pour the first glass.
5) And last but not least, box wine puts an end to worries about cork taint which affects a surprising number of bottles. (Probably unknowingly to most consumers -- they just assume the wine was no good and don't buy it again.)
Because of these advantages it's no surprise that sales of box wines are increasing year over year at a double-digit rate (10+%) in the USA. Even with this increase; however, adoptance in the U.S. is still quite low at less than 10% of sales. In Europe, on the other hand, box wines make up about 20% of wine sales and in Australia, the land of the screw cap, it's an astounding 50%!
After tasting hundreds of boxed wines, we find that they generally seem to divide into two camps -- those that focus on keeping the wine as cheap as possible (which are not always the brands you would expect) while still producing something relatively good versus those that are focused more on the quality of the wine but turn to the box for convenience or because of environmental concerns. As you might guess the quality of wine is significantly better in the second group.
It's also interesting to note that while the trend in bottled wines has been to higher alcohol reds, very few of these boxes cross the 13% alcohol level. My guess is that this is simply another cost saving measure, as the excise tax for wine increases once alcohol level hits 14%. This does raise some concerns as it could mean producers are putting too much focus on their costs rather than on quality -- i.e. are they sacrificing the quality of the wine to keep the alcohol percentage artificially low? I have my suspicions, although no definitive answers, but it's certainly something to watch for in this growing segment.
At Reverse Wine Snob we are constantly on the search for those wineries putting quality wine in a box for all the right reasons. Below are our favorite picks for the best inexpensive boxes on the market.
Click here to get a printable shopping list of the best box wine!
And while we haven't tried every iteration of every box out there, we have and continue to try quite a few. If you don't see a brand on this list, it's most likely because we don't recommend it. We love this format but we're still discerning about what goes into it!
Read on for our list of The Best Box Wine!
(Note that while some of the pictures below are of bottles, all of these wines are available in a box!)
Gratsi Old Country White Box Wine - Really Refreshing
Sauvignon Blanc from Horse Heaven Hills in a convenient 3 liter box, the Gratsi Old Country White boxed wine. Sauvignon Blanc from Horse Heaven Hills in the Columbia Valley of Washington State. The wine has less than 1 g/L of residual sugar. … [Read more...]
Radio Boka Tempranillo - Soft, Sweet and Easy
A new box wine pick, the Radio Boka Tempranillo. Tempranillo from Castilla-La Mancha, Spain that is partially aged in 100% French Oak. The wine has 15 g/L of residual sugar. … [Read more...]
La Vieille Ferme Blanc - Simply Tasty
The chicken strikes again! The La Vieille Ferme Blanc from Famille Perrin. A blend of Bourbolenc, Grenache Blanc, Vermentino and Ugni Blanc from France. The wine has just 2 g/L of residual sugar. … [Read more...]
Porta 6 Red - Goes Down Easy
Revisiting the latest vintage of this slightly sweet Portuguese red blend for just $5.99, the Porta 6 from Trader Joe's. 50% Aragones, 40% Castelao and 10% Touriga Nacional from Lisboa, Portugal. The wine has 9 g/L of residual sugar. … [Read more...]
La Vieille Ferme Red - French For Value
Bottle or box, La Vieille Ferme Red deserves a permanent position on your counter. … [Read more...]
Sokol Blosser Evolution Oregon Pinot Noir - My Kind of Box
High quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir in a boxed wine, the Evolution Oregon Pinot Noir from Sokol Blosser. 100% Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon in a 1.5L box. The wine is aged for about 3 months with a small amount of oak staves submerged in the stainless … [Read more...]
Sokol Blosser Evolution Lucky No. 9 White - A Masterful Creation
Smooth, crisp and tasty and now available in a box! The Sokol Blosser Evolution Lucky No. 9 White Blend. A white blend of 9 different varieties including Pinot Gris, Muller-Thurgau, Chardonnay, Muscat-Canelli, Gewurztraminer, Semillon, Riesling and Early Muscat from … [Read more...]
Natural Origins Malbec and Cabernet Box Wines – Naturally Good
Two organic boxed wines with tiny price tags, the Natural Origins Malbec and Natural Origins Cabernet Sauvignon from Domaine Bousquet. 100% Malbec and 100% Cabernet Sauvignon in 3L boxes. Made from grapes grown organically at 4000ft of altitude Tupungato, Alto Gualtallary, … [Read more...]
