La Vieille Ferme White Wine France 3l
My favorite of the three La Vieille Ferme box wines I sampled, the white wine has a pale gold color, a tropical fruit nose, notes of underripe banana and hints of pineapple, and a chalky kind of mineral character, with good acid on a mouth-coating finish. Also look out for the boxed rosé, which has a pale salmon pink color, and is quite simple and clean with strawberry, white peach, and prickly pear notes, and subtle Mediterranean herb notes. And the red boxed wine is worth trying, too. Deep ruby-purple color, this wine is quite soft, with mouth-coating tannins, subtle red berry and earthy aromas, and a spicy finish.
Great Pairings For Sweet Wine:
- Salty snacks: We all know sweet and salty go great together, so a super-sweet wine is also the perfect counterbalance for your favorite salty dish, like savory almond and black walnut pesto.
- Spicy foods: For example, a glass of cold, sweet white wine that has low alcohol content pairs wonderfully with hot and spicy dishes like these Korean fried chicken wings.
- Acidic bites: Highly acidic sweet white wines, like Rieslings, go nicely with sour, vinegary foods, like tomato fresh tomato bruschetta.
- Bitter foods: Artichoke, citrus, pickles, radicchio, Brussels sprouts, and sauerkraut all have a bitter flavor that tastes even better with a sweet wine. In fact, bitter and sweet go so well together they form their own word: bittersweet. Try sipping sweet wine with candied citrus peels dipped in dark chocolate.
- Light meats: The deep flavors of dark meats might overwhelm a sweet wine, but white meats and protein , with their lighter flavors, pair nicely.
- Sweet things: Sweet wines make sweet sauces like teriyaki or other Asian sauces with sugar, honey, or tamarind taste extra good.
- Desserts: There’s nothing wrong with pairing sweet wines with sweet desserts. In fact, “dessert wine” is a category of extra-sweet wines intended to do just this: take dessert to another level.
Flavor Pairings
Both bitterness and tannin will counterbalance and reduce the impression of sweetness in a wine.
Wines Listed From Dry To Sweet
Any wine be it Riesling or Cabernet can be either dry or sweet. Lets explore popular wines listed from dry to sweet.
The maker of a wine determines its sweetness. Popular and styles tend to share the same sweetness level. Wine sweetness ranges from virtually nothing to upwards of 70% sweetness .
Since wine ranges in sweetness, you have to do some research to figure out the actual in a specific bottle. You can use to find the exact number.
When reading a tech sheet:
- Below 1% sweetness, wines are considered dry.
- Above 3% sweetness, wines taste off-dry, or semi-sweet.
- Wines above 5% sweetness are noticeably sweet!
- Dessert wines start at around 79% sweetness.
- 1% sweetness is a little less than 2 carbs per 5 oz serving
By the way, the average wine drinker cant detect sweetness levels below 1.5%. Shocking right? That said, trained tasters can guesstimate sweetness within about 0.2% this is
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Boxed Wine Vs Bottled Wine
Due to the lack of popularity boxed wine due to stigmas placed against them, there are not nearly as many wineries who invest the effort to bring to the market the same amount of bottled wines. While boxed wines may not appear as attractive on the outside as their bottled counterparts do, theyre far more environmentally friendly. According to Sommelier Business, the pros and cons between boxed wines and bottled wines definitely give boxed wines a big edge in being a more economical and environmentally friendlier option.
Best For Beginners: Risata Moscato D’asti
Courtesy of Total Wine
Region: Piedmont, Italy | ABV: 5.5% | Tasting Notes: Stone fruit, mandarin, honey
Looking to dive into the world of sweet wine but not sure where to begin? Moscato is a great place to start. These frothy, easy-drinking wines from Piedmont are known for their freshness, fizziness, and all-around enjoyable sweetness. This easy-to-find bottle from Risata jumps with vibrant flavors of juicy stone fruit, mandarin orange, and honey. While sweet and flavor-packed, the wine never feels cloying or overly heavy. Sip chilled with spicy takeout or sweet brunch favorites .
Mazur also explains that port also acts as a time capsule to the past, as it is one of the most age-worthy styles of wine on the market. Many classic vintages are capable of developing in the bottle for up to a century, and tawnies can spend at least that same amount of time or more developing in barrel, he says, citing that nearly every wine shop and liquor store in the country offer some form of a selection of affordable ruby reserves and aged tawnies. Specialty stores and online retailers even stock back vintages for the same price or less than current vintages if youd like to try one with some age on it, he reveals.
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Best Red: Niepoort Ruby Port
Courtesy of Wine.com
Region: Douro, Portugal | ABV: 19.5% | Tasting Notes: Red and dark fruits, cherries, dried fig
Forget the mass-produced ports youve tasted in the past this organic gem from Niepoort is as game-changing as it gets. This youthful and expressive wine is produced from low-yielding old vines in the Cima Corgo region of the Douro. The wine ages in large wooden vats for three years prior to release and is meant to be consumed young. Ruby-hued in color, the wine shows flavors of red and dark fruits, plums, cherries, and a touch of dried fig.
