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

Price: $9
Maker: Corbett Canyon Vineyards
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 3 liter box, twist spigot
Alcohol: 12.5%
Our Rating: 7 out of 10

We’ve avoided Corbett Canyon products for a while, but after some good reports on their Chardonnay in the WBW we hosted, we broke down and picked up a box of Corbett Canyon Merlot 2005. There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that Corbett Canyon Merlot may be slightly better than the other low end boxed Merlots usually sold in 5-liter containers. The bad news is that it doesn’t compare to any of the other 3 liter Merlots one will find in a well-stocked wine store. The nose was interesting, with a leathery tobacco emphasis and an unusual butterscotch note. The flavor, unfortunately, didn’t quite measure up. It was plummy and slightly sweet for a Merlot, with a metallic character. It’s not a complex wine, and seems likely to appeal mainly to those who might be trying to transition from wine coolers to “real” wines. The twist spigot exhibits the slight dribble tendency we’ve come to expect from that closure; it doesn’t leak, but a few seconds after pouring a glass it’s prone to releasing one more drop.

All in all, Corbett Canyon Merlot 2005 is closer in character to some of the ultra-cheap 5 liter boxes than more upscale 3 liter boxes. Skip this one unless budget is paramount. We’d consider it a 3-liter pretender - we often suggest to box wine newbies that they avoid the 5 liter boxes entirely and try a 3-liter. This Merlot is likely to put them off wine boxes completely.

Price: $6
Maker: Bohemian Highway Wines, St. Helena, California
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Bohemian Highway Merlot 2004 feature a funky label with pop art palm trees, stars, and waves breaking on a beach. That’s appropriate, because it’s the kind of wine that would seem to go well with a beach party that lasts long into the evening. Its nose has ripe berry, smoke, and spice, and these carry into the flavor as well. Raspberry and cherry notes predominate, with some smoky oak notes in the finish. The tannins are very soft, and the wine borders on sweetness. This is a wine that will be accessible to many - even those who lean toward sweeter beverages shouldn’t crinkle up their noses at this Merlot. With Bohemian Highway Merlot’s combination of accessibility and low price, it is a good choice for parties populated more by wine gulpers rather than wine tasters.

We’ve had bad luck with winery websites lately, and Bohemian Highway was no exception - the website printed on the bottle went to a cheesy parked domain. Do the marketing guys ever check on the availability of the domain before the start slapping labels on bottles? We found a bit of other web commentary on the brand, though. Robert and Marjorie of Wine-O-Rama really liked Bohemian Highway Merlot, commenting “Heady strawberry Twizzlers on the nose. Uber bing cherry on the palate, joined by some raspberry and a slight hint of baking spices. A soft vanilla finish lasts awhile.”

This wine grew on us as time passed - some air toned down the sweetness and added a bit of complexity.

Price: $18
Maker: Trove Wines, Madera, California
Variety: Merlot
Packaging: 3-liter box
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Trove Merlot 2004 styles itself as an upscale boxed wine. By and large, it’s not bad. This Merlot has a great, juicy aroma… all berries, with spicy overtones. The flavor is plummy, with plenty of oak and a pepper finish. The balance isn’t bad, but we’d like to see brighter fruit notes and more complexity.

The Trove web site at trove-wines.com seems to be defunct, at least at the moment. Trove is a brand of Constellation Wines - why can’t these wineries manage to keep a website operational? This is the second review I’ve worked on in the last hour or two, and the second dead website.

In any case, Trove Merlot justifies its self-styled upscale box image. It’s not a great Merlot, but is equivalent to a $5 - $10 California or Australian bottle in quality. If you are looking for a party red, or for a wine to pour at the rate of a glass per day, Trove Merlot may serve you well.

Just had a chance to taste some interesting wines at a local tasting, and I thought I’d share some fragmentary notes:

Kunde Sauvignon Blanc 2005. Melon and peach notes, slightly acidic finish.
Frei Brothers Chardonnay 2005. Not your usual Chardonnay. Strong vanilla flavors, with a moderately astringent finish. Definitely not an over-oaked chard.
Bridlewood Viognier 2005. Another quite different selection. Tropical notes, not too dry, and clean on the palate.
MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir 2005 (Sonoma Coast). I found this to be an unusually pleasant Pinot Noir - it offered big, bold plum, berry, and cherry notes, and a smooth finish. I tend to complain that some Pinot Noirs are a bit thin (or subtle, if you prefer), but this one is neither thin nor subtle. Recommended.
Gloria Ferrer Carneros Merlot 2002. Strong berry nose with some woody/leather notes, big rounded flavor featuring a great balance of blackberry and cherry, oak, and spice leading into a long finish. This was a big, well balanced Merlot, and my favorite of the evening.
Bridlewood Syrah 2004 (Central Coast). A nice, well-balanced Syrah with blackberry, oak, and black pepper flavors.
Frei Brothers Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We finished with this rich cab. Lots of dark berry and oak complexity, with a long finish. Highly drinkable.

The big winner for me was the Gloria Ferrer Carneros Merlot; I liked the Frei Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon and the MacMurray Ranch Merlot quite a bit, too. This was quite an unusual tasting - I liked all of the wines, and every red (including Red Rock Merlot, not described above) were wines that I’d buy.

Price: $18
Maker: Black Box Wines, Madera, California
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 3-liter box
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Black Box Merlot 2004 is a decent enough Merlot, though we fail to see why many people seem to hold up Black Box as the pinnacle of bag-in-box wines. The aroma is nice, with pepper, clove, and berry notes. The flavor offers some cherry and blackberry notes, with quite a bit of oak and a medium spicy finish. There’s not a lot of complexity, and the feel is a bit generic, but it’s an adequate red wine.

