Boxed wine gets a bad rap, but it shouldn’t. “The quaity of boxed wine is increasing every year,” said Gerry Schaerer, wine specialist at Star Liquors. “The preconceived notion, when you pull out boxed wine, is that someone at the table will say, ‘Ohh …’ [said distastefully] … It’s all good enough to put some in a glass and drink it. It’s pretty good juice.”
There are plenty of reasons to try out boxed wine. “It usually has a smaller eco footprint and has a super long shelf life,” said Schaerer. Plus, boxed wine is more for your money. Many boxed wines contain what would be two to four bottles of wine for a fraction of the cost because they don’t have that heavier packaging. The shelf life is four to six weeks for opened boxed wine instead of several days for an open bottle of wine.
Ain’t no right or wrong to boxed wine; it’s the same as any other booze. Try it out and whatever your taste buds be digging, go with it. If you’re at a loss in a wine aisle, don’t worry, DGO asked Schaerer what best-sellers and recs he had. What follows are a few of the notable boxed wines at Star Liquors, 1485 Florida Rd., 100 C.
Big Green Box Red Wine Blend“Big Green Box, with tax that comes in at about $17.50. They’re a great value,” said Schaerer. You can expect the red blend to have a vanilla-cherry aroma, a taste of dried raspberry with a hint of orange peel. Definitely good with pizza.
Black Box Cabernet SauvignonIf it’s been a long day, you’re gonna want a deep cab. Black Box pairs hella well with a sizzling steak, and is a drier red. Expect tinges of black currant, oak, and chocolate. If you are looking for a fab cooking wine, Black Box, or Bota Box are perfect.
Bota Box Chardonnay“The best-selling brand that we have is Bota Box,” said Schaerer. “We order 50 cases almost every week.” This Chardonnay has a bright, melony taste. It’s vibrant, zesty, and will pair well with grilled chicken or pasta.
House Wine Pinot GrigioHouse Wine Pinot Grigio is a peachy, white wine with a sweet finish with smidges of nectarine popping through. If you’re doing fish tacos, give this one a sip.
La Vieille Ferme BlancThis white has a fruity, crispy, dry nature. It looks all old world sitting on your table, kinda posh, even in a box. Get some fancy cheese and make a night of it.
Shania Red Monastrell 2016“Shania, this Monastrell is probably the best boxed wine we have, in my opinion,” said Schaerer. “It’s from Spain, and there are really big values coming out of Spain. There’s a lot of grapes over there, a lot of people making wine and because of that, the price is depressed on an international level. You can buy $5 to $7 bottles of Spanish wine that are as good, if not better than a $15 or $20 bottle of French or California.” Expect a deep, juicy taste.
