While Franzia may seem like a relic, it is still one of the best-selling wines in the country, according to Statista.com. Everyone's favourite issue of the year is full of great ideas to help you make the most of this Holiday season. While I'm no sommelier myself, I've done plenty of wine tastings over the years both in-person and virtually, plus I've taste-tested my way through a good number of canned wines. I discovered House Wines as a favorite when sampling canned wines, and its boxed wines don't disappoint either. Sokol Blosser Evolution Oregon Pinot Noir – My Kind of Box. We’ve selected five boxed wines that could stand up to their counterparts, from a dry Austrian white to a Burgundian red blend. Welcome to the Holiday 2020 issue of LCBO Food & Drink. This Bordeaux Blanc is a blend of 85 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 15 percent Semillon, producing a nice, dry expression… you must be 19 years of age to purchase alcohol. Best Red at LCBO, BCLDB, and SAQ. Better yet, the cardboard and plastic packaging’s lower production cost allows for lower prices than its bottled counterparts, without sacrificing freshness or flavor. According to Saunders, the carbon footprint of a 750-milliliter glass bottle is approximately eight times that of a 3-liter bag-in-box format. If I hadn't poured it out of the box myself, I would have been shocked to find out it didn't come from a bottle. While I typically stay away from blends, the Red Blend was a unique and delicious flavor profile with an interesting dark roast coffee finish that really came through and made it stand out. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. You can sample the wines at its tasting room or in some restaurants, or you can have the wine make an appearance at your next gathering courtesy of its boxed options. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. The Best Whiskeys (and More!) The brand's been a house wine staple for over 100 years. While it can be harder to track this option down in its boxed version, it's well worth it if you can find it. This certainly came across in the wines we tasted, which lived up to the hype. Registered dietitians weigh in on the pros and cons of boxed wines like Black Box, House Wine, and Franzia. In fact, some nutritionists suggest that a glass of red wine a day could actually help your heart and mental health. Blackwell-Calvert echoed these cautionary sentiments adding that it's even easier to overindulge because "with boxed wine, the contents are usually not visible to the consumer," unlike with traditional glass bottles where you can see exactly how much is gone. Magic Box Red Blend. Red wines are made around the world, from France to Australia, America to Chile, and South Africa to Italy. Created in Walla Walla, Washington, House Wine is the brainchild of an ex-rock n' roll manager and embodies the true casual drinking spirit. Blackwell-Calvert gave me some handy pointers on what to consider when buying boxed wines. Sold in large three-liter boxes with easy-pour spouts, House Wines are a convenient option whether you stock them on your kitchen counter or the back of a truck bed for a tailgate. Bandit was another standout favorite brand for the group. Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Reviews team. I suggest using ice packs instead if you do plan to keep your boxed wine in a cooler. Eco-conscious consumers will like that the boxes are environmentally-friendly and that 1% of all Bandit Wines sales are donated to nonprofits including the National Park Foundation and Protect Our Winters, among others. It’s ideal for keeping wine zesty and light and enhancing the citrus and fruity aromas. 10 of the Best Box Wines to Buy Now By Wine Enthusiast When you buy products our editors have selected through links on this site, we may earn an affiliate commission. of … Unfortunately, most boxed wines aren't quite as easy to transport as cans, so we brought a large cooler to keep them in. For example, the zesty and fresh Sauvignon Blanc highlights Zion National Park in a bright green box while the bold and layered Cabernet Sauvignon reps the Grand Canyon and comes in a crimson pack. It has pretty, complex cedary, blackberry fruit and leather aromas. The three-liter option is the more traditional boxed wine size and your best bet for serving several people. This type of wine purchasing, known as en vrac (from French meaning “loose”), indeed involves buying wines directly from the farmer from a stainless steel tank into anything that can hold it, including boxes, reused bottles, or jugs. Cost per glass: $1.07. Top Red at LCBO, BCLDB, and SAQ. Boxed wine can stay fresh for up to 6 weeks after you open it, unlike a bottle of wine, which is usually best consumed within a day or two, even if you use a nitrogen preservative spray. We packed it with ice and quickly realized we had made a grave error. Though it is largely seen as a symbol of poor quality and taste, opinions around boxed wine started to change around 2003. Perfect for an everyday table wine you’ll only need to buy once per week. This Bordeaux Blanc is a blend of 85 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 15 percent Semillon, producing a nice, dry expression of white Bordeaux. Importer Melissa Saunders, founder of Communal Brands in New York, says the effect of switching away from glass bottles on the environment is huge, but notes that people can be put off by the non-traditional presentation. This was definitely the worst boxed wine we drank, not only across the white wines, but the reds, too. Price: $29.00, From the Languedoc region in southern France comes a bit of an underrated varietal, Picpoul. Cost for 3L box (20 glasses): $21.49. Top 5 Reasons to Drink Inside the Box. High quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir in a boxed wine, the Evolution Oregon Pinot Noir from Sokol Blosser. Fruit-forward