New premium bag-in-box wines are changing the game

SIPPED

What do you think of bag-in-box wine? Lacklustre cheap juice? Decent at best? Embarrassing to serve in certain company? I won’t fault you for any of those perceptions. But I’d argue that they’re only valid because you live in Ontario.

In this province, the only wine that’s been sold in that format has been blends of non-vintage-dated imported and domestic juice, a much-maligned category called International-Canadian Blends (ICB). More premium boxed wine has always been forbidden.

Also, competition has been squelched by a grandfathered policy that only allows three companies — Colio Wines of Canada Ltd., Constellation Brands Inc. and Andrew Peller Ltd. — to sell boxed wine larger than one litre in Ontario.

Meanwhile, premium bag-in-box wine is a fiercely competitive category growing in popularity. It doubled its market share in the United States in the past four years, according to market research firm Information Resources Inc. In fact, drinking boxed wine south of the border is like sporting a well-made T-shirt or the right pair of jeans at a party, it’s considered smart casual.

After all, the format is genius. Dispense the wine from the built-in spout, the bag of wine in box collapses in on itself, and no air (the enemy of wine) enters. So the wine stays fresh for about six weeks after opening compared with days for bottles. It’s also space-saving, relatively lightweight and handy. And here in Ontario, The Beer Store accepts and recycles empties.

It’s a shame the LCBO has only offered substandard wine in this format. But the situation is starting to change.

Prompted by the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets’ recommendation in 2015 to let more producers sell bag-in-box wines, nine new three-litre offerings hit shelves this month — four imports, four VQA Ontario wines, and one ICB wine by a maker other than Colio, Constellation or Peller.

“We are thrilled to see these new import and domestic products now on-shelf. It’s a great first step,” said Heather MacGregor, executive director of Drinks Ontario, the trade association for beverage alcohol agents, suppliers and manufacturers here. “But to truly level the playing field we need steady sales in all of these new products so that LCBO will be encouraged to expand the selection for the Ontario consumer.”

Of course, truly levelling the playing field would require listing new four-litre bag-in-box wines to compete directly with the four-litre ICB offerings by Colio, Constellation and Peller. Sure, expanding that category would put the lucrative ICB wines’ market share at risk, but to the advantage of wine drinkers. After all, the four-litre format is clearly popular. Just how popular?

Four of the five bestselling wines by volume in Ontario are four-litre ICBs — French Cross Dry White ($35.95), French Cross Red ($34.95), French Cross Pinot Grigio ($41.95), and Colio Extra Dry White ($32.95).

But for now, we’ll have to settle for a baby steps in the right direction with the introduction of the following nine new three-litre boxed wines:

Bota Box Cabernet Sauvignon, California 3L (LCBO 492363 $41.95)

Cupcake Red Velvet, California 3L (LCBO 510883 $45.95)

Folonari Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie IGT, Italy 3L (LCBO 492116 $44.95)

Long Weekend Chardonnay-Pinot Grigio VQA, ON 3L (LCBO 492355 $44.95)

Open Riesling Gewürztraminer VQA, ON 3L (LCBO 492231 $39.95)

Open Smooth Red VQA, ON 3L (LCBO 492249 $39.95)

Pelee Island Monarch Vidal VQA, ON 3L (LCBO 492215 $39.95)

Pelee Island Rouge Ontario ICB 3L (LCBO 492223 $24.94)

Radio Boka Tempranillo Valencia, Spain 3L (LCBO 491118 $37.90)

I tasted all nine to suss out the top five — scored to reflect their value for money. Read on.

Best boxes

2015 Folonari Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie IGT, Italy, 3L (LCBO 492116 $44.95, in stores now)

Folonari is the bestselling imported Pinot Grigio in Ontario by volume, which is not surprising. It’s a dry, suave little Italian that delivers restrained flavours and aromas of mixed citrus that lead to a lingering note of white flowers — in short, a clean, lean wash of refreshment with every sip. And its silky-smooth mouthfeel makes it taste quite refined. This three-litre format represents about a 20 per cent savings versus buying the equivalent volume of this wine in the 750 mL bottle, which sells for $13.95. Score: 91 2015 Pelee Island Winery Monarch Vidal VQA Ontario 3L (LCBO 492215 $39.95, in stores by end of April)

This is a gorgeous wine from grapes grown right here in Ontario! Light-bodied and versatile, it starts with gentle scents of nectarine and orange zest before racing across the palate with fresh flavours of yellow stone fruit and mixed citrus. It’s a crisp white but a kiss of sweetness makes it an easy choice for spicy fare or served on its own as a cocktail alternative. This threelitre format represents a 13 per cent savings versus buying the equivalent volume of this wine in the 750 mL bottle, which sells for $11.45. Score: 91 2015 Open Smooth Red VQA, ON 3L (LCBO 492249 $39.95, in stores now)

This light-bodied read is a clean, supersmooth quencher. Juicy-fresh flavours of bright red fruit taste lifted and not unlike raspberry jam on toast. This off-dry blend of Cabernet Franc and Gamay, Ontario’s two best red varieties, seasoned with a dash of Merlot is certainly charming and easy to enjoy with or without food. Well done, Ontario. This three-litre format represents a 35 per cent savings versus buying the equivalent volume of this wine in the 750 mL bottle, which sells for $15.45. Score: 89 Radio Boka Tempranillo Valencia, Spain 3L (LCBO 491118 $37.90, in stores now)

This juicy and approachable Spanish red offers a stylish pour at a reasonable price. Expect a silky-crisp hit of ripe raspberries and wild strawberries laced with black cherry coulis, café latte and white pepper. Stylishly complex drop for a song, this three-litre format represents a 13 per cent savings versus buying the equivalent volume of this wine in the 750 mL bottle, which sells for $10.95. Score: 90+ 2014 Cupcake Red Velvet, California 3L (LCBO 510883 $45.95, in stores now)

If you like the idea of Black Forest cake in a glass, you’ll probably enjoy this rich, off-dry blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Petite Sirah. Think saturated, mouthcoating flavours of dark chocolate, Chantilly cream and vanilla spiked with tart black and red cherry compote. This three-litre format of this popular wine represents about a 10 per cent savings versus buying the equivalent volume of it in the 750 mL bottle, which sells for $12.95.

Score: 88