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

Price: $4
Maker: Fecovita, Mendoza, Argentina
Varietal: Malbec (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%)
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13%
Our Rating: 7.5 out of 10

I was really excited by the ridiculously low price of $4 for a Malbec/Cab blend from Argentina, but Toca Diamonte 2004 ended up being a disappointment. (A $4 wine that isn’t spectacular? Shocking, eh?) This blend has some cherry and spice notes, but comes across as thin. Sometimes various levels of breathing will let a red like this become a bit more robust and complex, but it didn’t happen this time. The finish isn’t bad, but overall this wine doesn’t have much to offer.

Wine Memoirs was a bit luckier than us, apparently, and comments,”acceptably-balanced blend, with a hint of black cherry, was pretty good stuff.” There wasn’t any info about the Diamonte wine on the Fecovita website, although I did catch a glimpse of a similar bottle on their splash page. Fecovita appears to be a well-established winery, and I suspect this rebranded product isn’t the finest they have to offer.

Price: $5
Maker: Wyalla Cove, Adelaide, South Australia
Varietal: Shiraz
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 13.5 %
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Wyalla Cove Shiraz 2004 has moved to near the top of my “bargain buy” list. I found it at a local supermarket, Aldi, that is otherwise known for its lack of shopping bags (you have to supply your own) and its inability to take credit cards. That’s perhaps not the most promising start for a wine shopping expedition, but the selection looked a bit like Trader Joe’s - a lot of mystery labels, all priced under $10. In any case, Wyalla Cove Shiraz is a fruity delight for its price. The nose is an enticing blend of leather, licorice, and spice. Cherry and plum dominate the fruity flavor, with some peppery spice in the finish. This Shiraz may not be the most complex wine - it’s a bit sweeter than typical, though hardly a “sweet” wine - but it’s very pleasant and drinkable.

Despite considerable effort,I couldn’t find out much about this winery. They show up as a supplier to the ubiquitous Prestige Wines. Whatever the origin, Wyalla Cove Shiraz 2004 is very drinkable, if not very sophisticated. Give it some air, as it improves with breathing. For the price, it’s hard to beat.

Price: $6
Maker: Banrock Station Wines, Kingston on Murray, South Australia
Varietal: Shiraz (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%)
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

We’ve seen Banrock Station Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, an Aussie bargain wine, on the shelf numerous times, and finally brought a bottle home. This wine is mostly Shiraz (80%) with some Cabernet Sauvingon blended in. It has a fairly potent aroma of berries, cedar, spice. On the palate, it’s very juicy - we found it to be medium bodied with flavors of ripe cherries, oak, and nicely balanced tannins. It’s not particularly spicy for a Shiraz. We recommend letting this wine breathe for quite a while, as that brought out the fruit and made the wine more pleasant overall.

We hope to see some Banrock Station casks (that’s what boxed wine is called in Australia) eventually. They haven’t hit our local market, but judging by the Banrock Station website they are a major focus of the firm.

Price: $25
Maker: Estancia Winery, Soledad, California
Variety: Meritage - blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (61%), Merlot (30%), Petit Verdot (9%)
Packaging: 750 ml Bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 14.5%
Our Rating: 9 out of 10

Estancia Paso Robles Meritage 2004 is an interesting and tasty wine. First, a bit about the label. “Meritage” isn’t a varietal. Rather, it’ a controlled designation originally intended as California’s answer to Bordeaux. Meritage is actually a trademark that can be used only by members of the Meritage Association and put only on wines meeting specific criteria. The wine must be a blend of at least two grapes from a list that includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and others. In addition, the association expects that wineries will use the label only on their finest blend, and will limit the production of that blend.

Our impression of the Estancia Meritage is that the winery has indeed followed the guidance of the Meritage Association and used the label on a blend they consider superior. This is a big wine that seems almost like a Zin with its powerful nose, big flavor, and relatively high alcohol content. This wine’s aroma is full of cherries, spice, and oak. On the palate, it starts with more cherries, blackberries, and a hint of mocha, leading into a lengthy finish that’s a balance of tannins, oak, and mild pepper. This is exactly the kind of red wine that we’re partial to, and pouring the last glass from the bottle was a sad moment. Pair this with beef or other strongly flavored entrees that need a red wine that can hold its own.

Hunting around wine blogs for commentary, we found that The Wino Club awarded Estancia Paso Robles Meritage 2004 a “double gold” when they tasted nine different Meritages.

Overall, this Meritage is a red wine worth trying. Our bottle came as a gift at our annual Christmas party - a thoughtful gift indeed!

Price: $16
Maker: McPherson Winery, Lubbock, Texas
Variety: Sangiovese
Packaging: Bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.1%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Lubbock, Texas may not be the Napa Valley, but McPherson Sangiovese 2005 is a very approachable red wine. It has a medium red color in the glass, and aromas of cherries and spice. This wine is fruity and approachable, with prominent cherry and strawberry notes. It’s well-structured, with nicely balanced tannins and some spice in the finish. This is a warm, mellow wine that is easy to drink. Although Sangiovese is the grape used as the primary component in Chianti, I found this wine to be fruitier than the typical Chianti and more to my personal liking.

In Texas, this wine is well regarded. The Dallas Morning News said, “Kim McPherson is as close to winemaker royalty as we get in this state. Don’t look for in-your-face fruit. Kim’s winemaking style is elegant, with careful attention to letting the fruit speak for itself.” The Austin Chronicle commented on an earlier vintage, “Kim McPherson was showing his 2002 McPherson Sangiovese. Kim is acknowledged as one of Texas’ best winemakers, and this is the best wine I have tasted from him to date. It is rich with dark fruit flavors and an unctuous mouthfeel. His wine beats any California version I’ve found at the price.”

