What's Next, Wine in Sippy Cups?
I spoke to Josh Wesson, grapehead supreme and founder of Best Cellars, about the Three Thieves Bandit Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc he carries in juice boxes (Tetra Paks). I figured if the real wine snobs are crazed about screw caps they must be more than a little annoyed about the juice boxes. But Wesson, ever the democratizing force in the wine business, loves them.
"The boxes are completely inert (same innards as milk containers), so there's no reaction with the juice inside," Wesson says. "It's also airtight (until the seal is lifted or broken), so no oxidation is possible. I like them because they're lightweight and less fragile than half or quarter glass bottles. They also chill quickly—as the coated paper from which they're constructed is a relatively poor insulator. Picnics—toss them in a cooler or bucket of ice. By the by, the Three Thieves Cab tastes almost as good chilled as it does at 65 degrees Fahrenheit."
Have any Serious Eaters tried these suckers?
Related: A Look at Corks and Screw Caps [Serious Eats]
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11 Comments:
I assume that it doesn't have a collapsing bag inside. If it's resealable, it can't be better than a screwcap except in space efficiency; if it's not, it's not as good as a screwcap for keeping opened wine in. I think the bag in a box is the way to go, but we'll be a long time getting there for fine (or even almost-fine) wine.
gustoct at 3:24PM on 03/22/07
Well, considering these are only 250ml, I don't think resealable is much of a concern. You'd probably finish off these suckers in one pop. That said, we just sampled the Pinot Grigio here in the office and I found it flat and boozy, nothing lively or fruity, color was pale, and in general it had a blah general wine taste. Nothing you'd say, "Mmm, now that's a Pinot Grigio!" But maybe for enjoying at a picnic it wouldn't be too bad.
megnut at 3:56PM on 03/22/07
I've tried it -- if you like Three Bandits wine, you won't be disappointed. As Mr. Wesson says, the container doesn't effect the flavor at all.
However, I had heard that some states were banning the sale of wine in "juice box" containers because they might appeal too strongly to minors.
me3dia at 4:05PM on 03/22/07
Gustoct: Just for you, we opened, tried, and dissected one of these "juice box" wines. You are correct: They have no interior lining. Here's photographic evidence.
Adam Kuban at 4:06PM on 03/22/07
@me3dia: Yes. We were talking about how you could stick a straw in it and walk around in public without anyone being the wiser.
Adam Kuban at 4:14PM on 03/22/07
The Bandit boxed wines aren't bad for picnics, as Meg says.
Daniel Johnnes' Dtour wine boxes are lined with a collapsing bag - it makes a big difference in how long the wine keeps once opened.
Cathy at 5:02PM on 03/22/07
mj had some at sxsw last year. we drank them in the hallway. i don't remember specifics but i do remember we commented that it wasn't bad.
yi at 3:58AM on 03/23/07
Bad or ordinary wines won't be better into a glass bottle than into a tetra pak....How about the price? Are theese cheaper than the same wine in bottles?
Paco Torras at 1:00PM on 03/23/07
Paco: These were $3 a pop. So you'd think they'd be comparable to a $9 750mL bottle.
Adam Kuban at 1:13PM on 03/23/07
Such containers have existed for decades in Italy. When I was studying at university there, the fairly decent plonk (the equivalent of a vin de pays) was available in 250ml tetra-paks. These cost 20 lire (less than 20 Canadian cents at the time). Very handy.
No, these aren't for fine wines, but they can be a useful means of serving plonk. And hey, wine IS (fermented) fruit juice...
lagatta at 4:11PM on 03/25/07
Tetra Paks, plastic bottles, and other non-glass packaging for wine is becoming more and more prevalent here in Ontario due to the LCBO (the government-owned liquor agency & retailer) being on a big environmental kick. The logic is that lighter packaging means less fuel is used for transportation. The same logic is also causing them to carry a lot more canned beer than they have in the past.
Not being much of a wine drinker, I don't really have an opinion one way or another, but one of our local wine writers devoted much of his column this weekend to these wines, and didn't care for many of them
GregClow at 4:15PM on 03/25/07