There was a time when the great debate about wine packaging came down to corks versus screw caps. These days, however, both winemakers and consumers are beginning to think “inside the box.” Boxed wine, or more specifically, “bagged wine” (due to the plastic bladder inside the box that actually contains the wine) was first introduced by Australian winemakers in the mid-60s. The results can be summed by Monty Python’s “Australian Table Wines” sketch: “This is not a wine for drinking, this is a wine for laying down and avoiding.” Keep this field blank Enter your email address You may unsubscribe at any time. The world of boxed wines has since changed considerably, thanks to dramatic improvements in packaging and the proliferation of quality winemaking. “The difference between the two simply comes in the form of the way the wine is packaged,” says Kim Moore, Director of Marketing for Black Box Wines. The company has proffered premium wines in vacuum-sealed bags rigged with a spout, and placed in boxes since 2003.

Since then, growth has been exponential. “The brand initially launched with a planned 6,000 case production in select regional markets,” says Moore. “More than ten years later, we are looking at 4 million cases distributed nationally.” Credit consumer acceptance of the packaging and increased recognition of value with the rise of the six-sided tsunami. Critics have also noticed the trend. Whereas a decade ago, a premium quality, vintage-dated, varietally-specific boxed wine was not available to the American consumer, now they’re receiving accolades at wine competitions.one hope wine logo The stage for such box-born-bows was set four years ago at the Seattle Wine Awards, where the Brown Box Wines Riesling took the competition’s highest honor, the Double Gold Medal in the Riesling, besting 15 traditionally bottled entries.buy german wine online uk

Journalist and sommelier Christopher Sawyer, a judge for Sunset Magazine’s 2014 Sunset International Wine Competition, points out that many wine competitive tastings are blind. “We don’t know where our glass came from,’ he says. “We just know that it’s a wine that we need to judge. In some cases, there are boxed wines that come out and win silver and gold medals along with all the bottled wines.”best types of wine for cooking Black Box’s Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from Chilean grapes, ranked a silver in its division (New World Whites, Dry Sauvignon Blanc, 2013) and a Bota Box Old Vine Zinfandel scored a bronze (New World Reds, Zinfandel, 2012).wine in turkey roasting pan Moore concurs that tasting is believing. best fruit red wine

“We’ve received countless stories and photos from consumers who have hosted their own wine tastings and surprised guests when revealing that they’re drinking premium wine from a box,” she says. If you’re still squeamish on the concept of tapping the box the next time your glass is empty, North Carolina-based Boxxle produces a patent-pending, three-liter dispenser for boxed wine that effectively camouflages the corrugated cube as high-end kitchen hardware.best selling wine 2014 To operate, simply gut a box of wine, remove the bladder and place into the device, then insert your glass and press a button. The spigot is located above the glass (which is better than risking one’s stemware at a hard counter edge) and the wine bag is automatically compressed like a toothpaste tube, guaranteeing you get every last drop. Whether you’re a jug or box man, Doug Frost, a Master Sommelier and Master of Wine based in Kansas City, points out that, of the two, bag-in-a-box packaging is also more eco-friendly.

“Bagged wines are lighter to ship than glass bottles and therefore have less impact on the environment,” he says. Naturally, both the cardboard box and its plastic innards are recyclable. Bota Box, whose wine regularly score in the 80s on wine magazine and marketer Wine Enthusiast’s 100 point scale, takes the eco-packaging a few more steps by using soy-based inks and recycled, unbleached cardboard paper products, and forgoes industrial glues for a cornstarch adhesive to keep it all together. Ultimately, the biggest advantage of boxed wines is their value. A three-liter box can hold the equivalent of four bottle of wine and run about $25. That’s the equivalent of $6.25 per bottle. For those considering a smaller investment for their first foray into the box, there’s a 500 milliliter and single liter sized Bandit Wines Pinot Grigio, which took the Double Gold and Best of Class accolades at the 2015 Jerry Mead International Wine Competition, for under six bucks. Sure, it’s not as low priced as Three Buck Chuck, but then it’s also not Three Buck Chuck.

Also, the wine will remain quaffable for six weeks, which is convenient for those who only occasionally require social lube from the cube. And if you’re not ready to make the plunge into box wine yet, you can still find some delicious bargains. Here are The 16 Best Wines for Less than $16.Boxed wine has come a long way in recent years asit was once shunned by winedrinkers as being sub-par. Today, there are a number of good boxed wines on the market. It has the benefits of being: highly portable since there is no glass, easier for large gatherings, andthe more affordable wines on the market. Buying a good boxed wine is simple onceyou have a little knowledge on the subject. Boxed wine is easy to carry due to its shatterproof packaging and is an environmentally friendly choice since it requires less energy to produce and package the recyclable winebox. A box of wine usually equals four bottles, making them economical and a great choice for larger groups. They stay fresh in the fridge for up to four weeks, since opening them doesn't aerate (air) the wine the way uncorking a bottle would.

