In Defense of Boxed Wine

      I’m not talking about Franzia, which I firmly believe should be reserved for college parties and “slapping the bag”. Changes in consumption patterns and packaging innovations have led manufacturers to rethink the standard cork and bottle. The result is a number of palatable and quality wines available, for your convenience, in a box.

Here are a few reasons to consider ditching the bottle:

1. More for your money: A standard box of wine contains four 750 ml bottles, at an average price of between $15-$25. Since I generally plan to spend around $10 a bottle, these boxes are well under my budget and come without the headache of a cheap $5 wine.
2. Stays fresh longer: Although traditionalists may turn their noses up at anything other than cork, alternate sealing methods like plastic corks, screw tops and bagged/boxed wine have proven just as effective at keeping unopened wine from spoiling. In fact, boxed wines which actually come in a vacuum sealed bag with an airtight spout, ensure that only what you’ve poured will be exposed to oxygen, keeping the rest of the box as fresh as an unopened bottle. This comes in handy if you live in a one or two person household where you generally won’t (or shouldn’t) finish an entire bottle in one night.
3. Easy on the go: Maybe it goes back to my days in Florence, where hikes up to Piazzale Michelangelo with a bottle of wine and some bread were a standard Friday or Saturday night occurrence, but I love enjoying a glass of wine outside. While boxed wine’s value makes it great for serving at house parties, it’s also easy to take with you. Backyard barbeques, block parties, picnics and any place that’s BYOB are perfect occasions for boxed wine.
4. Environmentally friendly: The boxes are easily recyclable and some, like the BotaBox are even made from recycled materials.

I started buying boxed wine, not only for the sake of researching this post, but also because of my limited budget. It also eliminated frequent trips to the store and the possibility of accidentally finishing the bottle by myself in one night. Here’s what I’ve tried. I’ve found them all to be very drinkable and tasty everyday wines.

Black Box Merlot – Wine Enthusiast Best Buy 2010

BotaBox RedVolution – a touch on the sweet side 

BotaBox Cabernet Sauvignon – lighter and a little less sweet than the blend – Wine Enthusiast Best Buy 2011

Big House Red – quite possibly my favorite of the bunch, light and a little spicy - great for the upcoming warmer months!

And for those of you who prefer white wine, my favorite brands have white counterparts that come highly recommended:

 I’m looking forward to trying Pepperwood Grove’s “Big Green Box” (I’m already a big fan of their Pinot Noir) and the Italian Fiori Strada “Off Road” Sangiovese. 

And there’s more where that came from… Feel free to comment with your favorite boxed wine!

Cheers to thinking (and drinking) inside the box!

Handcraft Petite Sirah

      I rarely drink Petite Sirah, the only reason being that I don’t know much about it. As I’ve shared in earlier posts, my mom is more of a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon drinker so those are what I have become most familiar with. Aside from those, the bulk of my wine knowledge is Italian and most typical retailers carry little more than a few Chiantis. Because of this, and my limited wine budget, I often select something that I know. That is, unless someone in the store offers a recommendation. This is how I came to discover what might be my new favorite wine. 

      According to Wineaccess.com, the petite in Petite Sirah refers to the size of the grapes, whose high skin to juice ratio produces the type of tannic and acidic wines that have the potential to age very well. Although first created in France's Rhone Valley, these grapes now thrive in California's drier climate, making regions like Napa Valley and Paso Robles your best bet for finding a high quality Petite Sirah. These full bodied wines are characterized by jammy fruit flavors like blackberry with hints of black pepper and licorice, and pair well with steaks, roasts and game. 

      At an average of $11 a bottle, Handcraft Petite Sirah is smooth and fruity with a delicious peppery finish and hints of vanilla. It was also named by the Wine Enthusiast as one of the top 100 best buys for 2013. I highly recommend it to Merlot or Cabernet drinkers who are looking for something a little different.