About a week ago, I was wandering around the local liquor store looking for a new Chardonnay to try out. I'm big on adventure when it comes to wine: there's lots of it to be found in the ten to fifteen dollar range. After all, it's only a bottle of wine---it's not like you're stuck with it for long if it blows. The guy working there asked me if I ever drank boxed wine.

I laughed. "Boxed wine is for my mother," I said. "She really digs her Franzia Chablis. I can't stand it."

He joked that he understood and then showed me the way to this. He said he sells a ton of the stuff and that, really, it wasn't that bad. And it was cheaper, too, the box holding the equivalent of four bottles of wine, retailing for about twenty bucks.

Skeptical, I blew him off in favor of a nice French chardonnay that was on sale. But yesterday, the husband remembered the guy's suggestion and thought I should give the boxed wine a try. And so I did.

Get this: it's not that bad. Hmmmph.

Now, if you're looking for a full-bodied Chardonnay, with lots of oak flavor, this isn't going to do it for you. It's pretty light on the whole. But if you like a lighter chard, with hints of apple and pears, it's pretty tasty. The only thing I would recommend is making sure you serve it when it's nice and cold. Otherwise, it's nasty. (The first glass didn't go down so well.)

Now, I don't think I'm going to switch over entirely, because a. I really love my Rabbit corkscrew and I have a great time using it and b. like I wrote above, I really do like to try new things, but I have to think that a lot of people, who buy the same Chardonnay over and over again, would like it. It'd be easier on their wallets, too. I also think that if you're having a party that this would be an excellent option for your guests that wouldn't burst your budget or, conversely, make you seem like a cheapskate for serving the cheaper, nastier boxed wine.

Posted by: Kathy at 05:51 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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1 You tryin' to start a turf war or something? I thought we had it nice and clean. You do the Diva thing, I do the alcohol. Now you had to go and spoil it. Seriously, there are a number of respectable winemakers going for the "box wine" thing. I haven't tried a single one yet. But thanks for the info.

Posted by: Doug at April 19, 2005 09:30 PM (7P5xE)

2 I thought you mainly reviewed red wine, right? If so, your territory is still safe as I can't drink more than a glass worth or I'll have a headache the size of everest the next morning. Lucky me. I'm allergic to the tannins

Posted by: Kathy at April 19, 2005 09:39 PM (RFVZA)

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