The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: FuckRx on January 28, 2014, 10:36:57 AM
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Wondering if people have some recommendations for boxed wines that are available locally. I'm in Southern California. Last night I bought my very first boxed wine (from Target, I know...I was desperate). The price was great, $20. And it is a delicious red Malbec.
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I go through way too much Bota Box Redvolution. Their merlot is ok, but not great IMO.
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Trader Joe's has a drinkable red in a box, $10. It's actually pretty good. Mild.
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I will second the TJ's box wine- it's my go-to. It's called "Block" and I think it comes in 2 different reds (shiraz and merlot, iirc) and a white.
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Bota.
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I am going to try Bota once my current supply runs low. I also love Malbec, by the way!
Since you like reds, you might enjoy Trader Joe's Cocobon if they sell it near you. It's about $8/bottle.
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TJ's all the way. Boxed or bottled - best wines under $10 hands down.
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sweet :) thanks guys, heading to TJ this week
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I'm a fan of Black Box wines and Big House boxed wines. For the Black Box, I typically choose the Cabernet, Malbec or Shiraz. For Big House, the Big House Red is the one I see most often but I think I tried and liked Cardinal Zin too.
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Franzia in red & white wines. It is reasonable-big box for about 12.00
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Black Box. They are pretty darn good.
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Black Box and Cardinal Zin
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The fact I'm answering this should make the conclusion understood: I am no wine connoisseur.
We drink a lot of Almaden and Black Box. Black Box costs a little more and is a little smaller box. If you get one and it TASTES AWFUL -- I have a theory. Look for a box without the little "hand hold" punched out. It seems really susceptible to spoilage (? ... or at least awful taste) when exposed to light. I've found that if the delivery dude punches out the little hole on top to make it easy to pick up, it is about 25% chance of a bad tasting box.
I don't think I've ever seen Cardinal Zin around here in a box. Zin (the real stuff that is red) is my fav. I'll have to look for it.
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Bota Malbec has been my favorite so far but Big House Pinot Evil (Pinot Noir) is nearly as good for about $5 less in my area.
Will have to try the TJ stuff. I keep forgetting that I have one that's near me now, albeit in a direction I almost never travel.
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Franzia in red & white wines. It is reasonable-big box for about 12.00
What's up my fellow non-uppity boxed wine drinker?!
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Big House Red!
I do have to say that a nicer bottle of pinot is the lesser evil in terms of hangover potential, but that's just a reason not to over-indulge.
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I think I must be a snob. I feel like this forum is starting to turn into /frugal_jerk.
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I think I must be a snob. I feel like this forum is starting to turn into /frugal_jerk.
I'm not going to speak to whether or not you are a snob, but I will say that the quality of wine being put into boxes is going way up compared to the way it used to be. It used to be you could only get the cheap wine in boxes (e.g, Franzia) but that isn't true any longer.
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Corbett Canyon pinot grigio or chardonnay. We don't have a TJ's nearby, and our Aldi's doesn't carry alcohol.
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I think the TJ's Shiraz is pretty good for about $3 from memory.
Say how much wine do you get in a box vs a bottle?
Frank
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The TJ's box is equal to 4 bottles, so it works out to $2.50/btl
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And, it doesn't let air in until the very end, so the wine tastes better longer. Less waste as well.
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Bota Malbec has been my favorite so far but Big House Pinot Evil (Pinot Noir) is nearly as good for about $5 less in my area.
In Pennsylvania we don't get TJ's wines ... so Pinot Evil is my favorite. The red Bota Boxes are fine, too.
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Kriegsspiel, I think most people here have more expensive box wine palates then we do:))
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I do Bota Redvolution, 18.95 out the door at Costco. I was doing other brands but then we had a cancer scare in my immediate family and I really started to hone in on chemicals like BPAs. Bota was the only company I could find that specifically says there's no BPAs in the bags they use.
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Franzia in red & white wines. It is reasonable-big box for about 12.00
I highly recommend the entire Franzia line, especially when they go on sale for $9.95.
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It's not wine, but I'm currently loving Crispin's new Cidre Blanc in the box.
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It's not wine, but I'm currently loving Crispin's new Cidre Blanc in the box.
