Box Wine The Best Box Wines In 2023
Reverse Wine Snob reveals all the best box wines and which ones to buy now!
Box wine has a bad rap, and unfortunately a lot of it is deserved. There are way too many producers out there solely using the box to keep their costs as low as possible including filling it with the cheapest wine possible. Bad wine is bad wine, no matter how cheap it is and the format it comes in!
Once hidden away from judging eyes behind coffee machines or cookie jars or stashed deep inside refrigerators, box wines have begun to come of age and can represent the ultimate value for wine drinkers. The only problem is winnowing the wheat from the chaff because as we found firsthand — there’s still a whole lot of boxed plonk out there.
SEE THE LIST: THE BEST BOX WINE!
Why box wine?
Because of these advantages it’s no surprise that sales of box wines are increasing year over year at a double-digit rate in the USA. Even with this increase however, adoption in the U.S. is still quite low at less than 10% of sales. In Europe, on the other hand, box wines make up about 20% of wine sales and in Australia, the land of the screw cap, it’s an astounding 50%!
At Reverse Wine Snob we are constantly on the search for reputable wineries putting quality wine in a box for all these good reasons.
What Are The Best Cabernet Sauvignon Under $25 From California
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So far on this list, Ive given Hope Family Wines a lot of credit for their magnificent wines. Another family that has a great lineup of wines, probably my favorite, is Chuck Wagner and the Wagner Family of Wines.
Their wineries include Caymus and Conundrum to name a few. Caymus Cabernet is one of the best Cabs in Napa Valley. And Conundrum probably one of my favorite affordable red wines. So Bonanza is their affordable California Cabernet, thats only ~$18.
Also, try their Conundrum Red if you havent already, might be more accessible.
Tasting Notes: Blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, and toast
Shottesbrooke Reserve Series Punch Cabernet Sauvignon
Image source: Shottesbrooke Reserve Series Punch Cabernet Sauvignon
It is a step up from a regular Cabernet Sauvignon. The Reserva Series denotes wines of special character and are only released in years of outstanding quality. The wines from McLaren Vale are known for their ageing potential and elegance.
This full-bodied wine is surprisingly simple yet elegant, with bold plum flavors and a strong finish. It has attractive aromatics of roasted peppers, cassis, and tobacco, giving a thin mouthfeel and a crisp finish.
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What Is Cabernet Sauvignon History
Cabernet Sauvignon is an offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc originated in the 17th century.
Its origin was discovered in 1996, at the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology .
It has been popular in the Médoc region in France since the 18th century. 1976 is an important date for Californias wine.
Thats the date on which Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon won the blind taste test in Paris beating a top French wine.
From this day on, Napa Cabernet Sauvignon gained tremendous popularity.
Today Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted grape in the world.
Best Splurge: 2016 Lokoya Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley, California | ABV: 15% | Tasting Notes: Blueberry, Truffle, Wild herbs
Not to knock Champagne drinks, but if you have an occasion worth celebrating, try skipping the bubbly and diving into this exquisite bottle of cabernet. The Lokoya Mount Veeder is an indulgence, and you’ll know why as soon as the first drops fall on your tongue. It combines the best of Napa Valleys mountain climate, rich soils, and expert winemaking from Lokoyas artisan of the grape, Christopher Carpenter.
This is an example of peak cabernet. It is intensely aromatic with blueberry, violet, and blackberry notes bolstered by truffle and wild herbs. It’s also full-bodied with tannins that grip and refuse to let go. Enjoy with reckless abandon.
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Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Making it into our top three is Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is full and robust without being overly dry or oaky where it needs to be enjoyed with food. It had a noticeable oak and berry finish, but after each sip, the oaky taste left us wanting more. This is a wine we would put out with a charcuterie board and let our friends and family serve themselves knowing that it would be well-loved by most people. We found this across the web starting at $23.99 for a 1.5-liter box.
Best Under $: Famille Perrin Vinsobres Les Cornuds 2017
Courtesy of Famille Perrin
Region: France, Rhone, Vinsobres | ABV: 13.5% | Tasting Notes: Cherry, Currant, Raspberry, Stone.
Nestled along Frances Southern Rhône Valley, The Perrin familys history of winemaking goes back five generationsonly decent longevity by French standards. This bottle of Les Cornuds is a blend of half grenache and half syrah, two varieties that thrive in the region. And the 2017 vintage benefited from a record-high dry year with a small grape crop, but intense, elegant flavors.
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Dry Versus Sweet Wine
Most red wines are dry, meaning they have little to no residual sugar. Usually, this is because all of the natural sugar in the fruit is fermented to alcohol. Dry wines can confuse people, as sometimes a bone dry red can come off as sweet-tasting simply because of the fruity grape variety involved or the style in which it is made . Big, fruit-forward red wine like Zinfandel can seem sweeter than others even when its technically dry. Its part of what keeps the dry red wine category so varied and interesting.
