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: $10
Maker: Imported by Prestige Wine Group from Germany
Varietal: Riesling
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, artificial cork
Alcohol: 9 %
Our Rating: 8.5 out of 10

One’s first impression of Starling Castle Riesling 2006 comes from its gorgeous bottle. The surface of the bottle is frosted, except for one polished area on the front in the shape of a bird in flight. Like the better-known Belvedere Vodka bottle, the clear spot on the front of this wine bottle lets you view an image on the opposite side, in this case an ancient castle. With the light golden color of the Riesling, it’s a very nice effect and surprising for a wine this affordable. But, enough about the bottle… Starling Castle Riesling starts with melon and peach aromas, leading into pear, pineapple, and grapefruit flavors. This wine is at the sweeter end of the spectrum for a Riesling, but is saved from being cloying by a light crispness in the finish.

Overall, Starling Castle Riesling is light, sweet, and refreshing - it would pair well with fruit or cheese. The sweetness would match up with some spicier Asian fare as well. This is kind of a light-duty wine, but overall is certainly pleasant enough.

The Prestige site notes that this wine as scored a couple of modest medals:

Silver Medal, 88 pts, “Best Buy” German Wine Challenge 2007
Silver Medal American Wine Society Commercial Wine Competition 2007

They claim the wine “was inspired by the flocks of starling birds that hover around the vines of this grand wine vineyards hoping to catch some of the golden, sweet Riesling grapes during autumn harvest.” Birds or not, this is a pleasant and attractive wine.

Price: $4
Maker: Trader Joe’s
Varietal: Fume Blanc
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8 out of 10

Trader Joe’s Coastal Fume Blanc 2006 is one of the last of the bargains from my last Trader Joe’s expedition. It has a mild tropical fruit nose. On the palate, it has a smooth and creamy texture, flavor notesof pineapple and melon fruit. The finish is crisp but not too dry. Overall, it is generally inoffensive - pleasant and easy to drink.

Trader Joe’s seems to do a great job with cheap wines that go down easy. We’re partial to their inexpensive reds, but this Fume Blanc is a pleasant alternative for those occasions where a white is called for and one doesn’t have much to spend.

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.

Nutrition info may be mandated for wine, beer, and spirit labels in the U.S. :

Pushed by consumer groups, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for the first time would mandate disclosure of how many carbohydrates and calories and how much protein and fat alcoholic drinks contain, as food labels do. How and where to disclose alcohol content is generating heat. [From The Washington Post: Alcohol Labeling Proposal Sets Off a Brawl by Cindy Skrzycki.]

One of the objections raised by winemakers is that the requirements would cut down on their artistic options because of the label real estate needed for the nutrition data. This seems specious, as even makers of 12 ounce soft drinks and tiny candy bars manage to fit the nutrition information on their packaging.

More significant are disagreements about alcohol content labeling. The makers of beer, wine, and spirits tend to have differing views. Traditionally, food nutrition labels include a serving size. While a beer can be standardized as a 12 ounce can, there amount of alcohol in a mixed drink can vary widely, as can the size of the drink itself.

From a wine standpoint, we’ll be happy to see at least basic carb information on bottles. Alcohol content in percent as is currently mandated seems fine for our purposes of comparing wines, though perhaps some wine drinkers would like having the alcohol level expressed in a way easily compared to other beverages.

Supposedly, these regulations have been awaited for thirty years - we can only hope it doesn’t take as long for the data to show up on wine labels.

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.