WHERE do you find this? I've recently been into Crispin cider but it's really spendy in the cans or bottles. Is the boxed stuff carbonated?
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Franzia in red & white wines. It is reasonable-big box for about 12.00
I highly recommend the entire Franzia line, especially when they go on sale for $9.95.
I most recently bough a Black Box cab, but stared hard and looked longingly at the price and quantity on that franzie box. Next trip to Sams I'll try the franzia now that I have Black Box on hand for guests. :)
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My wife and I like Bota box but also get box wine from TJ's. We'll also get the 2 buck chuck(Charles Shaw) from TJ's.
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It's not wine, but I'm currently loving Crispin's new Cidre Blanc in the box.
WHERE do you find this? I've recently been into Crispin cider but it's really spendy in the cans or bottles. Is the boxed stuff carbonated?
It's still, not carbonated, drier and less sweet, but it's a bargain at around $14 for 3 liters. You won't regret it!
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It's not wine, but I'm currently loving Crispin's new Cidre Blanc in the box.
WHERE do you find this? I've recently been into Crispin cider but it's really spendy in the cans or bottles. Is the boxed stuff carbonated?
It's still, not carbonated, drier and less sweet, but it's a bargain at around $14 for 3 liters. You won't regret it!
I'm going to have to look for this. I'm not much of a wine connoisseur, but I love a good dry cider (many are much too sweet for me) and I love a box. Decent boxed wine is a great deal for everyday tippling, with the added bonus that the cat can't knock it off the counter, and crack it on the tile floor (pets are the reason I can't have nice things, except pets.)
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Franzia in red & white wines. It is reasonable-big box for about 12.00
I highly recommend the entire Franzia line, especially when they go on sale for $9.95.
I most recently bough a Black Box cab, but stared hard and looked longingly at the price and quantity on that franzie box. Next trip to Sams I'll try the franzia now that I have Black Box on hand for guests. :)
Nothing makes my day more than when the Franzia goes on sale for about $8 for a 5-liter box. It doesn't get any better than that.
As I tell my wine snob (mostly broke) friends, "why worry about trying to impress other people with your wine purchase, just get something cheap that will give you a buzz and tastes okay, because a $25 buzz is pretty much the same as a $2 buzz."
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There is a liquor store in our area that is having a two day sale in late March; everything in the store (except for kegs and rare stuff) is $1.00 over cost.
We are planning the purchase of a mixed case of Black Box wines; sale price should be about $15.40 a box. Loading up for camping season; this snow has to stop sometime!
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I have recently branched out from my Big House Red and tried Black Box Shiraz, which was a big win. Planned to buy some more when there was a 20% off beer and wine sale the other day, but Bota Box was on additional sale, so I bought that (ended up around $13.50/box. Have their red blend open right now, and it's OK, but I think Black Box Shiraz is my new favorite.
As far as tastes OK and gives a buzz, I find hangover quotient to be an important factor with red wine as well. Seems that certain ones have me feeling like crap the next morning with just a glass or two and a good water chaser before bed.
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I actually like the Big House options more than the Bota's or Black box. My favorite, not only box, but wine (in bulk) is Jack Tone. It's a bit hard to come by but you can order online (in some states), and everywhere I bring it, people are surprised.
As far as being a wine snob, wasn't there just a huge splash last year about how all the wine experts/judges couldn't tell the difference between "good" and "bad"? Or at least they weren't able to rate the same wines consistently?
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Black Box Cab is my top pick... for price and consistency. The malbec and Shiraz are good too, merlot a bit disappointing in my opinion. I tend to keep going back to the cabernet as my go to every day wine.
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I go through way too much Bota Box Redvolution. Their merlot is ok, but not great IMO.
We just picked up the Malbec for 17 bucks last night. I really like it! Redvolution is a bit too sweet for my liking.
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I never seriously considered boxed wine before reading the MMM post. I have *standards*, after all. The Bota Box cabernet was a nice surprise, and the ability to leave it out frees up fridge space and makes it more convenient!
That said, I've enjoyed (bottled) tempranillo for a long time as it's tasty, not so "pretentious", doesn't need to be aged, and has the bonus that it's generally cheap (although popularity may spoil that in time.)