If sweet is your thing, check out sweet red wine styles like Lambrusco or certain types of Valpolicella. There are also sweeter fortified wines like Porto or Vin Santo, which do great with funky cheeses.
Best Value: Bodegas Muga Reserva 2016
Courtesy of Wine.com
Region: Spain, Rioja | ABV: 14% | Tasting Notes: Blackberry, Cherry, Smoke, Currant.
The flagship grape in this blend is the Iberian favorite tempranillo and clocks in at over two-thirds percentage in this cuvée. Bodegas Muga is one of the jewels of Spains north coast and the reason why is evident here in its 2016 Reserva. With a mixture of red fruit and dark fruit aromas, this wine is a natural pair with specialty meats. Its a high-quality red, but since Bodegas Muga produced an impressive supply, its also an excellent value wine.
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Which Red Is Best For You
Lets face it, most of us out there arent wine experts, and if you are, youve probably graduated from the $20-a-bottle class of reds. But, if youre like most, you want something nice to sip on with a good steak or cigar. In that case, any of the above wines will do the trick. We might suggest trying a Pinot Noir first if youre a wine beginner. They tend to be the least offensive in terms of dryness and are considered a more drinkable wine.
Editors’ Recommendations
Chteau Jalousie Beaulieu Bordeaux Suprieur
While the Italians can make a bottle of great wine, France has held the wine title belt for centuries. While red wines are known for being paired with red meat and other rich food, a good Bordeaux goes well with pork, pasta, and poultry. This Bordeaux Supérieur from Château Jalousie Beaulieu is light bodied and smooth with earthy, leathery notes.
- Notes: Leather, earth, and tobacco
- Cost: From $12.99
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Waterbrook Clean Cabernet Sauvignon
Tannic, bold Cabernet Sauvignon is not an easy wine to replicate sans booze, which is why this offering from Waterbrook impressed our tasting team so much. Its made with just wine grape concentrate and added sulfites, with a tight tannin structure breaking through the punchy sweetness of dealcoholized grape juice. This wine truly gives the perception that youre drinking traditional, full-alcohol wine.Price: $14
Best California: 2017 Paraduxx Proprietary Red
Courtesy of Binny’s
Region: California, Napa Valley | ABV: 14.9% | Tasting Notes: Red plum, Cherry, Sandalwood, Black tea.
Whats a proper Napa Valley red blend that doesnt feature a large percentage of its famous cabernet sauvignon? This doozy from Paraduxx, under the banner of the Duckhorn Vineyards portfolio, is about as Napa as a red blend can get. Its almost half cabernet, but also includes petit verdot, zinfandel, and even a little bit of tempranillo. Overall fruity with creamy tannins.
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Sweet Red Wines At Total Wine
Fun and sweeter wine than your typical Shiraz. Its fruity, fresh, and semi-sweet the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness to make it approachable. Jam Jar is definitely the most popular sweet Shiraz and one the most affordable best sweet red wines.
A blend of three native grape varietals in the Lombardy region of Italy Croatina, Lagrein, and Teroldego. But the best thing about it? It has a delicate sweetness with an irresistibly gentle fizz. Very fruity wine with cherry, raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, and chocolate notes.
Semi-sparkling, semi-sweet red wine that can set anybodys inner femme fatale free. But its not just sweet. Theres also a nice and smooth flavor in there, making it a delicious wine overall. Sweet strawberry and raspberry jam flavors.
Centuries Of Iconic Blends More Popular Than Ever
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The super Tuscan. That richly expressive Port. That unnerving and must-have Champagne. These are all wines you love, and justifiably so, as theyre among the more popular categories.
But there’s a secret techniqueand artthat ties those aforementioned styles and regions together: blending. It’s where red wine producers really have a chance to show their talents. The blending of different grape varieties is both a science and an art, but centuries of experimentation have yielded some iconic blends, such as syrah with grenache and merlot with cabernet sauvignon. The science is in testing grapes to see how they complement each other based on aromas and flavors that result from local climate and terroir. The art is in knowing when to push the boundaries of traditional blending science, expanding the limits of the great wine frontier to craft a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Some vintners will even go so far as to plant new varieties in older vineyards in hopes of obtaining a better blend. Mark Lyon, the former longtime winemaker for Sebastiani Vineyards, explains that in 1994, in the winerys iconic Cherryblock Vineyard, we wanted to diversify and have blending options, so they planted Merlot next to the old blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Why Is Trader Joes Wine So Damn Cheap
Trader Joes has its own private-label wine brands. Most of these brands are made by a family-run company called Bronco Wine, in California. Bronco is known for focusing on making quality wines for low prices. In addition to these private-label brands, Trader Joes is also said to purchase most of the other brands they sell in bulk, which also helps keep the price down.
Best France: Chteau Montrose
Vivinos tips: Editors note: Left Bank 2005 Super Second Growth! Aged For You in France! Collector Must-Have. Wowed the Critics, Earning Double 97-Point Scores.
