How to Buy the Best Boxed Wine
Want to buy the best boxed wine? Wine lovers no longer need to pop a cork to get a taste of a smooth red or crisp white. Boxed wines are convenient, budget-friendly, and unlike bottled wines, last for up to four weeks - still tasting fresh - in your fridge. They're green and planet-friendly, too - some of the best boxed wines contain the equivalent of four wine bottles, but with less packaging and waste. Grab a glass for some tips on labels to look for to buy the best boxed wine.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
-
-
1
*Hardy's: My personal best boxed wine pick? Hardy's Cabernet Sauvignon, which runs about $15-$17 at my local liquor store (each box holds 3 liters, or about 4 bottles of wine). Apparently, I have great taste, because Epicurious.com agrees with me, saying the Hardy's Shiraz variety "evokes warm blueberry pie, with hints of vanilla ice cream and toasty American oak, and just enough tannin to balance the ripe berries. What this wine lacks in complexity it makes up for in plush, exuberant, juicy fruit."
-
2
Turning Leaf Pinot Grigio
*Turning Leaf: I can't vouch for this one personally, but Kathy at boxedwinespot.blogspot.com enjoyed Turning Leaf's 3-liter Pinot Grigio as a best boxed wine. Turning Leaf says this popular boxed wine offers "ripe red apple flavors, highlighted by delicious hints of citrus blossom. It's a wine that's easy to appreciate by itself, for its quality, and easy to pair with good foods such as grilled teriyaki chicken spiced with ginger, or creamy seafood risottos."
-
3
*French Rabbit Pinot Noir Vin de Pays: This boxed wine red, which comes in 1-liter and 3-liter varieties, is a stunner. Epicurious.com says it's "easy-drinking and food-friendly, with loads of refreshing mouthwatering acidity." I totally agree. The smaller 1-liter size, which runs about $10, is perfect for picnics. Or keeping in your desk at work for those difficult days.
-
4
*Killer Juice Merlot 2006: Boxwines.org gives this California Merlot boxed wine, available in a 3-liter box for $19, a 8.6 out of 10 and says it has "a juicy flavor, mostly blackberries, with some vanilla and plum. Its finish is long, with black pepper and robust tannins."
-
5
*Corbett Canyon Chardonnay: For white wine lovers on a budget, this boxed wine might hit the spot. Boxwines.org gives this 3-liter white an 8.5 out of 10, saying it had "cut grass and tart apple notes. On the palate, this wine was crisp and refreshing, with Granny Smith apple and mild pear notes leading into a slightly acidic finish." All that for $9 - what a steal!
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Other boxed wine labels to try: Black Box, Three Thieves, and Le Bord'Eaux. Drink up!
