Wine from a box

WHINE # 56

 

BOXED WINES:  Last time I asked readers for suggestions for topics in future blogs.  One suggestion that threw me a bit was “why not say something about boxed wines?”  Not an easy task for me as I never drink boxed wines.  In fact, the closest I usually get to a boxed wine happens at the end of a golf game when I am heading to the bar and my wife says:  “Bring me a glass of wine, unless it comes from a box.”  Given the golf courses that we usually frequent, Betty gets a lot of glasses of beer.

Snobbery aside, I headed out to my local NSLC store and purchased the most expensive box of wine available.  This happened to be an Australian Shiraz.  I served it blind to a number of Christmas party guests and to my surprise there were some that thought it was good, although the majority (perhaps the more honest ones) noted that it definitely was of an inferior quality.  At the end of the evening I was left with many empty glass bottles and a half-full box of Shiraz.  Over the next couple of days I managed to finish the stuff but nobody else in the house assisted me in that task.  I sipped the Shiraz as the rest of my family enjoyed the good stuff.

What can one say about wine that comes in a box?  First, boxed wine has one great advantage over bottled wine in that it keeps well after opening.  Boxed wine is really wine in a plastic sack.  As wine is removed the sack collapses and no air is left to oxidize the wine.  The claim is that a box of wine can last for weeks.  This compares to bottled wine that I find lasts at best 24 hours.  The second advantage is the price.  Boxed wine is about 30% cheaper than anything one can buy in a bottle.

So what is my advice?  If you are 24 years old, have a big student loan, car payments, and the need to get financially established, then boxed wine could be your drink of choice.  However, if you are three times that age, you must realize that any glass of wine you pour might be your last.  I would hate for my very last glass of wine to have come from a box.

GOOD NEWS FOR RURAL NOVA SCOTIANS:  Nova Scotia is a poor province with an aging population.  One of the sources of government revenue is the liquor taxes collected at each NSLC store.  However, as we age consumption of alcoholic beverages is declining (this observation does not come from personal experience I assure you).  Raising prices is predicted to be counterproductive in terms of consumption and subsequent revenue. 

In a recent article I read the solution seems to be to convince Nova Scotia consumers to drink higher quality wines (which of course have more tax included in the price). 

Those of us in rural areas have long complained that there are few really good quality wines available at NSLC stores.  The best wines only seem to be available in the Port of Wines store in Halifax.   If the government really wants me to drink more expensive wines they are presumably going to have to stock them at my local store.   Collecting more taxes from me by offering me better wines at my local store is ironically good news.  There, where else did you find someone wanting to pay more taxes?

WHAT I DRANK LAST YEAR:   At the end of each year I like to see what wines I drank over the previous twelve months.  I am too embarrassed to tell you the total number of wines that are described in my wine diary, but I will tell you the percentage of wines that came from the major wine producing countries.

Again, South America dominated my table with 44% of wines opened (24% from Argentina and 20% from Chile).  This compares to 46% from the previous year.  There are two reasons for my purchasing so many wines from South America.  First the wines are very, very good; and second, these are great value wines.  If you like red wine and you want to buy wines in the $ 15-$20 range you can’t beat South America.

California, as we all know, makes great wines, but they tend to be a bit pricey.  Last year 12% of my consumption (11% in 2013) was Californian.  No doubt that will decline in 2015 as the Canadian dollar is currently so much weaker than the US greenback.  The good news is that the Canadian dollar is holding its own against other currencies.  My guess is that I shall crack 50% in terms of South American wine consumption.

Twenty per cent of my consumption came from Spain and Italy, but I drank far fewer French wines last year (8%).   I think as I drink more-and-more high alcohol full-bodied New World wines my taste for the thinner wines from France declines. 

To round out my totals 10% of the wines that came up from my cellar were from Australia and 6% came from miscellaneous countries.

MY FAVORITES IN 2014:  Going back through my diary I found that there were 12 bottles of wine to which I gave a perfect “10”.  So what wines were rated as highly as was Bo Derek in the movie from so many years ago?  Three wines repeated from my 2013 list.  There were:  a 2003 Alfa Crux blend from Argentina, a 2007 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon, also from Argentina, and a 2009 Louis Martini Napa Cabernet  (not to be confused with a Louis Martini Sonoma)

Two more of the wines were blends from Argentina, a 2010 Norton Privada, and a 2010 Clos de les Siete.  An Australian Shiraz (a 2001 Strathbogie Ranges); a Pinot from Chile (a 2008 Villard Espression Reserve); and a 2009 Genesis Syrah from Washington State rounded out the New World Wines.

Only three of my twelve top wines came from the old world.  Two were from Spain, a 2009 Pujanza from Rioja and the least expensive wine of the entire lot a 2006 Luzon Petit Verdot.  Finally, an Italian wine, a 2008 Piano Aglianico del Vulture rounded out my list of the best wines of 2014.

With the exception of the Don Melchor all the wines were under $ 50.

CELLAR OFFERING 230:  This offering is a bit of a mixed bag, including some wines from Brazil, a few French wines, a couple of South American wines, as well as some Cognac and Scotch Whiskey.  If you were like me and blew the bank on Offering 229 then you will be very discriminating this time.

Brazil makes lots of sparkling wines and last year I ordered a case of Salton.  I found it to be a bit sweet for my taste.  Most Brazilian winemakers are Italian in origin so perhaps their wine is intended to mimic Prosecco.  My preference, however, is for drier Cavas from Spain.

For those of you with little cash after the Christmas season you might try a case of 7948 Paulita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon.  For a wine the sells for well below $ 15., depending on your province, this wine is surprisingly drinkable.

On the other hand, if you want to spend some of that money you are currently saving at the gas pumps I suggest the Chablis (7931).  Chablis is never cheap but I much prefer it to New World Chardonnays.

Finally, if you have lots of spare cash order a case of 7971 Sauvis Hors, D’Age Bas-Armagnac.  I know this is over $ 100. per bottle but at the end of a fine dinner a sip of this so magnificent.