Region: France, Saint-Estèphe
If you love the French style, you must try it. It will blow you away! If you collect wine, keep an eye on it, Id secure few bottles if I were you.
It has a fine and elegant robe with a beautifully intense and dark garnet. The nose, powerful and harmonious, is pleasantly woody.
Aerated, it reveals lightly toasted aromas, followed with hints of ripe fruits and licorice.
The palate is full and soft with tight tannins and a light sweetness. The finish is long and harmonious.
Vivinos tips: Great value for money. Similar wines usually cost 2 times as much.
Region: Italy, Toscana
I could simply say that Im Italian and I know my stuff. I could also add that for Vivino, similar wines usually cost twice as much and that critics love it. But by now, I know that you love details and so here you go.
Tignanello is the first and most consistent of the great Super Tuscans.
The first Sangiovese to be aged in barriques, the first modern Tuscan wine to be blended with non-traditional varieties, and one of the first red Chianti Classico wines made without any white grapes.
Tignanello is an iconic Italian masterpiece and one of the cornerstone bottlings of the Antinori estate.
Vivinos tips: Good value for money. Similar wines usually cost 45% more.
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Lamborn Vintage Xvi 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Napa Valley
Winemaker Heidi Barrett makes this stunning wine using grapes grown on Howell Mountain. It has aromas of blackberry, cassis and blueberry with rich flavors of juicy dark plum and dark chocolate. It is full-bodied in the mouth with fine, silky tannins and just a touch of dulce de leche in the long, long finish. Drink now or hold for a couple of decades.
Titus Family Estate 2019 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Grapes for this delicious wine are grown on a family-owned 40-acre vineyard just north of St. Helena. It is garnet colored in the glass with aromas of black cherry and blueberry. In the mouth it has flavors of dark fruits, dark chocolate and mocha with a firm tannic structure. Theres also a touch of vanilla in the fruit filled finish. Drink now or throughout the next 15 years or so.
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Best Overall: Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Vivinos tips: 95+ by James Suckling | Featured in Top 25 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines in California right now
Region: United States, California
And the winner is Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
There are at least four things that make this wine stands out compared to the competition
- Extra clarity and finesse compared to the standard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, i.e. its a pure joy to drink
- Has many layers of complexity and rich fruit flavors and aromas thanks to the wine technique employed and the good amount of rain the soil has received in 2017.
- You can drink it now or let it agefor another decade or two if stored properly.
- It offers great value for your money if compared to its peers, as youll save a couple of $100s.
Silver Oak has aged for 24 months in Oak and although it is predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon its actually a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Petit Verdot , Cabernet Franc and Malbec .
What it means is that you get extra smoothness and velvety texture than in a Cabernet Sauvignon made in purity, i.e. entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
Here is what youll get from it:
On the nose, strawberry, cassis, and black cherry are the most prominent with hints of tobacco and oak.
On the palate, its a velvety and round full-body wine with many layers of flavors. It starts with ripe berries and cassis and develops into nutmeg, coffee, vanilla, and cocoa.
You can find our full review here.
Whats Cabernet Sauvignon’s Typical Price Range
Theres a Cabernet Sauvignon for every pocket. The price varies considerably and quickly reach $1,000+ for the finest bottles.
- Good quality Cabernet Sauvignon at around $15-$30. Look for Australia, Chile, California , South Africa, and Washington bottles.
- Up to $100 you can get great bottles from California, Australia, and Italy.
- As you go for French and Napa finest bottles the price will quickly skyrocket towards $1,000 and above.
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Best Spanish: Vega Sicilia Nico 2009
Region: Ribera del Duero, Spain | ABV: 14% | Tasting Notes: Spiced plums, Forest underbrush, Cigar box
If Spain classified its wineries as they do in Bordeaux, with “first growths dominating the pyramid of wineries ranked from first to fifth, Vega Sicilia would be at the top. This winery is owned by the Álvarez family and is located in Ribera del Duero.
A decade in the making, this 2009 vintage is a blend of 94% tempranillo with 6% cabernet sauvignon, aged six years in oak prior to bottling, remaining another four years in the bottle before being released. Beautiful ripe flavors fill the mouth, redolent of red cherries and spiced plums, while the palate reveals a fresh yet elegant wine wavering between deep forest underbrush, cigar box and muddled blueberries. A special wine, this should really be enjoyed on a special occasion.
Price at time of publish:$609.99
Region: Douro, Portugal | ABV: 13.8% | Tasting Notes: Cranberry, Raspberry, Blood Orange, Cedar
The Prazo de Roriz is a remarkably complex red wine for the price, showing gorgeous medium to deep ruby hues in the glass. Bright, wild berry aromas and fine French cedar spices join cranberry and raspberry, with a touch of blood orange and baking spices on the palate, supported by firm tannins.
Price at time of publish:$16.99
