Box Wines
A wine blog with news and reviews of affordable wines

Price: $6
Maker: HRM Rex Goliath Winery, Woodbridge, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.3 out of 10

Is it possible to buy a good Zinfandel for six bucks? Well, HRM Rex Goliath California Zinfandel isn’t a great Zin. It’s not as complex or intense as the “big” Zins I favor, and at 13.5% alcohol it’s at the lighter end of the spectrum for Zin. But, it’s a fair representation of the varietal and not a bad wine for casual swilling. Rex Goliath Zinfandel’s flavor is fruity and slightly sweet, with blueberry and strawberry notes predominating. It has a reasonably long, peppery finish.

According to the Rex Goliath website, “We sourced fruit from throughout the state of California to make this wine. This is important because each viticultural area brings something unique to the blend. The old-vine fruit from Lodi provides an abundance of ripe blackberry and cherry flavors. The Central Coast provides earthy, spice, coffee/mocha notes. The dry farmed fruit from the Sierra Foothills provides the depth and complexity which really rounds out the flavor profile.”

That description might make Rex Goliath Zinfandel sound like one of the greatest Zins of all time. Don’t expect that. But, it is a super value in the $5-7 range and will provide a nice, fruity accompaniment to barbecue or another dish that can pair with its fruity nature.

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Has Twitter jumped the shark before it has earned a penny of revenue? It seems the social network has diversified into the wine biz, albeit for charitable purposes. The new venture, Fledgling Wine, is chronicled by Maya Baratz, SFoodie blogger, in Twitter is Launching Its Own ‘Fledgling’ Wine Label.

Dogpatch-based Crushpad — a place that allows amateur vinophiles to make and sell their own wine, brand and label included — has more than a little in common with Silicon Valley. The business philosophy behind both calls for investing in the product and customer experience, with revenue naturally following.

The new venture is introducing a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay. They are also doing some crowdsourcing:

Not only can you buy the wine, you can pitch in a string of related events, ranging from what Dorrance said will be Crushpad’s biggest “virtual” barrel tasting to a possible label design contest.

Odd, but interesting. And, it’s all for a good cause. Buy some here.

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Price: $10
Maker: Vina Palo Alto Ltda., Santiago, Chile
Varietal: Red Blend - Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.8 out of 10

Palo Alto Reserve 2008 is a Chilean red blend. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Syrah grapes are all grown in the Maule River valley region. The flavor of this wine featured unusually intense berry flavors, along with oak and black pepper. The finish was long and peppery. The rather strong tannins gave the wine a sharp edge at the outset, but letting it breathe for a while rounded things out. Surpisingly, a small quantity improperly stored in the original bottle for a couple of days didn’t suffer the expected deterioration, and if anything was slightly fruitier.

This wine has received some interesting recognition. According to the Palo Alto Wines website, the 2008 Vintage took gold at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2009. Palo Alto Reserve 2007 was scored at 89 points by Wine Spectator and named a “Best Value Red Wine.” It also earned a gold medal and “best value” designation while being scored at 91 points in the Wines of Chile Awards 2009.

Various wine bloggers have tasted Palo Alto Reserve, and have been favorable in their comments. Catchpeter scored it a 90 even though he found the wine confusing on his palate. In an unusual post that managed to discuss the credit crunch and Higgs Boson in addition to wine, Confessions of a Wino termed the wine, “Rich, full bodied and not for the feeble.” Drink What You Like found it to be the standout red at a local tasting. Vino Underground scored it an 89 despite finding it a bit tannic. Tim Dwight’s “Through the Grapevine” blog called it a “crowd pleasing bargain.” All in all, the blogosphere is in love with this wine - I don’t recall ever seeing such uniformly positive commentary on a wine in the $10 price range.

