Box wine often gets a bad wrap.

Mention “box wine” to many people and they’ll likely say words like “cheap” or “tacky” or “bad.”

Sure, there are definitely some so-called “bad” box wines out there.

But there are also plenty of bad wines that come in bottles or cans.

It’s simply a matter of finding the “right” box wine.

Trust me. Box wines have come a long way since the days of bland, generic wine in a box.

Now, you can find many great, flavorful wines that just happen to be in a box.

And best of all, box wines stay fresh much longer than a bottle of wine, which normally needs to be finished within a day or two before it looses its unique flavors. In contrast, most box wines last about 30 days or so (sometimes less) after you first take a glass of wine out of the box.

One thing I would not do with box wine is save an unopened box for years the way you can with certain bottled wines, which often benefit from aging. In my experience, box wines don’t get better over time. These are wines meant to be enjoyed now.

And yes, best of all, many box wines cost far less than what you would spend on the same amount of wine that comes in a bottle. Most of the box wines recommended this week contain 3 liters of wine, which is the equivalent of 4 standard bottles of wine. And in each case, all of the wines cost less than $5 a bottle.

So without further ado, here are my five favorite box wines, many of which you can find in many, local wine stores.

WINES RECOMMENDED THIS WEEK

2018 Bota Box Merlot California ($16.98 for 3 Liter Box at Table & Vine in West Springfield)

2019 Bota Box Sauvignon Blanc ($16.98 for 3 Liter Box at Table & Vine)

Entremontes Red Wines ($18 Suggested Retail Price for 5 Liter Box)

Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon ($20 SRP for 3 Liter Box)

Domaine Bousquet Malbec ($20 SRP for 3 Liter Box)

WINE TASTING NOTES

2018 Bota Box Merlot California

Location – California

Grape – Merlot

Tasting Notes – Like the other four, red box wines recommended this week, what I love most about the Bota Box Merlot is its dry, flinty, earthy flavors and aromas. There’s also a hint of caramel, cherry and almonds coated in sea salt. The bottom line – this is one of the most beautiful, mass market box wines widely available throughout the country.

2019 Bota Box Sauvignon Blanc

Location – Chile

Grape – Sauvignon Blanc

Tasting Notes – I wanted to single out this outstanding white wine because of its crisp, clean, dry finish. If this wine was served to most people in a glass, they would likely never even suspect it came from a box. More mild compared to Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, this refreshing white wine has hints of pear, melon, rose petals and a hint of fresh-picked concord grapes. A real gem at a great price.

Entremontes Red Wines

Location – Portugal

Grape – Blend of several red grapes

Tasting Notes – This next box wine is one of my wife’s favorite box wines – and for good reason. This muscular, meaty, earthy red wine from Portugal abounds with flavor, including hints of roasted blackberries, cherries and a dash toasted chestnuts and almonds. Honestly, this wine is hands down one of the best values when it comes to full-bodied, flavorful red wines.

Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon

Location – Mendoza, Argentina

Grape – Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasting Notes – Made completely with organic grapes from Argentina’s famed Mendoza region, Domaine Bousquet just might be one of the world’s best affordable wine producers. No matter what wine they make, Domaine Bousquet seems to hit it out of the park. The same is true with this outstanding, understated, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Here, the fruit flavors (blackberries, plums) are muted, dry and last a full 30 seconds after each taste. Highly recommend.

 

Domaine Bousquet Malbec

Location – Mendoza, Argentina

Grape – Malbec

Tasting Notes – Mention Malbec and most wine lovers instantly think of Argentina’s Mendoza region. That’s why it came as no surprise that this luscious, organic wine from Domaine Bousquet was another bullseye. Compared to the Cabernet Sauvignon, the fruit flavors (plums, cherries, blackberries) are slightly more prominent but still extremely muted, understand and absolutely outrageously delicious, even a full month after first opening the box. Wow!

Cheers!