We have multiple reasons for championing the virtues of putting wine in boxes.
• It is the most environmentally friendly way to package wine, since it has a lower carbon footprint and is easier to recycle.
• It is less expensive than glass, so the winemaker can pass along the savings to the consumer.
• It keeps the wine fresher longer, giving you weeks (some would argue months) to savor it at optimal quality.
• Plus, boxed wine is more convenient to bring to outdoor events, and there’s no fear of broken glass or need for a bottle opener.
Most exciting, though, is that quality wine producers are exploring the bag-in-box design more than ever before.
So, there never has been a better time to explore the boxed wine category.
Wine distributor Communal Brands imports some of the tastiest and most sustainably made boxed wines on the market. And the boxes are cute and contemporary, a big step toward getting consumers excited about the format.
On the domestic wine front, California producer Field Recordings started making Boxíe in 2020, a line of boxed wines that are easy to love, with quirky blends that are accessible to the wine novice, but interesting enough to pique the interest of the more discerning drinker. The minimalist packaging is modern, with funny text as part of a design that can help put a hesitant consumer at ease. The box for the company’s skin-contact wine, also known as orange wine, says: “It’s not your Aunt Susan’s boxed wine.”
No shade to Aunt Susan, but these wines definitely are not the boxed wine of old.
Here are some standout boxed wines that you should try:
Schplink grüner veltliner. There are few white wines we find more food-versatile and broadly pleasing than those made with the Austrian grape grüner veltliner. It’s crisp, dry and delightfully herbal; buying this by the 3-liter box is a no-brainer.
Herisson rouge. If producers in Burgundy can embrace boxed wine, then so can you. A blend of gamay and pinot noir, this juicy French red has notes of spice and wild raspberry. It is light enough to take a chill, but does not require it.
Boxíe. These wines come in three shades, and we recommend them all. However, they have the only skin-contact white wine available in a box that we found in the market, and it’s great — a floral, peachy delight that is made from gewurztraminer, chardonnay, melon de Bourgogne and pinot gris.
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