In case you wondered about the Palo Alto name, their site explains:

“Palo Alto” is the nickname for the thorny flowering trees that are dotted all over the rolling hillsides of the Maule Valley, the place where our wines are produced. These trees thrive in the dry, rocky, infertile soils. It’s no coincidence that where you see a “palo alto” you will often find vines. Vines planted in such soils tend to produce really high quality grapes, hence the name of our wines.

Overall, Palo Alto Reserve 2008 is a great value - I’m tempted to put a few bottles away to see what it’s like in a couple of years.

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Price: $12
Maker: Eos Estate Winery (Sapphire Brands), Paso Robles, California
Varietal: Red Blend - 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Petite Sirah, 18% Sangiovese
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.9 out of 10

Lost Angel Mischief Red Wine 2006 was a real surprise. A red blend with a funky name costing a little over ten bucks didn’t create much in the way of anticipation. The first surprise was a slightly floral note in the nose, in addition to the expected berry and spice notes. The second surprise was the overall enjoyability of this wine. On the palate, this is a juicy and robust red. Raspberry and cherry predominate, but there is nice structure and complexity. The finish is dry and long-lasting, with a spicy, earthy finish.

Lost Angel Mischief is a product of Eos Estate Wines, a winery that produces significantly more costly wines. The Lost Angel series is the lowest cost line, but it clearly benefits from its pricier siblings. Eos Estate’s winemaker is Nathan Carlson, who notes, “Eos has taken a bold step to become the first large winery in Paso Robles to commit to using only solar power. This fits nicely with my personal commitment to sustainability issues in agriculture, which is an important reason why I am involved in the wine industry.”

In short, Lost Angel Mischief is a tasty red blend that offers more flavor and sophistication than one might expect at first glance. It’s a great choice if you don’t mind a fun, non-snobby label and prefer a fruitier but still interesting New World red.

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Price: $19
Maker: Killer Juice Vineyards, Ripon, California
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 3-liter box, twist spigot
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Killer Juice Central Coast Merlot 2006 is another in one of my favorite series of box wines, the Killer Juice/Angel Juice lineup. This medium-bodied Merlot has a juicy flavor, mostly blackberries, with some vanilla and plum. Its finish is long, with black pepper and robust tannins.

Killer Juice now has a website, though at time of posting it consists of only a splash page.

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Price: $50
Maker: Franciscan Oakville Estate, Rutherford, California
Varietal: Red Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 14.1 %
Our Rating: 8.9 out of 10

We opened our bottle of Franciscan Oakville Estate Magnificat 2003 as a Christmas dinner treat to accompany a standing rib roast. This is a more costly wine than we usually comment on here, and we looked forward to experiencing a big red - this is a Meritage blend, ostensibly the best of the best, and it weighs in at a hefty 14.1% alcohol level, higher than a typical cab. While I wasn’t able to track down the blending proportions for the 2003 Magnificat, the 2005 vintage was almost three-quarters Cabernet Sauvignon with almost all of the rest Merlot; the Malbec and Petit Verdot were only a percent or two each.

This Meritage blend has a deep ruby color, and offers a bright and explosive berry aroma. On the palate, plum and black cherry notes combine with chocolate. There wasn’t a lot of pepper or spice in the finish, but the finish was long with plenty of chewy tannins. Although I uncorked the wine well in advance of the first pour, it wasn’t until the bottle was partially consumed and the wine had still more air that it really came into its own. I’d suggest ample breathing opportunity, or even decanting.

Around the Web, Grape Thoughts found the 2001 Franciscan Magnificat to be “magnificent.”

Overall, this wine didn’t disappoint - it offered good structure and complexity, and certainly held its own with flavorful prime rib. Would I run out and buy more at $50? Hard to say. Despite the fact that expensive wine tastes better, for my palate, at least, the Franciscan Magnificat 2003 wasn’t that much better than some wines costing half as much or less. (On the other hand, perhaps I need to spend more time drinking wines in this price range and higher to expand my appreciation for their presumed subtleties.) In any case, if the price isn’t off-putting, you’ll find this wine to be a solid choice.

