Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Premium wine... its time has finally come bag-in-box
REMEMBER back in the day when drinking wine out of a box was the worst thing you could do?
Well, as they say, the times they are a-changing because we are now seeing the resurgence of boxed wine. But not just any boxed wine. No. This is premium wine, from the best wine farms in the country.
South African wine lovers are on-trend and becoming aware of the benefits of boxed wine.
The wine-in-a-box revival took off in 2019 and has been one of the most talked-about trends lately as local (and global) consumers embrace the environmental appeal and taste credentials that have made the format so successful.
The growth of this trend has been driven by ease of use, the ability to keep wine longer once it has been opened, and the perfect remedy to overspending.
A recent report reveals that boxed wine in SA outsold bottles for the first time last year.
Data from the industry body SA Wine Industry Information and Systems (Sawis) showed that total sales of still wine came to only 285 million litres last year – compared with 356 million litres in 2019.
Sparkling wine sales were also down 20%, to below 8 million litres. But while sales of wine in glass bottles dropped 24% to 121.5 million litres sold, boxed wine sales only fell 10% to 126.3 million.
Sawis confirmed this is the first time boxed wine outsold bottled in SA. Manager of information services at Sawis, Charles Whitehead, said they believed the swing had come about because of the Covid-19 lockdown and alcohol bans and consumers were buying boxed wine and not bottles.
To ensure customers get the best quality, value (and volume), Zonnebloem & Fleur du Cap have just released a range of four premium 2-litre boxed wines, which showcase exclusive collaborations with some leading South African wine brands. Below are the wines on offer:
– a versatile
Fleur du Cap Rosé
and food-friendly wine that can be enjoyed all year round, this blend of chardonnay and pinot noir rosé reveals notes of strawberry and florals. Crisp with fresh acidity, juicy blackberry fruit with winter melon linger in the mouth.
Fleur Blanc
du
Cap
Sauvignon
– brilliant clear colour with green tinges, the nose is fresh with an abundance of tropical aromas and floral and herbaceous undertones. Elegantly balanced with crisp, concentrated flavours of passion fruit, lime and melon.
Zonnebloem Cabernet Sauvignon
– Intense dark red in colour with alluring aromas of blackcurrants, dark berries, raspberries, and oak spice. The wine is full-bodied and smoky with ripe plum and raspberry fruit flavours and hints of cloves and oak spice.
Zonnebloem
Merlot
– juicy and fruit-forward, the wine is ruby red with a bouquet of red fruit, mulberry, and hints of cigar box and oak spice. Elegant and mediumto-full-bodied, the delicate red fruit integrates brilliantly with the oak flavours to deliver a well-balanced, lingering finish.
Here are other luxury boxed wines you can add to your collection:
Pierre Blush:
Kleine
Jourdan
Tranquille
a delicate and fresh salmon pink blush with fragrant aromas of lively strawberry and raspberry with a hint of citrus fruits.
Diemersal Sauvignon Blanc:
an unwooded and crisp wine that showcases the true diversity of Durbanville’s terrior. Jam-packed with zesty lime flavours and a mouth-watering finish, this wine is a perfect choice for summer.
slightly hooded and fruit-driven, this wine has been made with old bush grapes. It’s teeming with juicy blackberry flavours and offers a well-balanced finish. It is a great accompaniment to a red meat dish and anything spicy.
Beyerskloof Pinotage:
Zalze Chenin
Blanc:
think ripe pineapple and guava, beautifully complemented by hints of citrus which result in a crisp, lingering taste that matches well with seafood, pork, or chicken. The premium bag-in-box wines will be available nationwide from leading wine outlets.
Other recommended South African boxed wines you can try include the Robertson Winery sauvignon blanc, Drostdy-Hof merlot 2010, or sauvignon blanc 2010, Du Toitskloof pinotage or merlot or ruby cabernet.