with a nice minerality, the medium-bodied Picpoul de Pinet has a clean finish. The reason is that boxed wines use bags to hold the wine inside the box. However, boxed wines have seen a resurgence in popularity over the past decade — with the format now being used by well-regarded winemakers and producers around the world. This is yet another perfect one for enjoying on a warm evening with friends. Not to mention that they're popular with campers since they're more packing- and environmentally-friendly than their glass bottle counterparts. And, true to Blackwell-Calvert's tip, at $20 for three liters, it's an excellent value. Price: $24.99, The highlighter-yellow box art definitely helps make this boxed wine the center of attention at a gathering, but it’s the stuff inside that will steal the show. Lefcourt argues that the boxed method is just as traditional as a bottle. Their famous semi … In general, the boxed rosés weren't my favorite, but the House Rosé was one of the best with crisp floral and fruity notes that were particularly refreshing. That's true of most boxed wines. It’s fairly dense, sour-edged yet smooth with fine dusty tannin. Greg Lambrecht, who invented the Coravin wine preservation system on T&C's list of the best gifts for tech lovers, loves this Northern Rhône wine. You can purchase syndication rights to this story here. Please see below for a complete list of boxed wines carried by the LCBO. This leaner, unoaked wine, with an alluring viognier nose of star fruit, lemon, lavender, anise and white pepper, is medium weight, warm and fleshy, … Its head winemaker has noted that he enjoys crafting wines that benefit from the unique qualities of a box. Cellars Wine ClubWhat it costs: Prices start at $29. When you think of boxed wine, there's a good chance that the first thing that comes to mind is the college days of head-ache inducing Franzia. The Best Zinfandel Under $20 - The 2020 Reverse Wine Snob Picks! Best now to 2020. It's a variety that doesn't always get its due but if BBQ is your thing this is the wine … When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. While every option we tried received praise from the group, the Carbnet Sauvignon was particularly tasty and the Malbec was my personal favorite of every boxed wine I sampled. [Read more...] Many boxed wines will keep for 30 days to six weeks after being opened, which is great for anyone who likes to have a casual glass at a time without needing to worry about having a bottle go bad. “We understand the romance associated with the glass bottle but strongly urge consideration of more sustainable alternatives for ‘everyday’ sort of wines,” she says. Keeping with a suggestion from Blackwell-Calvert to opt for wines from specific regions rather than general countries, I opted to try this rosé from Provence and was rewarded with my favorite of all the boxed rosés I sampled. We enjoyed several of the Bandit wines, but the boxed whites really stood out. Dry, light, and easy to drink, the citrus and fruity notes make it an excellent choice for enjoying on a hot summer day. We definitely would go back for a second glass, and we suspected most of our guests would, too. Blackwell-Calvert also gave me some handy tips on what to look for in a boxed wine to get me started. If you or anyone you know is dealing with alcohol abuse, get help. The 100 percent estate-grown grapes are a blend of 70 percent Gamay and 30 percent Pinot Noir and the wine is vegan. Jenny Lefcourt of NYC’s Jenny and Francois Selections also emphasizes reducing carbon emissions. It featured notes of blueberry and blackberry and had just the right amount of spice while still being easy to drink. The rich and smooth Pinot Noir paired well with our picnic cheese plate. Top 5 Red at LCBO, BCLDB, and SAQ. Price: $32.99, © 2014 - 2020 VinePair Inc. — Made In NYC, Next Round Live: What's Happening in the Drinks Industry Now, Jenny & Francois ‘From the Tank’ Vin Rouge, What the 10 Most Popular Rosés Tell Us About the State of Rosé in 2020, How to Set a New Bar Up for Success, According to Bar Industry Experts. Meanwhile, the Cab Sav has a bold and slightly acidic profile that those looking for a dryer red wine will enjoy. Browse the top-ranked list of Best Boxed Red Wine below along with associated reviews and opinions. Medium-bodied and slightly dry, the Schplink Grüner Veltliner is citrusy and bright, perfect for sipping by the beach. Since then, more producers and importers have been working to bring new and exciting wines to drinkers in the bag-in-box format, many with an eye on climate change. While it may not be the fanciest wine in town, it's still a big step up from Franzia. since. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. It's also a great option for barbecues — the winemaker notes that it pairs well with grilled veggies, pizza, and even hamburgers. The Story of Taylor California Cellars, Coca-Cola’s Forgotten Foray Into the Wine Industry, 10 Things You Should Know About Cointreau, 5 of the Best Boxed Wines to Elevate Your Weeknight Drinking | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/5-best-boxed-wines-2020/, wbs_cat Wine, wbs_brand Herrison Moutard-Diligent, wbs_brand Jenny and Francois, wbs_brand La Petite Frog, wbs_brand SCHPLINK, wbs_brand Wineberry Chateau, boxed wine, Wine Recommendation, How to Make a Freix-start in the New Year with Freixenet Cava | VinePair, https://vinepair.com/articles/how-to-make-a-freix-start-in-the-new-year-with-freixenet-cava/, wbs_cat Wine, wbs_type Cava, wbs_brand Freixenet, cava, new years eve, Sparkling Wine. Another standout favorite brand for the group this Holiday season at the LCBO has pretty, complex cedary blackberry... Wine started to change around 2003 also gave me some handy tips what!, black box is an excellent value get me started box, '' she says 3L! 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