Box Wine - good and inexpensive

I know all the stigma associated with wine in a box. I understand that it's not the most elegant of dispensers, but if you practice frugal living and also enjoy wine, then wine in a box might be a good value for you.

Wine purists won't like the idea that it doesn't come in a bottle with a sleek, slender, sexy neck.

If you're interested in saving money on wine, then you'll have to turn a blind eye to all that tradition. Just use the plastic spout and enjoy the wine. If you really must have your wine out of a bottle, then visit good cheap wines to meet your frugal fermented needs.

Knowledge of Wine

Before we proceed with a discussion of box wine, I suppose that I should establish my credentials in this area. I'm not exactly new to wine or wineries. I have lived around and visited the wine country of California for many years. Actually, it's wine grape country, but let's go along with the common expression "wine growing region" and call it good.

I've tasted wine in dozens of wineries across the country and around the world. My tastes range from white to red, and from dry to sweet. My favorite wineries are in California, Washington, Chile, Australia and South Africa.

My tastes are discriminating enough to detect most of the wines contained in a blend. I can "taste into the future" to predict what a young red wine will taste like after it is allowed to mellow in the bottle for a few years. In response to a request, I put some of my skills and knowledge to work by conducting a wine review for Octavin box wines, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Although I enjoy box wine, I insist on drinking it out of a wine glass. It is the proper way as far as I'm concerned. I have a rather large collection of wine glasses suitable for any occasion.

Enough about my credentials in the area of wine. Let's look at the pros and cons of box wine.

Advantages of Box Wine

Let's highlight some of the key benefits of wine in a box. There are many.

• Right from the start, it should be noted that wine in a box is inexpensive, and that's why I mention it here. It could be part of your approach to frugal living; it is for me. The whole idea is to enjoy wine and still be frugal about it.

• The next advantage of box wine is that it easily fits in the refrigerator. The box is a convenient size for sitting upright or laying down. I never have to adjust the shelves in the refrigerator to get the box wine to fit.

• You might have guessed that wine in a box doesn't roll around if you place it on its side. Not so with bottles. And, the box wine is also nearly unbreakable.

• The handle on the box makes it easy to carry, and since the box and bag within are very lightweight, you'll find that nearly all the weight is associated with the wine.

• When you buy one box, you're really getting the equivalent of something like 6 bottles of wine in the bag/box. That seems much more convenient to me than buying six bottles.

• No opener is needed to access the product, and the dispensers are usually easy to use and nearly always drip proof.

• Last, but not least, the manner of dispensing prevents air from reaching the wine, so it stays fresh much longer after opening.

Disadvantages of Box Wine

Okay, so now let's examine some of the drawbacks of wine in a box. It's only fair to look at both sides while we're at it.

• First, the selection of wines is limited when you buy it in a box. You'll only find the most popular varieties. For example, you're probably not going to find Gewurztraminer or Pinot Noir or Cabernet Franc in a box. These aren't popular with the masses.

• Second, the wine is produced in bulk (like nearly all wine) and blended to have broad appeal. Therefore, you're not going to get a varietal from a particular vineyard that has specific characteristics attributable to climate and soil variations.

• Third, some of the wine can have "natural flavors" added that aren't used in traditional wine production. This is recognized as a "foul" by many wine enthusiasts.

• Fourth, you'll never get a hand-crafted aged-in-oak-barrel quality in box wine that you would expect from a traditional winery. There is no distinction between vintages where certain years can make for better wines.

• Fifth, there are only a few producers of box wine, so you don't have many options when it comes to finding a producer you like.

• Sixth, there is no "pop" from pulling the cork, and there is no ritual of pouring a glass of wine from a glass bottle. It's more like tapping a keg or water cooler full of wine - a far cry from the tradition and romance of bottled wine.

Best Box Wine

I have tried several producers of box wine, and my favorite is Peter Vella. I think it is the best. Several of his varieties are appealing to me. For relaxing in the evening, I enjoy Delicious Red. It is best when chilled (unlike most red wine that should be enjoyed at room temperature), and it is smooth and enjoyable.

Peter Vella also makes a nice White Zinfandel for those of you who believe your life isn't too short for this kind of wine. Both the Delicious Red and White Zinfandel are great party wines for sipping with friends.

I have also tried Almaden box wine. Mountain Chablis is a nice wine for sipping by itself or with a chicken dinner.

Not all that thrilled with my selection of boxed wine, then search for your own and perhaps you'll find a great treasure to savor.

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What Goes Good with Wine?

One of my favorite cartoons depicts a wine tasting class where students are asked: "What goes good with white wine?" A clever and enthusiastic student stands up and declares: "Red wine!" I agree.

Here I would like to give you a few insights about wine in the event that you aren't too familiar with it. I ask your forgiveness if I insult your knowledge or experience with my comments.

I find that so many people aren't enjoying wine to the fullest because they haven't had a good introduction to it, so please allow me to highlight the basics.

• Nearly all whites should be chilled before serving.
• Only sweeter reds should be chilled, all other reds should remain at room temperature.
• Hardy dry reds like Cabernet Savingnon are great with steak or chocolate.
• Dry whites like Savingnon Blanc are wonderful with chicken or fish.
• Intensely sweet late harvest whites are good with fruit or chocolate.
• Medium body reds like Pinot Noir are good with salmon.
• Zinfandel is red (unless called White Zinfandel) and it is wonderful with pastas that have a red sauce.
• Use a white wine like Chablis for pastas with a white sauce.
• White Zinfandel is a "picnic wine" that is sweet and light in taste, and suitable for casual dining and snacks like apples, grapes and slices of cheese.
• Bottled red wine aged in oak, like Cabernet Savignon will mellow out over several years and is a good keeper in cool conditions like the basement.
• Bottled white wine aged in oak can last a year or so in cool conditions, but it is intended to be consumed soon after purchase.
• Bottled wine not aged in oak, but rather in stainless steel vats, and all box wine should be consumed soon after purchase.
• The percentage of alcohol in wine is inversely proportional to its sweetness because it is sugar that converts to alcohol during fermentation. High alcohol content such as 14% is a dry wine. Low alcohol content like 9% is a sweet wine.

Wrapping it Up

Robert Louis Stevenson said that "wine is bottled poetry". Well, in this case, our poetry is inside a plastic bag stored inside a box. Box wine is not nearly as romantic as a bottle, but I'm okay with that.

The point is to enjoy the wine and be financially conservative while you do it. Good wine doesn't have to be expensive, and box wine is usually a good value.

I know we are all supposed to like a certain varietals and a certain vintage that comes in a bottle with a cork. My take on this is rather clear cut:

The wine you're supposed to like, is the wine that you do indeed like; forget what anyone else says about the label or the container or the wine inside.

The snobs will say that life is too short for White Zinfandel. Well, I say that life is too short for wine snobs, and if you enjoy White Zinfandel, then go for it. If you enjoy your White Zinfandel as a box wine, then that's just fine too.

Good wine tasting to all who want a little luxury with their frugal living, and be responsible should you decide to partake in this nectar of the vines, whether it comes in a bottle or a box.

Done with Box Wine, take me back to Frugal Living Tips