Drinking Outside the Box

A very Happy New Year to all our subscribers. And to kick off 2025, we thought we’d look at something that has probably been on more shopping lists than usual this year – boxed wines.

Boxed wine has not had the best of reputations over the years. Whether viewed as low quality, faddish, or just plain naff, few people would have given much time to the wines that came out of them.

But times are changing, and boxed wine is becoming much more accepted – especially in the UK and USA. In fact, according to a 2022 report from Future Market Insights, the global wine box market is set to grow at around 5% annually between now and 2032 when it is predicted to reach $1.8 billion.

So, what’s responsible for the change?

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Well, economic factors have certainly played a part. A 2023 Wine Business Monthly Packaging Survey found that the average cost of a glass bottle was $2.07. Whereas wine box packaging costs around a third of that price for the same volume. That’s good for producers, and in theory, is good for consumers if the cost savings are reflected in the final price (but that’s a big ‘if’).

Then there are environmental considerations. A 2.25-litre box of wine weighs much less than three glass bottles, and they can be stacked much more efficiently. So, the transport costs are less, and the emissions required to move them from one place to another are lower.

Finally, technology plays a part. Advances in the production process for inner packaging – the bag part – mean that modern boxed wines can stay fresh for up to 6 weeks, whilst wine in a traditional bottle may only last a matter of days after opening.

So all in all, there’s a lot to be said for boxed wines. But as always, the packaging is just a small part of the whole. What counts is the wine inside. So how good are they?

Well, I spent Christmas in the UK this year and we stocked up for the festivities at Tesco. So I took the opportunity to pick up a few of their boxed wines and see for myself. I opted for the entry-level options to see how good the quality was for the general consumer and chose four boxes of their Wine Route range - a Sauvignon Blanc and a Merlot from Chile, and a Chardonnay and a Shiraz from South Eastern Australia. These wines all retail at £15.00 a box – which works out at a very reasonable £5 a bottle.

The Australian wines were made by Andrew Peace in Victoria, Australia. The vineyard was founded in 1981, but they didn’t start producing wines until 1995. They now claim to make over 40 different “wine styles” – although they only list 7 actual wines on their website (which leaves one to assume that the remaining styles are made-to-order wines for big outlets like Tesco). They also claim to ship 50 containers of wine a week. So, we’re not talking about a small-time artisanal producer here.

First up was the Chardonnay. On the box, I was promised “a fresh a fruity Chardonnay, full of ripe, juicy nectarine and lemon flavours.” And to be fair it wasn’t far off. The nose didn’t give off very much, but in the mouth I got a good sense of stone fruits, a little bit of banana, and enough zestiness to keep things fresh without being too acidic. It didn’t take my breath away, but it was certainly very drinkable.

The Shiraz on the other hand was a different story. Now those who know their Shiraz would be expecting a big hit of dark fruit, a full, rounded mouth feel, and then a fade to a touch of pepper and spice. Unfortunately, this gave nothing of the sort. The fruit flavours were thin, austere and more red and unripe than dark and developed. And the finish was a bit limp and insipid. It lacked body, depth, and personality, and to be frank, just didn’t taste like a Shiraz should. I even wondered if they’d got the label wrong.

Still, the white wasn’t too bad, so a 50% record isn’t too bad. Next stop Chile and two wines produced by R&R Wines, another bulk exporter of wines to various markets around the world.

The first was a Sauvignon Blanc. Described on the label as “dry but refreshingly fruity” and offering “zingy citrus and passion fruit flavours” I was already expecting good things. And to be honest, I wasn’t entirely disappointed. On the nose there was a touch of pear and a bit of citrus, so we were already going in the right direction. And in the mouth there was nice citrus acidity, a bit of lime, a sense of freshly cut grass, and even a hint of butter. There was certainly enough going on to keep this wine interesting and the whole package resulted in a perfectly good, drinkable white wine.

The Merlot wasn’t too bad either. Merlot wines vary depending on where they are produced and what vinification methods are used. Flavours can vary from red plums and cherries in cooler climates to more dark fruits and rich flavours in warmer regions. This example was definitely on the red-cherry end of the spectrum. There was plenty of young red fruit tinged with maybe a hint of blackberry, and whilst it was slightly lacking in body, it still gave up a bit of violet and lavender flavours and a touch of vanilla and toffee flavours. It was smooth to drink and lingered longer than the Shiraz to produce a nice pleasant drinking experience.

So what was my overall impression? Well, the two whites were fine and if you’re looking for an easy-drinking white wine to go with a light lunch, or just to knock back whilst you’re playing a hand of cards, these are perfectly acceptable.

On the red side, the Shiraz was disappointing, and I wouldn’t go back for more. But the Merlot wasn’t bad and if you want an undemanding red that will work with a simple meat dish then you could do a lot worse.

All in all, I can’t be too negative about the wines. They did their job, and for the price they’re fine if you’re hosting a party or simply want a glass-filler to keep on the sideboard. Yes, there are much better wines out there. But we’re talking bulk wine producers here, so anything they come up with is going to be an industrialised product and will never compete with a well-crafted wine from a small-to-medium-sized producer.

But what struck me most was the wine boxes themselves. They were indeed very practical. Easy to carry, easy to store, and the wine stayed fresh throughout the Christmas week. And it certainly felt like I was benefitting on the price side. So I’ll definitely be ready to taste more boxed wines over the coming months. I just might try to get my hands on some with a bit more craft put into them.

Cheers!

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