There was a magical time in a far away realm called the 1970’s and 80’s where Franzia boxed wine was a staple of both BBQ’s and bar mitzvahs. But, alas, we all must grow up and put away childish things, as your parents moved on to greener pastures as they were just trying to save for that fancy liberal arts college education of yours where you minored in the djembe drum.
Which is precisely why you need to drink more boxed wine. But how can you still get the same enjoyment from a nice bottle of cabernet when premium boxed wine sounds like a vintner’s unicorn?
Wine maker’s like the UK’s When In Rome are looking to change the misconceptions surrounding boxed wine by offering consumers a first-rate experience at a fraction of the cost. Working with independent wine producers in Italy, they’ve released ten different varieties which are now available at high-end retailers like Waitrose and Harvey Nichols as sales for boxed wine have surged in recent years.
So what are the advantages of going boxed over bottle? The most obvious reason, as mentioned above, is the price point, and you might be shocked to find out that you’re paying for less overhead. Bottling, as it turns out, is quite the costly affair, and with boxed you’re using less material when it comes to packaging. But while some wine lovers might be allergic to boxed wine and screw caps, any trip to Trader Joe’s will tell you: no matter how many corks you stick in a bottle of wine, it can still suck.
On average, you’re also getting about four bottles of wine inside each box, which place less strain on the environment. You have brands like Black Box which are made in fully recyclable packaging, so not only you’re doing away with single-use bottles, but the boxes are easier to stack and take up less space when shipping. Also, because they’re lighter, you’re helping to lower emissions as their glass counterparts are much heavier.
The packaging has also greatly improved since the heyday of your parent’s ragers. Franzia always has always had the appearance of looking like your trainwreck best pal just poured wine all over you and your glass, but When In Rome’s packaging dials up their artisanal qualities with the look of a premium, high-quality brand. Similarly, Bbox’s packaging features bold texts and playful type, proving that if you throw three or four fonts onto a box, it’s bound to look intriguing.
And while you might say, OK, I’m getting all of this wine at once, but won’t it spoil? Not at all. Because the wine is in a vacuum sealed bag, it’s not privy to oxidation and it can last upwards of 6 weeks, whereas as typical bottle of wine that’s been opened will turn sour after one week. However, brands like Public House focus and celebrate the communal attributes of a good box of wine enjoyed amongst friends—because if you’re putting one of these down yourself in the span of an evening, you might be Nic Cage in Leaving Las Vegas. They also include ten recyclable cups with the box, making it the perfect picnic companion for you and your friends.
So, the next time you decide to host a soiree (or that drum circle with all of your other unemployed college percussionist pals), don’t reach for the pricier bottles when there’s plenty of tasty and less expensive options in a box.