Region: Vouvray, Loire Valley, France | ABV: 13% | Tasting notes: Canned pears, tropical fruit, honey
This sustainably-farmed wine is produced by Didier Champalou, a Loire Valley-based vigneron whos been farming vineyards since 1983. Vouvray is regarded as one of the best growing sites in the world for Chenin Blanc . This off-dry bottle boasts flavors of canned pears, ripe melon, tropical yellow fruit and honeythink of it as sweet French nectar in a glass. Serve with spicy Thai favorites, pungent blue cheeses or a bowl of fruit.
Region: Bugey-Cerdon, Savoie, France | ABV: 8% | Tasting notes: Raspberry, strawberry, cream
How To Shop For Boxed Wine
Even if youre unable to find one of our recommended picks in your area, you can still find a perfectly delicious boxed wine in your local wine shop: Smaller winemakers that sell only within a particular region can offer spectacular wines that arent available nationally.
Find the right shop. Find a retailer that focuses on wine, Leon says. It helps with the quality of whats being offered. Small shops that focus on beverages, specificallyrather than, say, a grocery store or a big-box storeare going to pay more careful attention to what they stock, he says, so youre more likely to be able to trust whatever you pull from the shelf.
Pay attention to what the box says, too. Leon says that the more specific the information, the better the wine youre probably getting. If the label states where the wine is coming from, and exactly what grapes are in the wine, you are already way ahead of the game, he says. For example, on the Wineberry Beaujolais, you can find the appellation, or the official region where the grapes are grown the winery that made the wine and where the wine was packaged. These are all indicators that a wine is at least decent, if not better, quality.
Like all CR evaluations of products and services, our Outside the Labs reviews are independent and free from advertising. If youd like to learn more about the criteria for our lab testing, please go to the Research & Testing page on our website.
Angela Lashbrook
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Best For Red Wine Fanatics: Black Box Red Blend
Taste of Home
Crowd-pleasing picks aside, the red wine-lovers in our tasting group preferred this blend from Black Box. Pouring ourselves a small sample, we picked up on an assertive aroma. A wine with a bold bouquet certainly had to have an impactful taste, right?
Absolutely right! Taking a sip of Black Boxs red blend, we found it to be pleasantly powerful. Considering the spectrum of sweet to dry, this wine was right in the middle, making it a joy to sip on its own. While sampling, we all commented on how this wine was a bit more complex than the others we tried. It took us some time to parse out the individual flavors, but in the end, we picked up notes of plum, berries, vanilla and a little spice . The finish of this wine was long allowing us to savor those subtle flavors.
- Price of a 3L box : $15.99
- Cost per glass: $0.80
Woodbridge By Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon
Just missing out on the top three is Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine had a full body and we loved the smell of the wine as it was opening up in the glass. The wine featured notes like dark caramel and berries without being overly fruity. We enjoyed this by itself and didn’t feel the need to have any food with it to help cut the acidity as we did with some of the other wines we tasted. We spotted it at Kroger for $22.99.
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The Very Best Flavors Of Franzia Boxed Wine
Franzia boxed wine is an easy and cheap way to serve guests at a party and this list overviews every flavor of Franzia wine. The best Franzia flavors come in many forms. Some top Franzia flavors available are fruity while other good flavors of Franzia are refreshing and light. One of the most popular types of Franzia is inspired by an iconic Spanish cocktail.What flavors will you find on this best types of Franzia list? Sunset Blush, with hints of strawberry, is perfect when served chilled. Franzia’s Crisp White variety goes great with vegetables and light pasta dishes. For a fun and festive BBQ night, consider serving Franzia’s Fruity Red Sangria to your guests. Other popular flavors of Franzia boxed wine include Refreshing White and Chillable Red.Which flavor of Franzia wine do you think is the best? Give your favorites a thumbs up.
Inniskillin Riesling Ice Wine 2019
Ice wine is a form of sweet wine thats been produced from grapes that have been frozen on the vine at -10c from December to January .
Inniskillin is arguably the leading producer of ice wine worldwide. This variety is crafted from riesling grapes and features the aromas of peach, pear, and lime.
On the palate, honey, apricot, and mango flavors are contrasted against crisp acidity, the hallmark of Riesling white wine grapes.
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One Million And One Advantages Of Boxed Wines
It lasts a long time once opened. Industry professionals have a more accurate term for boxed wine: bag-in-Box. Most boxed wines actually come in a plastic pouch with a polyester outer layer. The bag is filled under vacuum, so theres no air in it. This bag shrinks as you pour the wine from the spout, which keeps wine fresher much longer than wine in a bottle, which of course stays the same size no matter how much wine youve drunk from it. Most 3-liter boxes will stay good for up to six weeks after theyve been opened, says Chris Leon, owner of the Brooklyn, N.Y., wine shop Leon & Son. A box is the ideal option for someone who wants merely a splash of wine here and there, he says. I even know some wine professionals who will keep a box in the fridge for when they just want a quick glass.