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I’m catching up with Lost - Season 4 and DVD, and was surprised to find a wine box make a guest appearance. The Sawyer character (James Ford) pours a glass from what looks like a 5-liter box of Dharma Initiative Red Wine.

It’s a bit anachronistic - while all of the Dharma project imagery dates from some 1960-ish time period, the wine shown is a modern box with an even more contemporary push-button spigot. Still, it’s kind of fun to see box wines portrayed in a semi-positive way (the only wine available!) on a popular TV show. No details, though, on whether the generic-looking red wine is a merlot, a cabernet sauvignon, a so-called “hearty burgundy,” or perhaps a Dharma meritage…

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Price: $10
Maker: Lindemans Wines, Australia
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, screw cap
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.2 out of 10

I’ve enjoyed other Lindemans wines, and I looked forward to the Lindemans Reserve Coonawara Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 with considerable anticipation, even though I had found the bottle on the clearance shelf for a fraction of its normal price. After a few sips, though, I found out why it might have ended up in the sale bin. The aroma was fruity, with slightly musty berry notes. The flavor, though, was all oak and sharp-elbowed tannins. Things improved slightly after letting the wine sit overnight - some spice emerged in the nose, and the flavor finally showed some blackberry fruit.

I find it hard to recommend this wine, even though it’s inexpensive for any wine flagged as a “reserve.” For my taste, at least, one of Lindemans’ lesser wines, like their Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon, might actually be a better choice.

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Price: $10
Maker: Joe Blow Wine Cellars (Delicato Vineyards), King City, Pine Canyon & Manteca, California
Varietal: Blend of Syrah, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.6 out of 10

Joe Blow Red is a non-vintage blend of five different grapes: Syrah, Merlot, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has an informal label that implies a casual, fun wine. And, that’s pretty much what one finds in the bottle. The nose has clove and licorice notes, with a slight hint of flowers. On the palate, this blend opens a bit weak with cherry and plum notes, but finishes strong and long with oak, black pepper. In between, there’s a little chocolate.

We couldn’t learn much about the wine from the Joe Blow website, although there is an amusing story that says the concept of the blend started when winemakers inadvertently pumped Napa Valley Merlot into a tank of Monterey Syrah. A few bloggers have commented… WanderingAmylessly planned to serve it on Election night in a sort of homage to Joe the Plumber. The Wine Guy termed it an “awesome low acid and fruity wine,” awarding Joe Blow Red six and a half stars out of ten. Chuck Newton thought it had “way too much in the way of tannins.” Bruce Campbell of the Wenatchee Valley Enological Society likes Joe Blow’s marketing and gives it and similar labels credit for bringing new wine drinkers into the market. Just A Grape scores it a four our of five. The Whinery kind of liked it, but suggests it might be a good base for making sangria.

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Price: $12
Maker: Alexander Valley Vineyards, WH, Sonoma County, Healdsburg, California
Varietal: Zinfandel
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, screw cap
Alcohol: 14.5%
Our Rating: 8.9 out of 10

If you favor big Zins, Temptation Zinfandel 2005 might punch your ticket. It has a moderately strong berry aroma, and a warm, fruity flavor with black cherry and chocolate notes. This Zin builds in intensity as it approaches the finish, which is long and slightly acidic. This wine isn’t overly complex or subtle, but is definitely nice to drink. I opened it to accompany outdoor-grilled strip steaks, a pairing which worked out just fine. I’d also pair this wine with fun food, like Chicago deep-dish pizza.

Temptation Zin has already achieved recognition:

• Gold Medal - 2008 Houston Rodeo Intl Wine Competition
• “Highly Recommended” - 88 Points - 2007 World Value Wine Challenge
• Silver Medal - 2007 Hilton Head Wine Fest

According to the Alexander Valley website, Temptation Zin is a blend of 46% Dry Creek, 33% Alexander Valley grapes, and 21% Solano County grapes. It’s a winning combination.

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