As always, you get what you pay for.   5L box wine would be considered imitation wine to anyone who believes that wine is defined as fermented grapes or other fresh fruits.   Why is the word “imitation” not seen on the label?   The BATF defines wine as originating from any fermented fruit substance.  Therefore, if a 5L box wine is made from concentrate, water and yeast and ready to drink two weeks from the time it is diluted and pitched with yeast, it has become wine.  If you have ever been in a home brewing store that sells so called “wine kits” which promise to turn tap water into wine in two weeks, then you know how 5L box wine is made.   Just about every grocery or drug chain offers the exact same wine in a bottle for under $3.  Brands such as Crane Lake, Tisdale, Charles Shaw, Winking Owl, Southern Point, Oak Leaf, Oak Creek, Cutler Creek, Vista Point, Bay Bridge and so on are just 5L box wines in a bottle.  The white wines are not nearly as dreadful as the reds because real white wine is made primarily from the juice of fresh grapes so making it from concentrate gives a result with some resemblance to real wine.   However, red wine is made from the whole grape including the skins which is what makes red wine red.   It is nearly impossible to duplicate that flavor and texture without whole grapes.   One exception to the rule regarding 5L box wine is the Franzia Dark Red wine.  Though I am sure it is also an imitation wine made from concentrate, water and yeast, it does bare a good resemblance to real wine. 

If you want to spend as little on wine as possible and actually get something you can enjoy, try the 3L box wines.   Most stores now carry many from all over the winemaking globe.  My favorite is Black Box Cabernet and Merlot, but there are many others that you might like as well or better.   These are the exact same quality wines that you’ll find in a bottle for $8-$12 per 750ml.   So, if you pay $20 for a 3L box wine, you are getting the equivalent to 4 bottles at $5 per bottle which saves you about $20-$30 over the price of bottled wine.   Is it identical to comparable bottled wines?   Well, yes and no is the only answer.   Yes, on the day the wine was boxed it is the same as the wine on the same line that was bottled.   But, after a few months in the bottle vs. a few months in the box, the wines start to taste slightly different.  The wine in the box will taste exactly as it did when it left the winery until it starts to deteriorate in a couple of years.   Interestingly enough, what is left in the box will stay winery fresh for a couple of months even after it is opened and dispensed.  The bottle will start to build bottle bouquet and the flavors will start to mature in a few months and continue to get more interesting for a couple of years.   However, once a bottle is opened, it needs to be consumed in a few days whereas the box will stay fresh for a few months after opening.

I am aware of only one wine under $3 that is made from grapes and does offer some level of enjoyment.  It is a private label for Spartan-Nash called OP which is code for Opera Prima.   This Spanish wine is as drinkable as one can expect for that kind of money.   However, for just a couple of dollars more there are several I do recommend.   Our American Wine Society chapter toured the Sutter Home winery in the heart of Napa Valley and we all walked away very impressed by what they put into it and what you get for the money.   The wine is made with a high degree of pride and winemaking acumen.   The Charles Krug winery also located in the Napa Valley is making very substantial low priced wines under the CK Mondavi label.  The reds are a throwback to the hearty Cal-Ital wines I enjoyed in the 70’s and 80’s.  Yes, these are real D’ego reds with ripe full throttle Central Valley flavor that any paisan will enjoy.

A couple of other low priced bottled wines that are pretty decent are Gato Negro and Concha y Toro from Chile   All of these wines, Sutter Home and CK Mondavi included, are a much better buy in the 1.5L bottle.   That size is exactly twice as large as a 750 ml, so when it is priced at $9.98 that is the same as $4.99 per 750ml.

Speaking of imports from the Southern Hemisphere, the only wine well under $10 that I can ever remember cracking Wine Spectator magazine’s top 100 is Rosemount Estate Black Label Shiraz.  Though I don’t think it quite measures up to other WS 100 selections, it is a dandy glass of wine and way better than you expect for that kind of money.   This brand also produces both white and red wines in 1.5L bottles which rival any quality to value ratio in the market place.

Enjoy in Good Health,
Brian Cain, the Michigan Vintner