Boxed wines have been growing in the wine market, with more small wineries offering their wines in boxes. There are some companies who specialize in boxed wine and their offerings can be found in many locations. Only the most popular wines came in the boxed format in the past, but today, you can find a much better selection of both red and whitewines. There are a wide variety of boxed wine brands on the market, and a few of them have come up on the top boxed wine lists from wine experts across the U.S. These brands usually make more than one type of wine, with some standouts.Choosing wines from these brands is a safebet, but if you're looking for the best of a type of wine, try these top ratedwines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Shiraz, Red Elegance (blend), Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Moscato Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc Jenny and Francois From The Tank Cotes-du-Rhone Red and White Bordeaux Rouge, Bordeaux Blanc, Bordeaux Rose, Beaujolais, Bordeaux Cotes-de-Franc, and Cotes-du-Rhone

Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Family Reserve (Red and White blends) Chardonnay and Pinot Noir With many new wines appearing in box form every year, the options for selecting a great wine in a box are expanding. Trying a new wine is a risk, whether from a box or a bottle, but you will have more wineleft in the boxif you don't like it. Consider trying different wines from a brand you like or try a wine that is a good value. The Cotes-du-Rhone wines and the Bordeaux wines from France lend well to the box packaging and are a greatselection. All boxed wine comes in a box so there are several different box versions. They are more environmentally friendly than glass and they keep wine fresh longer than a bottle. The Tetra Pak is a lightweight, durable package that requires no internal liner to keep the wine fresh. This is one of the easiest packages to carry and made from multiple layers of paperboard and polyethylene to seal in the wine and keep it fresh.

Brands that offer wine in it are French Rabbit, Bandit, and Yellow and Blue. The bag-in-a-box uses a soft-sided plastic bag to hold the wine, and then placed inside a cardboard box to hold it up. It has a spout that is placed in the cardboard to hold it in place and collapses as the wine is emptied. The bag is airtight, keeping the wine fresher. Brands that use a bag-in-a-box system are Black Box, La Petite Frog, and Banrock Station. Similar to the bag-in-a-box, but externallymade of wood and uses the inner bag system.Ithas a better presentation, since many people who purchase boxed wine feel that the appearance isless sophisticated than a bottle. Wineberry is the boxed wine brand that is best known for selling their wines in an attractive wooden box. Boxed wine stays fresher than wine that comes from a bottle. Wine that comes in the bag-in-a-box style is able to stay freshest longest due to the lack of air contact with the wine when you open it. A Tetra Pak wine stays fresh, but not as long.

Once opened, boxed wines are best refrigerated for the longest staying power, lasting up the 4 weeks. Using a wine fridge is the best way to keep wine at the right temperature, but it can be difficult to fit boxed wines in a traditional wine fridge. Since most boxed wines don't get the chance to aerate until poured, allowing them to breathe for a short time once poured is the best way to open up the flavors.As with wines in a bottle, some wines need more aerating than others. Young white wines and lower quality wines need less aerating than older whites, red wines, and higher quality wines. Use a decanter or pour through a wine aerator to get the best level of aeration. The right wine glass will help with in-glass aeration. The price range of boxed wine can vary, depending on the size of the package and the quality of the wine. The best values in boxed wine aremidrangein price. Each box equals about 4 bottles of wine, so that breaks down to a very reasonable cost for good wine.

French Rabbit sells their boxed wine in a 1L size(about a bottle and a half) at a very good value for such a well-rated boxed wine. Boxed wine is available at stores, although many large retailers will carry only the most popular brands. To find a better selection, it's a great idea to look to the internet at reputable online websites like eBay. You will find some of the more difficult to locate boxed wines through eBay at a fraction of the costs. One of the advantages of buying boxed wine online versus bottled wine is that it is unbreakable and easier to ship. eBay is a good source for finding boxed wines you might have trouble locating locally. One of the advantages of buying boxed wine online versus bottled wine is that it is unbreakable and thus much easier to ship. Boxed wines can be found in both red and white varieties in the wine category on eBay. Be sure to check on wine shipping regulations in your area before buying online.Before buying a product, do a check of the seller's feedback rating to see how other shoppers rated the seller.