Continuing my somewhat sporadic investigation into boxed wines: the good, the not-so-good.

BOTABOX ZINFANDEL:

DAY 1: Slightly spicy, unmistakable Zinfandel aromas of underbrush and raisin. Really good! I would NOT guess a box wine for this, although I would immediately think Zinfandel.

DAY 3: Same as above, obvious Zinfandel quality, ripe and full, with loads of fruit and a nice balance.

DAY 5: Still coming across like a Zinfandel, plum and spice, has that heady Zinfandel quality that makes them so easy to enjoy. Low acidity and good weight combine to make it a very pleasing wine!

DAY 7: No real change over the past few days, I still really like the wine for what it is. I don’t drink many red Zinfandels anymore, for no real reason, but this one reminds me why I liked them to begin with. Has that unmistakable Zinfandel flavor, what else do I need to say!

DAY 9: Same as above, although I think there is a little less attractive fruitiness, maybe a bit of rustic bitterness in the finish. My guess is that is what you will find once the fruit begins to fade.

DAY 12: The box is almost done, which I am happy for, since I really liked it much more during the first week. Still easily drinkable, but this one is one that if I buy it again (and I do recommend it) I will consume a little faster!

BLACK BOX MERLOT:

Day 1: I really had no (or low) expectations for the merlot…..think ‘SIDEWAYS’…I never know what to expect from one anymore: there are so many mediocre examples to choose from (or to ignore if you happen to follow Paul Giamatti’s philosophy) and I am usually disappointed, regardless of price. The only way I can really think of merlot the wine is to try and remember the adjectives used in the Wine Spectator or Wine Advocate reviews. Descriptors like plums, black cherries and cedar…if I taste them, it must be a decent merlot. This Black Box had just those flavors. If I was blindfolded and tasted this, I would automatically say ‘Merlot’, which I must say could easily be a compliment.

 DAY 3: Same flavors, as expected. I remember a few years back, one of our suppliers poured a wine from decanters for the staff of Wine Consultants, asked them to taste it, guess what it was and put a price on it. Many of us guessed merlot, and someone in the room said it tasted about like a good $25 California Merlot (I guessed it to be merlot, but it tasted like a much less expensive example than that one fella thought). You guessed it, it was Black Box Merlot. I think this one is pretty much what you would expect, and I am sure many people will buy it more than once. To my taste, it is good enough for the price, but very straightforward and not inspired. Hard to recommend it when the Zinfandel is such a better example for the same price, but this is MERLOT, and will have its fans.

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor