For many years box wine had a bad image as being cheap and not good to drink. That seems to have changed in recent years with the creation of the premium 3L box category. Consumers are opening up to buying box wine more and more. In 2017 Black Box and Bota Box wines had sales of over six million 9 Liter cases each. These brands and other box wine producers are putting better quality wine in a box, and keeping the price very reasonable. Could box wine become the new house wine at your restaurant or bar? After reading the following benefits of box wine, you might consider it as an option.
I have gone to restaurants and bars that tend to sell more beer and spirits, but have a few by the glass wine options for those of us who would just rather have a glass of wine. I order a glass, take a taste, and immediately can tell the bottle has been open for quite a while and it’s not good. I hate to be “that guy” that sends it back because it is undrinkable, but I also want to enjoy my drink. So, I send it back. The bartender then dumps the glass and the remainder of a half full bottle of wine. Then opens a new fresh bottle. I’m happy, but the establishment just wasted money. Is it happening at your bar or restaurant? Box wine might help eliminate that issue and make sure your customer has a better experience. The following are reasons why box wine might be right for you.
Better quality wine
Many of the 3Liter box wines such as Bota Box and Black box are putting better wine in the box. They are sourcing grapes from well-known appellations. For instance, Bota Box and Black Box are using grapes from Mendoza Argentina for their Malbec wines. Mendoza is known for producing good quality Malbec.
Stays fresh longer
Inside the box is a plastic vacuum sealed bag that holds the wine. This bag does not allow oxygen to interact with the juice. Oxygen is what causes wine to break down, and after a few days go bad. After opening a box wine it will stay fresh for about 30-45 days on average. If you choose to pour box wine at your restaurant, write the date the box was opened on the box in order to track freshness. That is also a good plan if you serve wine in glass bottles. With glass you only get about three good days out of an open bottle.
Available in various sizes
Most box wines are available in 1.5, 3, and 5 Liter boxes. Cost per ounce might be cheaper depending on your current bottle house wine. A 3 liter box is equal to four 750ml bottles of wine. This is approximately 20 – 5oz glasses. A case usually consist of three to six boxes.
Eco Friendly: Less Carbon footprint
The cardboard boxes are lighter than heavy glass bottles, so they require fewer trucks to deliver the same amount of wine. This results in less emissions, less pollution, less cost and less greenhouse gases. Bota Box claims they create 85% less landfill waste than traditional glass packages, and are 100% recyclable. Bota Box wines are even made in certified sustainable winery in California.
No wine tool needed
Each box wine comes with its own pour spout making it easy to serve. Also, since the box has no cork, it eliminates the problem of having any cork tainted bottles.
Wide selection of Varietals
Now that box wine has become more acceptable there are a wide range of varietals to choose from. All of the basic varietals such as: Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, Moscato etc….are represented, but also unique varietals like Verdejo, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Sangiovese and others. There are also several sangrias and even organic box wines available.
If you are wasting wine due to spoilage, or not even serving wine because you think waste will be a problem, you now have a new option with box wine.