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franzia chillable red
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As I tell my wine snob (mostly broke) friends, "why worry about trying to impress other people with your wine purchase, just get something cheap that will give you a buzz and tastes okay, because a $25 buzz is pretty much the same as a $2 buzz."
Or you can imitate Jeff Yeager when you have company over...just decant your Cardbordeaux into a fancy glass bottle. He does this all the time and says that no one ever even notices.
http://ultimatecheapskate.com/index.cgi
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As I tell my wine snob (mostly broke) friends, "why worry about trying to impress other people with your wine purchase, just get something cheap that will give you a buzz and tastes okay, because a $25 buzz is pretty much the same as a $2 buzz."
Or you can imitate Jeff Yeager when you have company over...just decant your Cardbordeaux into a fancy glass bottle. He does this all the time and says that no one ever even notices.
http://ultimatecheapskate.com/index.cgi
Cardbordeaux ... love it! I can apprecitate up to the $100 range (anything more is lost on me) but I enjoy a good boxed wine as well. Same way I can spend a few hundred on a fancy dinner once in a while, but still enjoy taco bell. Anyone who claims to dislike taco bell is a snob.
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As I tell my wine snob (mostly broke) friends, "why worry about trying to impress other people with your wine purchase, just get something cheap that will give you a buzz and tastes okay, because a $25 buzz is pretty much the same as a $2 buzz."
Or you can imitate Jeff Yeager when you have company over...just decant your Cardbordeaux into a fancy glass bottle. He does this all the time and says that no one ever even notices.
http://ultimatecheapskate.com/index.cgi
Cardbordeaux ... love it! I can apprecitate up to the $100 range (anything more is lost on me) but I enjoy a good boxed wine as well. Same way I can spend a few hundred on a fancy dinner once in a while, but still enjoy taco bell. Anyone who claims to dislike taco bell is a snob.
The idea of taco bell grosses me out, but I do agree on the wine front. Pre-MMM I developed a pretty good wine palate. Budget allowing, I might allow myself a wine cellar again in future years, but both the DW and I agree that it's a total waste of money in our current (enlightened) financial position.
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As I tell my wine snob (mostly broke) friends, "why worry about trying to impress other people with your wine purchase, just get something cheap that will give you a buzz and tastes okay, because a $25 buzz is pretty much the same as a $2 buzz."
If you really believed this, you'd be drinking malt liquor instead of wine.
By virtue of being in a wine thread, you've already taken that first baby step down the road of accepting a higher price for a fancier perceived image.
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Boy, I was jazzed for my $15+ buy of Black Box, I now see from others that the alcohol tax my state passed last year does have an affect. I am in MD, what state are you folks in with the less expensive wine?
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I am in New Zealand, where they now sell by the box Saints Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough. It's $20/1.5L, which is not actually any cheaper than the same drop bought in the bottle, BUT I buy it because I only drink a box per month, it keeps better and is more convenient.
(Plus I get a kick out of pouring myself wine from the box standing there with the fridge door open. I could be ... Roseanne! Or, you know, back at uni.)
MMM mentioned I think Banrock Station from Australia, which is also available here in NZ on a limited basis. From memory I think that was ok. I think the Banrock reds were better than the whites.
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Not a box wine, but a gallon jug: Gallo Paisano ($12). It is a sweet red that goes pretty well with food. My wife usually likes sweeter white wine, but she likes it. Got the recommendation from a social club.
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I recommended Corbett Canyon in an older post, but over the months I've decided I like the whites, but the merlot was meh. I also found that with my last two boxes, the spigot thingy did not function well--had to fight with it to get it open.
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Franzia in red & white wines. It is reasonable-big box for about 12.00
Oh god, please no. That's just the absolute junkiest wine. I see hobos carrying around bags of it. I realize it may be the most cost-effective per liter, but I'd just recommend you just drink less of something a little better. Black box is decent.
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Franzia in red & white wines. It is reasonable-big box for about 12.00
Oh god, please no. That's just the absolute junkiest wine. I see hobos carrying around bags of it. I realize it may be the most cost-effective per liter, but I'd just recommend you just drink less of something a little better. Black box is decent.
Sir, I am NOT a hobo. i just didn't have my shoes that day and had fallen down a few steps which tore up my clothes and happened to get a great deal on the franeezee.