Box wines have become more popular now than ever before in America, evident by the wide variety now available at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits. Most are from the US, but more and more, imported wines are being offered, in some cases the wine is imported for a domestic label. Wine in a box has an image crisis to overcome (although the concept seems to work just fine in Europe and other countries, none more so than Australia) and flashier, more exciting packaging is certainly helping.

 Add to this the fact that better quality wines are now packaged this way, just look at the price….some are $18.99 a box now, not $9.99! Hmmmm….The report that these wines can last up to a month or longer without losing their flavor is questionable, but worth a gamble since nothing bugs me more than tasting the second half of a bottle a day or two after I opened it only to find that I might as well have stayed up late the night I opened it and drank it, rather than waste it!

 The newest player in this format is called OCTAVIN, and the bag inside collapses to prevent oxidation. In addition, the package itself reduces packaging waste by 92% and carbon emissions by 55%. 

I have decided to throw myself at the mercy of these new ‘fine’ boxed wines, and will offer my humble opinion on each that I try. I will buy them and keep notes on the quality: color, bouquet, flavors, finish, overall impression and most importantly…..how they change from week to week. I hope you enjoy the experiment as much as I enjoy the research!

 My first wine will be one called, simply, SEVEN. A wine of Spanish origin, made by Bodegas Osborne, is a blend of seven traditional and international grapes. My notes on this will come in a week or two, once I have had adequate time to investigate!

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor