Brian Nagele
Australian winemaker Thomas Angove created the first boxed wine in the 60s. Soon after, other wineries experimented with boxed wine, making them a favorite for people who wanted less expensive options.
I used to be a wine snob who considered boxed wines cheap and undesirable. I saw it as something to buy in bulk for parties where the taste was less important than the price. Then I tried a few boxed wine varieties and realized I had a lot of misconceptions.
I expected the wine to taste like the cardboard packaging, but it’s typically in a bag inside the box, without any taste of plastic coming through in the brands I’ve tried.
Small Tetra Paks without spouts that hold 750 ml to 1 L don’t have bags but still taste delicious without a hint of the cardboard they come in. Boxed wines still taste great, and they’re affordable.
These are my favorites of the best boxed wines I’ve tried and can recommend.
Bota Box
Bota Box wine’s name comes from the word “botas,” which is Spanish for the skins once used to store Spanish wine when traveling.
Bota Box comes in four sizes, from a four-pack of 250 ml each to a 3 L box holding four standard bottles of wine.
The company designs their bag-in-a-box wines to stay fresh for 30 days, thanks to a spout that keeps air and light out.
They use environmentally friendly and BPA-free materials in their bags and boxes.
My favorite Bota Box variety is the cabernet sauvignon, which is oaky and rich without the bitterness that lingers after some dry red wines.
House Wine
House Wine sells four-bottle boxes of wine, bottled wine, and wine in aluminum cans and pouches.
The House Wine boxes have a spout that keeps the wine fresh and different colored boxes for each type of wine, adding some visual interest.
Their boxed sauvignon blanc and pinot noir are some of the best boxed wines I’ve tried. I also really like all the canned spritzers.
Winemaker Charles Smith founded House Wine in Washington in 2004 to create everyday wines like table wines popular in Europe.
The company sells 11 varieties of boxed wine and several different varieties in their cans and bottles.
La Vieille Ferme
La Vieille Ferme, a brand owned by the Perrin family, produces its wines in Southern Rhône in France.
The family started making wine in 1970 and turned their brand into an international favorite among wine connoisseurs.
The company sells boxed wines in several varieties, but their red wine is one of my favorite French wines in a bottle or a box. Other delicious types include rosé and white wine.
I like this wine brand in a bottle or a box and can’t tell the difference between them in taste or quality, so I usually opt for the boxed package when I invite friends over for wine and cocktails.
Wineberry Château
Those who still worry about the quality of wine in a cardboard box can enjoy one of the top boxed wines without it.
Wineberry Château sells its wine in a stylish wooden box with a rope handle.
Wineberry is one of the best boxed wines I’ve tasted, and the box looks more high-end than cardboard if you leave it out during a party.
They sell around 11 varieties in their unique wooden boxes. I haven’t tasted them all, but so far, their Domaine le Garrigon Côte du Rhône, a blend of grenache, carignan, and syrah, is my favorite.
Black Box Wine
Black Box Wine first appeared in 2003 and decanted the wines to serve to people during sampling. Only once they tasted the wine and enjoyed it did they bring out the boxes.
My favorite Black Box Wine is the cabernet sauvignon. It’s slightly sweeter and brighter than most other brands, but it’s still a satisfying dry red.
This brand, along with Bota Box, is one of the more attractive boxed wines, with its black boxes and sophisticated look.
They offer 19 varieties in the 3 L box and nine 500 ml Tetra Paks with screw-top plastic lids.
Franzia
Franzia boxed wines are popular for parties and large gatherings because they come in a whopping 5 L box.
Each box equals 34 glasses of wine, and it often sells for about the same price as the 3 L boxes from other brands.
A box of Franzia wine has been the most economical choice for entertaining a crowd since 1983.
The company also sells 1.5 L boxes and 500 ml Tetra Paks of many of their most popular varieties.
Franzia offers 22 wines and four refreshers. The sweet reds are my favorites, along with their peach moscato refresher.
Pour Haus
Pour Haus California wines come in several varieties, from the driest cabernets to sweet sangria.
Like most boxed winemakers, the company offers a rosé and a red blend that land somewhere between dry and sweet for those who don’t like either extreme.
My favorite Pour Haus wine varieties are the cabernet sauvignon and white sangria.
Pour Haus sells red sangria, but I’d never tried the white variety when I purchased this wine for the first time and couldn’t resist it.
Fans of citrusy and crisp wines might find the white sangria even more refreshing than the traditional kind.
Bandit Wines
Bandit Wines started in 2003, and unlike many of the best boxed wines, they don’t sell wine in a large bag-in-a-box.
They only package their wines in 1 L and 500 ml Tetra Paks, with a rosé, three whites, and three reds available.
My favorite is the chardonnay, but their sauvignon blanc runs a close second.
You can order the wine from the website online or use their store locator to find it for sale in your area.
I’ve never seen all the varieties locally at one time, but I have found their cabernet sauvignon in both sizes.
The best boxed wines are great for parties, though they can be a great budget option for every day if you have room to store them. White wines and rosés need space in your fridge for the box, while most reds keep fine at room temperature.
The bags prevent air from reaching the wine to maintain the flavor and quality longer than wine in an opened glass bottle. Most larger boxed wines hold between 3 and 6 bottles worth, with the price averaging between $3 and $5 per bottle when purchased in a box.
I hope you found some great boxed wines to enjoy in this list.
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If one of your favorite wines is Moscato I don’t trust you to tell me which wine tastes good. End of story