Drinking Outside the Box
Reconsidering box wines
By Adam Scoppa |
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Perhaps one of the most reviled concepts in the world of wine is The Box. Ranking just behind The Jug o' Wine in the eyes of many drinkers, the Box o' Wine is generally regarded as the choice of the clueless consumer.
At a Christmas get-together not long ago, my uncle offered me something red out of a box. Like a pretentious jerk, I hesitated and noticeably winced before accepting. He grabbed a coffee mug from the cupboard, arousing more pangs of ambivalence before I remembered that it was Christmastime and Uncle Dan is kin.
"Ice cubes?" he queried. All wrong, I thought. Wine-In-A-Box often promotes the most backwards wine drinking behavior. Even without the cubes to water it down, my beverage was a flat, one-dimensional, sorry excuse for fermented grape juice.
However, as with many aspects of wine, it is unwise to write something off based on a single experience. Not all box wines are insufferable - in fact there are several that are more than worthy, especially when cost and quantity are considered. As the heavy glass of bottles is factored out of the transportation costs, the winemakers can afford to put money into other facets of production. The wines are also usually inexpensive, considering most boxes contain three liters of wine, which can be consumed for upwards of a month without losing flavor.
Here are a few worth considering:
Bota Box Old Vine Zinfandel
3 Liters (4 standard bottles), $24
I typically enjoy red wines labeled "old vine" or "ancient vine" because I feel the flavor has a more concentrated depth. After being skeptical, fearing that Bota Box would miss the boat on this, it surprised me and provided the kind of zesty, exotic subtlety I was hoping for. This is a tasty, fruity food wine to go with dishes like herb roasted chicken with vegetables and barbecue.
Black Box Pinot Grigio
3 Liters (4 bottles), $26
For this drinkable and refreshing Pinot Grigio, California-based Black Box sourced the grapes from the Delle Venezie region of Italy. Had I not known this before drinking it, I may have guessed; its lean body, mineral nose, and tangy citrus flavors recall the Old Country. Give me a glass of this to accompany tilapia with cilantro cream sauce or just some fresh pasta salad.
French Rabbit Pinot Noir
1 Liter, $10
French Rabbit is not a box wine per se, but it is packaged in a money-saving, juicebox-like container called a tetrapack, which is enough to start people scoffing. This wine is fantastic though, falling somewhere between the New World and the Old. Emphasis on fresh ripe strawberry and cherry flavors is apparent, but so is an earthy essence of the French countryside, which bodes well for Burgundy lovers. Savory dishes that will stand up to this robust wine, like duck, pork, or pasta with red sauce, are recommended.
Originally Published: September 1, 2009
