Everyday Reds
Hardy’s, Australia
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 liters
$19.99
Black Box, Central Coast, California
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 liters
$21.49
In other parts of the world, quality wines in a box are fairly common, and the packaging is beginning to take hold in this county.
Better wines in boxes, however, suffer from the stigma of those that came before them - cheap, not very well made, bulk wines, and as a result, they’re not all the rage.
I sampled a couple of pretty good, boxed red wines recently. Both Black Box and Hardy’s are nicely complex, and the quality is high enough that it overcame the snobbish prejudice that I had against the packaging.
These boxed wines offer a good way to provide decent, drinkable wine at a very reasonable price for a party or outing, and the boxes take up less room in the recycling bin than four bottles.
Trying boxed wine took a little working up to for me. It’s one thing to roll the dice on an inexpensive bottle of wine that I think is going to stink, but the prospect of buying four bottles of wine that might turn my stomach was a little daunting. Paying only about $5 a bottle made the decision a little easier.
Black Box and Hardy’s are produced by different divisions of the same international conglomerate, Constellation Wines. Both are billed as “super premium,” which means nothing, but they’re very drinkable, a great value and both are vintage dated.
European and Australian winemakers have been selling wine in boxes for years. In Australia, boxes represent 52 percent of total sales, so Hardy’s has some experience with boxes to go along with a reputation for producing good wines. Black Box, which started selling wine in 2003, was the first quality, award-winning American wine in a box.
Wine in boxes stays fresh up to four weeks after it has been opened, then air begins to slowly seep into pores of the bag and into the wine.
I discovered with both wines that the last couple of glasses in a box were hard to pour. The wine producers apparently have heard about the problem. They recommend that if you’re sure you’re going to finish the wine, turn the box so the tap is on the top and open the tap. That lets air into the bag and releases the vacuum. I just ripped open the box and squeezed the wine out of the bag.
Also it’s useful to know that boxed wine has a shelf life of nine months. There’s a date stamped on the bottom of the box, add nine to it, and if the wine is out of date, don’t buy it.
$6.99
A great Argentine wine for everyday drinking is Marcus James. This is a wine that really reflects the economic woes of the country. I have heard rumors about people shying away from it because of the price. It usually sells for $3 a bottle or less.
Fecovita, a federation of 5,000 cooperative winemakers, produces Marcus James as well as other Argentine fine wines. Rigorous standards are used to produce the wines, the company’s Web site says, and it’s evident. For example, they use a synthetic cork, which helps protect the wine from exposure to air and preserves the taste. It also is good for re-corking, should the need arise.
I particularly like the Cabernet Sauvignon, but the Merlot is not bad. It’s not quite as soft as the Cab. The Chardonnay is pleasant. It’s not as dry as I like, but still very drinkable.
The grapes are handpicked; the wines are made in a French Burgundy style and are finished in oak casks.
The Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep red color, black cherry and chocolate flavors, a clean, fresh taste and a soft finish. It’s recommended with grilled or roasted poultry. It holds up well with grilled South Carolina barbecue chicken or dry-rubbed, spicy pork tenderloin. It also is quite good with some highly seasoned Asian dishes.
Scarlatta Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, 2005, 1.5 liters
$7.98
$6.99
I like two less expensive Montepulciano d’Abruzzos, which are widely available and very good for the money. I tried Citra Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2005 and Scarlatta Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2005. Both are DOC rated and come in the 1.5-liter bottles. At the New Hampshire Liquor Store, they’re priced within 99 cents of each other. Citra, which is slightly sweet but tannic, is $6.99, and Scarlatta, which has a garish red and green label that belies the quality of the wine, is very dry, has light, fresh grape flavors and seems well balanced. It is $7.98.
When I originally tried these wines, I liked the Scarlatta best, but since then Citra has risen in my estimation. It’s a toss up. Both are great buys for very good ordinary wine.