Wine in a box doesn’t deserve the bad reputation it’s received
In the past, bag-in-box wines legitimately had a bad rap. I believe that’s because boxed wines were often inferior in quality and taste. The interior products were entry-level quaffers sold at lower prices. Wine drinkers who cared less about quality and taste and more about volume and price preferred these wines. This is certainly not the case today. Today, good (not excellent) wine, both VQA and International blends, are sold in box packaging. Some wine companies now refer to the box as a crate. I suppose this is a good idea. Wine lovers are more apt to purchase quality wine in a crate rather than in a box. Who knows? The wine is sealed inside a pressurized bag with an airtight seal. This allows for the wine to be poured out without air getting inside the bag. As a result, each glass of wine poured from the spout remains fresh tasting. This pressurized bag and spout also ensure that the wine won’t spoil, as long as you keep the crate in the refrigerator and finish drinking all the wine within about a month. Studies and speculation have revealed that the type of packaging used may influence the overall quality of the wine. One study in Greece, as revealed in a blog called “Can Bagin-Box Plastic Pouches Compete with Glass Bottles for Wine Quality Over Time?” on a website called The Academic Wino, revealed that the interior plastic bag absorbed the subtle aromas and flavours of the wine over 60 to 180 days, in essence lowering its over all quality. The expert panellists in this study noted that even as little as 30 days once opened affected these qualities. Bag-in-box wines are still useful for storing decent wines both local and international blends, especially if you consume only one or two glasses of wine a day and within a month. The box is far more effective at keeping the wine fresh than putting an opened bottle in the refrigerator. A resealed bottle contains air inside that ages the wine before its time, thus reducing overall quality. We know Australians love their wine! According to the 2008 Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than half of the wine consumed in Australia is packaged in bag-in-box vessels. The Wine Shop (inside Loblaws Super Store) offers a few bag-inbox choices: The bag-in-box XO Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay International blend ($42.95/4L) is a wonderful quaffer even in this weather, with refreshing lime and citrus notes on the nose and palate. Good acidity cleans the palate on this gem. Pair this white with any fish drizzled in fresh lemon juice. Stay away from foods with sweetness as this will cause the wine’s lovely acidity to taste rancid. The bag-in-box Trius Chardonnay VQA ($34.95/2 L) has lovely complexity, having been aged in French and American oak for seven months. The wine possesses aromas and flavours of classic apple and pear. There’s a significant pleasant bitterness in the aftertaste most likely due to the American oak influence. I like this finish. It’s a good choice for fatty fish with a side order of fresh or steamed greens like spinach or kale or a salad with toasted nuts (and no fruit). Drizzle blue cheese dressing over this salad with nuts if you are looking for the “moan factor.” (This product is on sale, regularly $39.95.) The bag-in-box Trius Cabernet ($34.95/4L) is vinified from 55 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 45 per cent Cabernet Franc. The wine is packed with aromas of blackberry and spice. Its easy drinking nature makes this bag-in-box vino a good choice for any evening meal that includes chicken, pork or beef. This red is also a proper choice for meat-based pasta — or pasta showcasing lots of bacon. The bag-in-box Peller Estate French Cross Merlot ($39.95/4L) is an international blend. The wine offers aromas and flavours of black raspberries with a hint of smoke. The palate is easy drinking with medium body and a smooth ending. This is a fun wine to partner with deli foods, homemade hamburgers and takeout pizza. Two other French Cross 4 L casks are also available. The shop is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.