This applies only to bag-in-box wines, from which you pour via a spout, though. Bandit, which makes the pinot grigio that we tried, sells its wine in Tetra Paks, a multilayered, shelf-stable packaging that brings to mind plant milks . Like a bottle of wine, air replaces wine as the juice is pouredso while Tetra Pak wines are shelf-stable prior to opening, they need to be consumed within a few days of cracking the seal.
This is partly because glass is more expensive, he says. Its also more difficult to ship: Glass is much heavier than plastic and cardboard, and takes up more space than a box, which can be stacked without any space in between parcels.
Second Place: Black Box Sauvignon Blanc A Refreshing White With Hints Of Peach That Kept Both Lei And Emma Drinking To The Bottom Of Their Glasses
Price: $17.99 per box, or $4.49 per bottle
Verdict: This is a feel-good wine thats not too strong peachy, citrusy, and refreshing. It leans a little fruity and sweet, but the crisp-ness and acidity helps give it some chill.
Buy it for: A fridge staple to sip with light dinners or homemade brunches, and that’s also easy to grab when you head to a party with a bunch of new people, confident that the other guests will enjoy it.
Tasting notes: Stephane said it smelled moldy and good, like an expensive Chablis, but he was the only one who had tried Chablis before so Emma and Lei were like, ¯\__/¯.
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House Wine Cabernet Sauvignon
A brand that consistently impressed our tasting panel, House Wines Cab is better than most inexpensive bottles of the varietal on todays market, and deserves the same mass appeal. Its soft on the palate, has great tannin structure, and is rich with dark fruit, vanilla, coconut, and peppery spice notes.
Rating: 89
Best Red: Pour Haus Cabernet Sauvignon
Courtesy of Minibar
Region: California | ABV: 13% | Tasting Notes: Red fruits, Spice, Rhubarb
Cabernet Sauvignon, the head honcho of red wine grapes, doesnt always translate well into a box, but the clever folks behind Pour Haus have figured it out. This California blend is bold and mildly acidic with oaky flavor notes of strawberry, raspberry, spice and rhubarb. Luscious and full-bodied, you’ll want to pair this with fatty meats and rich cheeses. This wine delivers exceptional quality and value.
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Best Tetrapak: Bota Box Pinot Grigio
Courtesy of Walmart.com
Region: California | ABV: 13% | Tasting Notes: Lemon-lime, Pineapple, Floral
The hits keep coming from Bota Box with this appetizing, ultra-convenient, eco-friendly packaging, making it easier to take their greatness anywhere. This vibrant medium-bodied white is light and lacy with crisp peach, citrus aromas and flavors of pineapple and white flowers.
And Here Are Our Volunteer Tasters Lei Stephane And Emma Nobly Sacrificed Their Thursday Morning To Our Cause
Lei, a wine newbie , is on the left.
Stephane, a wine snob from France, is on the top right.
Emma, a lover of all types and fanciness levels of wines, is on the bottom right.
They didn’t know anything about the wines they were trying, besides the number on the cup and the obvious color differences. After each tasting, they took notes on and rated each wine.
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Advantage Of Franzia’s Box Wines
One of the key advantages of Franzia’s wines is their affordability. Franzia’s wine comes in boxes sized 1.5 liters 3 liters or 5 liters . Expect to pay less than $15 for the 5-liter container or around $11 for the 3-liter box. This makes Franzia one of the world’s most affordable wines at under $0.50 per glass.
Sweet Wines Vs Dry Wines Whats The Difference
Where a wine falls on this scale is dependent on a couple of factors. These include the residual sugar, or rather the sugar that was not converted into alcohol during the fermentation process, and how much acid is in the wine.
The grapes age at harvest also plays a part in how sweet or dry a wine is. Young grapes have less sugar and more acid than mature ones, making ripe grapes ideal for a sweeter drink. Some winemakers may infuse more sweetness into the grape after harvest by sunning it in natural light. It is a combination of various growth, harvest and fermentation factors rather than a single condition or quality that determines the sweet or dry level of a wine.
There are some exceptions. For example, many champagnes are labeled as being dry, despite generally tasting pretty sweet. Wines like Dry Rieslings or Gewürztraminers still tend to taste sweet. Most red table wines fall firmly into the dry category, despite variation in sweetness between varieties.
It often comes down to tannin content. Tannins are a naturally occurring compound found in wine and other foods or drinks that clash with the proteins in saliva to create a dry, bitter taste or mouthfeel. Wines with more tannins will have a drier taste than wines with few tannins, regardless of sugar content.
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Moscato & Moscatel Dessert Wine
Moscato & Moscatel wines are typically known as a dessert wine. They can be very sweet with a lower alcohol content that a typical glass of wine. Because of this combination, its a great wine to sip after dinner, when youre winding down your evening, but want to have a little something with your dessert.