The 2003 vintage of Black Box Merlot won a Gold Medal at the Los Angeles County Fair and was named a “Best Buy” by Wine Enthusiast. We’re kind of sorry we missed that year.

Price: $11
Maker: Greener Planet
Varietal: Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Our hopes were limited when we tried Greener Planet Shiraz - Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - what can one expect from (apparently) a bunch of French environmentalists? As it turns out, one can expect a rather tasty red wine made from”organically grown grapes.” The nose is blackberry and spice, with cedar and leather notes in the background. On the palate, this wine is smooth, rounded, and well-structured. Juicy berry flavors combine with spicy oak and a hint of chocolate to create a nice balance and medium finish. We found this wine improved considerably after breathing.

We tried to learn more about Greener Planet, but didn’t have much success. The bottle suggests one visit greenerplanet.com, which is actually a spammy parked domain. (Oops, it’s always a good idea to actually register the domain before you print the labels!) Even the origin of the wine is cryptic - the label reports, “Bottled by: 11N129 at F11160″. That certainly helps… at least we know it’s a product of France.Perhaps this is all a PR move by Wal-Mart (we found this wine at Sam’s Club, and haven’t seen it sold anywhere else) - they can add it to the list of “organic” products they offer.

Whatever the origin of this wine, it’s a good buy and would make a great gift for your left-leaning friends. It’s the perfect wine to enjoy while watching Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. And, if you’re going to present a bottle to Ann Coulter or Rush Limbaugh, be sure they know it’s a gag gift.

Price: $7
Maker: Forest Glen Winery, Sonoma, California
Variety: Merlot
Packaging: Bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 12.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

When we tasted Forest Glen Merlot 2003, we have to admit we were a wee bit biased. A few years ago, this wine got us interested in wines again. When we signed up for Wyndham Hotels affinity program, they ask for beverage and snack preferences. We registered our preference for Sam Adams beer and red wine; when we showed up in our room, a snack basket and a half-bottle of Forest Glen Merlot were waiting . Although at the moment we wondered where our Sam Adams went, we enjoyed the oaky flavor of the Merlot. That was one factor in our increased interest in wine tasting. (We highly recommend Wyndham’s ByRequest program - it’s free, it usually provides a cheaper room rate, and they almost always remember your wine and snack preferences and have them waiting in your room.)

Back to the wine… Forest Glen Merlot 2003 has a powerful berry and licorice nose. Its flavor has strong oak and somewhat weaker blackberry notes, with a slightly puckery acidic finish. Although we usually prefer a bit more fruit, as noted above we have a soft spot for the oaky character of this wine. As the Celebrate Wine blog says, “wow!’

Price: $8
Maker: Blossom Hill Winery, Sonoma, California
Variety: Merlot
Packaging: Bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

We weren’t familiar with the winery when we picked up a bottle of Blossom Hill Merlot 2002, and we were pleasantly surprised by the wine’s fruity complexity. The nose was big, with dark berry, vanilla, and spice notes. This Merlot is medium bodied with good structure - the flavor has major plumminess, with spice and oak combining in a satisfying fashion. There’s pleasing acidity in the finish.

Although we couldn’t locate a Blossom Hill website, it appears that they are related to Glen Ellen winery and are a premium label for that group. I’d give Blossom Hill’s wine higher marks than their marketing - even with persistent Google searching it was hard to find out anything about the winery.

Price: $8
Maker: Dog House Winery, Santa Rosa, California
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, screw cap
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

How could one resist taking a bottle of Dog House Maxie’s Merlot 2002 off the shelf - would you believe, “He followed me home?” Once you get past the cute label and cute copy (for a terminal dose of cuteness and canine puns, check out Dog House Winery’s website), the wine itself proves to be no dog. The nose of this wine is superb, with the expected dark berry and spice, but with some licorice and unusual floral notes. The flavor isn’t particularly complicated, but it’s a nice balance of cherry and plum notes, oak, spice, and tannins that stimulate but don’t overwhelm.

There’s a store locator on the Dog House website, but we didn’t find it all that helpful. We did find the blend information for the 2003 Dog House Merlot, which included 76% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. Both Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator scored this wine as a “Best Buy.”

Price: $10
Maker: Ernest & Julio Gallo, Modesto, California
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.7%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

We seem to be on a Gallo roller coaster. Every time we find a Gallo wine that’s drinkable, our next product from the brand is awful. Gallo Sonoma Reserve Merlot 2003, fortunately, is a peak among our Gallo ups and downs. This Merlot has a nice nose, mostly of ripe, juicy berries with some spicy notes in the background. On the palate, it’s not an exceptional wine, but it’s certainly quite drinkable. It balances jammy blackberries with oak, vanilla, and soft tannins. The finish is a bit spicy, if not particularly dramatic or long-lasting.

The San Francisco Chronicle gave Gallo Sonoma Reserve Merlot 2003 two stars, noting that, “the wine delivers easygoing, juicy flavors of sweet cranberry, black cherry and plum, with hints of anise and tea leaf.” Natascha’s Space quotes Consumer Reports as saying, “This merlot has big, full fruit flavors and good structure.” Natascha herself said, “I smell wood, not so much fruit flavors. It is dry, but not too dry… Nothing too spectacular, but good wine.” We think Natascha’s final comment got it right.