Its Time to Rethink Boxed Wine
By Nate Cartel
Boxed wine. Those two words together conjure some not all too flattering thoughts. We all have memories of the aunt or uncle who drank a little too much and had a few cases of Franzia in the fridge, or the college friend who thought they were far too sophisticated for beer, but were too cheap to buy a good bottle of wine. (Plus how do you carry open bottles on wine in backpacks on your way to the next party?) But boxed wine is going though something of a revolution and its worth another look. Some of it is down right delicious. Here are 5 reasons to rethink boxed wine.
1. It’s More Economical
On average, boxed wine is cheaper than bottled wine by the glass. At my local liquor stores a box of wine ranges from fifteen to twenty-five dollars. They contain three litters of wine a piece; that’s four bottles. Unless you’re buying Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods brand wines you are hard pressed to find four bottles of wine for under twenty-five dollars.
2. It’s Better for the Environment
Boxed wine comes in a plastic baggies inside a cardboard box. Compare that amount of packaging to four wine bottles. It just makes sense.
3. It Lasts Longer
Once a bottle of wine is opened it begins to go bad. Typically in three to five days the wine is not good anymore. Of course there are fancy tools to remove the air to keep it longer, but the oxidation has already begun so you only get a few more days at best. Boxed wine has a spout that doesn’t let air in. There is no oxidation or at least very little. A box of wine can last four to six weeks! You never have to have the moral dilemma of finishing a bottle in a night or throwing it away again.
4. It Transports Easier
I’m not advocating transporting open containers if it is illegal where you live, but the fact remains that an open bottle of wine does not travel very well. Boxed wine does. It seals itself, unlike an uncorked bottle of wine. moreover, although many boxed wines come in three liter containers, some companies, like Bandit, are making smaller portable boxes for tailgating, festivals, and bar-b-ques. That makes drinking wine a lot easier than it used to be.
5. It is Actually Good
Just like bottled wine, not all boxed wine are created equal. You can find good and bad in both categories. Boxed wine has upped its game in recent days, though. There are numerous tasty boxed wines out there. Many are winning awards. Especially when you compare price points, many boxed wines are coming out on top.
Boxed wine is shedding its stigma. The days when it was shameful to buy wine by the box are far behind us. Embrace the new wine revolution and save some money, the environment, and your wine.