La Vieille Ferme Rosé - Fresh, Easy and Cheap
Value never tasted so good, the La Vieille Ferme Rosé widely available in bottle or box. A blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah from France. This rosé is produced using the Saignée method where juice from the early stages of red wine fermentation is bled off. The wine is … [Read more...]
Casa Santos Lima Red Blend Portugal - Quite The Bargain
The best $6 you can spend at Costco? The Casa Santos Lima Red Blend Portugal. An unspecified blend of native Portuguese varieties from Lisboa, Portugal. The wine is aged four months in oak barrels. … [Read more...]
Indaba Sauvignon Blanc - 3 Liters of Delicious
This box is gold! The Bulk Buy rated Indaba Sauvignon Blanc boxed wine. 100% Sauvignon Blanc from Western Cape, South Africa. The wine is made by Bruwer Raats and Clayton Christians and fermented in stainless steel and aged on its lees for 3 months. It has less than 2.1 … [Read more...]
Stella Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - Hits The Spot!
After tasting the simple but oh so satisfying Stella Montepulciano d'Abruzzo you'll be quite happy to know it's available in a 3-liter box! 100% Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Italy. The wine is aged for 5 months in stainless steel and another 4 months in the bottle before … [Read more...]
Bridge Lane Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc - High-Quality Wine In A Can
Two more quality canned wines to add to our list, the Bridge Lane Rosé and Bridge Lane Sauvignon Blanc from New York State. … [Read more...]
Boxx Cellars Sangiovese - Truly Tasty
The Boxx Cellars Sangiovese, low production wine from the Sangiovese specialists at Vino Noceto. 100% Sangiovese from Amador County, California. … [Read more...]
Archer Roose Cabernet Sauvignon - Mass Appeal
This quirky crowd-pleaser definitely has mass appeal. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo Valley, Chile. The wine has a residual sugar of 4 g/L and is matured in contact with French oak. … [Read more...]
Archer Roose Carmenere - Hits the Bullseye
Just what you want in a box. 100% Carmenere from Colchagua Valley, Chile. The wine has a residual sugar of 3.2 g/L and spends time in French oak. … [Read more...]
Maison Cubi Rosé - Go All In On Rosé
You'll be very glad this super refreshing rosé comes in a box! 80% Grenache and 20% Cinsault from Domaine de La Castille in Provence, France. … [Read more...]
Las Perdices Malbec - Bottle or Box, You Can't Go Wrong
100% Malbec from Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina. The wine spends 8 months in French and American oak. … [Read more...]
Maison Cubi Syrah Carignan - The Solution to the Boring Box
BULK BUY! 10% Syrah and 90% Carignan from Corbieres, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. The Carignan comes from 120 year old vines. SRP of $30 for a 3L box and available at that price. Also available in a 750ml bottle for $10. Sample submitted for review. From the … [Read more...]
The Best Box Wines - Jack Tone Vineyards White Blend
A blend of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat Canelli from California. SRP of $20 and available for as low as $16. Sample submitted for review. From the bottle: "McManis Family Vineyards' tradition has always been to make the highest quality wine, while over … [Read more...]
The Best Box Wines - Fuori Strada Off Road Sangiovese
100% Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy. Made with organic grapes. SRP of $15 and available for as low as $12 for a 1 Liter Tetra Pak. Sample submitted for review. From the box: "This wine expresses the classic qualities of Italian Sangiovese - intense ruby red with hints of … [Read more...]
The Best Box Wines - Lieb Cellars Bridge Lane White Blend
29% Chardonnay, 26% Pinot Blanc, 18% Riesling, 14% Viognier, 9% Sauvignon Blanc and 4%Gewürztraminer from North Fork of Long Island, New York. SRP of $46 and available for as low as $40. 810 cases produced. Sample submitted for review. From the box: "0% Oak 0% Residual … [Read more...]
The Best Box Wines - Wineberry Domaine de Garrigon Cotes du Rhone
60% Grenache, 30% Carignan and 10% Syrah from Cotes du Rhone, France and made from organically grown grapes. SRP of $50 and available for as low as $39. Sample submitted for review. From the bottle: "Quality - The Wineberry Box conserves your wine from the worst enemies: air … [Read more...]