McPherson Sangiovese 2005 is very easy to enjoy. We paired it with New York-style pizza with good results, but considering its Texas roots we think moderately spicy barbecue would be a good match as well.

Price: $9
Maker: Bodegas Centro Espanolas, SA, Tomelloso, Spain
Varietal: Tempranillo
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Fuente del Ritmo Tempranillo 2004 has a fairly dark garnet color and an aroma of cherries, vanilla, and chalk. The flavor is fruity, with black cherry and currant notes, leading into a finish with lots of tannins and a bit of pepper. This wine should definitely be allowed to breathe - out of the bottle, even with a bit of air, the wine was somewhat harsh. Time and breathing mellowed it out into a smoother and more balanced structure. The fruit notes strengthened, while the acidity was muted. After breathing, the wine remains quite dry, but is far more drinkable.

This is a wine we couldn’t learn much about on the Web. It was apparently awarded 87 points by Wine Advocate, but hasn’t received blogging attention.

Price: $3
Maker: Charles Shaw Winery, Napa County, California
Varietal: Valdiguié
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 12.5%
Our Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Charles Shaw Nouveau Valdiguié 2007 is a novel offering from the Charles Shaw Winery, the Two Buck Chuck folks. Departing from the typical Merlot and Cab, this wine incorporates the rarely seen Valdiguié grape. This wine was apparently well regarded more than a century ago, but fell out of favor as grapes which produced higher quality wines became more widely adopted. Some vineyards labeled wines of this varietal “Gamay Noir” for many years. I assume that this Valdiguie is the newly relabeled Charles Shaw Nouveau Gamay Beaujolais offered in 2006.

This wine is fairly light in color, an attractive ruby red. The aroma is mostly cherries, and the flavor is simple and fruity as well. Cherries and raspberries are the main things notes, with a very light acidic bite at the end. While not really sweet, this wine seems closer to fruit juice than most reds.

Of the Charles Shaw red wines, I’d probably opt for the Two Buck Chuck Cab. I didn’t care for the 2003 much, rating it a 7, but the 2005 was a bit more balanced. That’s not to say that Charles Shaw Nouveau Valdiguie 2007 won’t appeal to anyone - if you are looking for a soft, simple, very fruity red this wine might appeal.

We couldn’t find much love for this wine in the blogosphere. Vinicultured thought it was, “watery and cheap, off-balance, and ‘out of whack’”, while Adventures in Hippietown termed it “gross.” We might not go quite that far, but it’s safe to say that this wine would be preferred by wine drinkers at the fruity and fun end of the spectrum.

Price: $8
Maker: Bogle Vineyards, Graton, California
Varietal: Merlot
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Bogle Merlot 2004 offers more evidence that Bogle Vineyards knows how to make wines that are tasty but inexpensive. This Merlot has a pleasant aroma of berries, oak, and a hint of butterscotch. On the palate, it is smooth and well balanced, starting with cherry and blackberry notes, leading into an oaky finish with nippy tannins. All in all, Bogle Merlot 2004 is a very nice value at a sub-$10 price tag.

Earlier this year, we tasted Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel 2004 and liked it a lot, too. We gave that wine a rare (for us) 9 rating, not bad for a $10 wine. Actually, we’d consider the 2004 Merlot to be on the high side of our 8.5 rating.

We can’t praise the Bogle website quite as much - it features broken images and links that go nowhere.

If you can still find the 2004 Bogle Merlot on your wine shop shelf, by all means grab a bottle and see if you agree.

Price: $9
Maker: Heath Wines, Bowden, South Australia
Variety: Shiraz
Packaging: 1-liter Tetra Pak
Alcohol: 14%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Lizard Flat Shiraz 2004 comes in one of those 1-liter Tetra Pak that seems way too small to hold a third more wine than a 750 ml bottle. It has the typical screw cap closure, making it easy to open and reseal. This Shiraz has some licorice and vanilla in the nose, and is very juicy on the palate. Cherries and blackberries are the main notes, with some oak and rather light pepper. The wine isn’t too complex, but the finish lasts suprisingly well. At 14%, this Shiraz is at the high end of alcohol content for a Shiraz. Overall, Lizard Flat Shiraz is an accessible, fun wine that is well suited to its informal and convenient packaging. It’s a nice choice for picnics, outdoor entertaining, and home consumption.

Oddly, the Heath Wines website suggests, “Drink now or be rewarded by cellaring for up to 5 years.” We’ve got to admit that the idea of cellaring Tetra Paks is a bit foreign, but maybe we’re just old-fashioned. This is the first Heath wine that we’ve knowingly tasted, and we’re glad we tried it. We note they also offer several wines from “100 year old vines” which sound quite interesting, but haven’t appeared in the local market.

A couple of months ago, we tried Montevina Zinfandel (specifically, Montevina Sierra Foothills Zinfandel 2003), and dubbed it a nice bargain ($7) with a rating of 8.5. We happened to pick up another bottle on sale for about $5 - an amazing price for a drinkable Zinfandel. Our second tasting mostly confirmed what we found the first time around. This time, we happened to save a half-consumed bottle for the next day with no particular precautions - no argon gas, no decanting into small containers. When we tried the wine the next day, the intensity of the fruit had increased dramatically and my overall impression went up another notch. I can’t guarantee similar results, but it suggests that breathing will really help this wine.

In short, this is definitely a bargain if you like fruity Zinfandels. Give it lots of air, and you’ll be amply rewarded.