Thinking Inside the Box
Posted by matthardy @ 2008-05-10 21:55:43
vacuum-sealed container It's tough enough to convince wine lovers that screw-cap closures are better than the traditional corks; unscrewing a bottle doesn't inspire the same poetry as popping a cork. But convincing them that boxed wines are not inferior is even tougher, which might account for the lack of coverage. However, because boxed wines are one of the fastest-growing segments of the wine market (up more than 40 percent over a year ago, according to the Nielsen Co.), that should change. The best we've tasted was at a party in 2005 at the home of chef Daniel Boulud, who was launching his 2004 Dtour Macon - Villages ($37 for a three-liter cylinder, or the equivalent of $9.25 a bottle). We were shocked by the quality that came out of this cardboard tube and the vacuum-sealed bag within it. Later we bought our own three-liter container of the wine, which was still drinkable a good eight weeks after we spigoted our first glass of it. Since then, we haven't found others of equal quality, but we're sold on the promise of the packaging technology, so we're still searching -- and will let you know about any we uncover in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we'll admit we were pleasantly surprised last week by the 2006 Boho Vineyards Central Coast Chardonnay ($24 for a three-liter box, or the equivalent of $6 a bottle), with subtle cinnamon-poached-pear fruitiness accented by rounded lemon acidity and with a notably creamy finish. The Boho wine comes in an eco-friendly brown box made of 95 percent recycled materials and printed with 100 percent soy-based ink. Boho claims it generates "a 55 percent smaller carbon footprint and contributes 85 percent less to landfill waste." The wine is available now in Maryland and, as of May 1, nationally. It's definitely worth a taste. One sip had Andrew hungering for a fried oyster po' boy and Karen yearning for chicken or pork chops right off the grill.
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