Taste Test: Best Boxed Wine

Taste Of Home

Boxed wine: Shunned by wine connoisseurs and praised by those looking for a good value, these easy-to-open wines have recently grown in popularity. Boasting the ability to hold up to 4 bottles of wine in one box and chill quickly, box wines are making appearances at parties as an alternative to bottled wine.

Here at Taste of Home we're giving you our tops picks for the best boxed wine.

Best Boxed Wine:

Black Box
Cabernet Sauvignon
$21.99
This party worthy wine was a pleasant surprise for our Taste of Home resident wine guru. "It was definitely better than I expected it to be," our tester said. A full-bodied wine, this Cabernet-Sauvignon was easy to drink with spicy aromas of cinnamon and the crisp flavors of cherry and dark berry. The best part about it is, the flavors stayed fresh over the course of a week! "I will definitely purchase Black Box again. For the price and the taste, you can't go wrong. It is 4 bottles of wine!

Best paired with:
Mild cheddar cheese or some dark chocolate



Runners Up:

Red Truck


Red (Blended) Mini Barrel
$29.99
"This mini barrel definitely wants to party," said our tester. A blend of Syrah, Petit Sirah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Mourvedre, this wine has a medium-bodied, smooth and slightly sweet flavor. With little aroma, one can taste the flavors of berries, chocolate, and licorice. "At $7.50 a bottle or $1.50 a glass - this is a great deal!" our tester said. "The barrel itself is awesome and is meat to be shown off and shared with friends." There was one drawback to this fun wine - while the barrel is a really cute design, it doesn't fit well in wine coolers. We suggest this as a party only purchase.

Best paired with:
Friends and some really good finger food



Three Thieves Bandit


Merlot
$7.99
A fantastic value, this smooth wine is a great springboard into red wine for a wine novice. The deep dark berry flavors and hints of cocoa help create a velvety texture. "You have to take boxed wine for what it is, affordable and convenient. Would I take this wine to a New Year's party? No. Would I keep a box on the counter for when the mood strikes? Absolutely," our tester said, "For this particular wine, the packaging is excellent. You can either purchase the smaller juice box-style for on-the-go or a larger 1 liter box."

Best paired with
A big plate of spaghetti or steak



Vella


Delicious Red
$10.99
One of the more traditional boxed wines, this red table wine lacks in flavor. "According to the box it's supposed to taste 'like summer' with notes of strawberry and raspberry, but to me it tasted like really watery grape juice," our tester said. "Despite its lack in overall flavor, this wine is a price performer. It's one I would only drink with my girlfriends after a break-up. I would not bring this to a party."

Best paired with:
Your best girlfriends and a cheesy chick-flick