Being a college student, I am no stranger to boxed wine. It is typically cheaper, easy to pour, and let’s face it, who doesn't want to slap the bag? Every college student is familiar with the classic Franzia boxed wine that is available at literally any store near you. However, there is so much more to boxed wine. I recently took a trip to the alcohol aisle of the grocery store (because why not) and came across so many variations of boxed wines. My strictly Franzia drinking self was actually blown away by endless amounts of boxed wines on the market.
After some searching on the web and going to the liquor store, I decided to take my interest in boxed wines to a new level and conduct my own little experiment. My friends and I found five of the most talked about and most popular boxed wines on the market: Franzia (classic), Fish Eye, Bota Brick, Black Box and the Naked Grape. I bought one box of Chardonnay from each of these brands to determine which boxed wine actually tastes the best.
1. Franzia
$14.99/ 5L box or $7.99/1.5L
"It's not bad at first, but the after taste is off-putting."
"I am no wine expert, but this is not very good."
"It's a no from me."
2. Fish Eye
$16.99/3L
"It has such a light and fresh flavor, I'm in love."
"It tastes better than the Franzia for sure, but there is still something off here."
"You can really get the hints of apple and vanilla in this. Delicious."
3. Bota Brick
$15.49/3L
"The flavor is so tropical. You can really taste the citrus in this."
"So smooth and such a unique flavor."
"I would definitely slap the bag for this."
4. Black Box
$14.99/3L
"There is so much depth in this flavor."
"There is a slight fruitiness to the wine but it is not overpowering. It is pretty good.
"The after-taste is interesting, I'm not sure I am into it."
5. The Naked Grape
$16.49/3L
"Am I supposed to be tasting an apple pie right now?"
"It is a little too tangy for my liking."
"I actually like the subtleness of the fruit while still being a pretty dry wine."
The Verdict
Alright, the moment you have all been waiting for. Which boxed wine is the best? There was a lot of tasting involved and a lot of mixed feelings, but in the end we were able to pick the final winner. My friends and I decided to take not only the flavors into consideration, but the price as well to inform you all on the best purchase to make when shopping for boxed wine. So, based on these factors, the best box wine goes to Bota Brick!
With its fresh, unique, tropical fruit flavor, we knew Bota Brick was going to be one of our favorites. Based on its moderate pricing of only $15.49/3L (that's 4 bottles of standard wine people!), it was definitely the winner. Along with making delicious wine, Bota Brick is also dedicated to helping our planet. Their motto, which can be seen on their website, is "Great Wines Shouldn't Cost the Earth," and the box is 100% recyclable. You are doing Earth a favor while drinking wine. What could be better?
So, maybe you should reconsider your choices the next time you are giving box wine a bad rap. Be sure to go out and try this wine. You will definitely not be disappointed.