10 Best Boxed Wines UK | Bowl Grabber Bruce Jack and More
It's no secret that boxed or 'bag in box' wines are breaking down their inadequacy shackles. Wine producers and consumers alike are waking up to the many benefits associated with boxed wine. Being more environmentally friendly, coming in much larger sizes, keeping wine fresher for longer and providing easy transportation are but a few in the long list of why boxed wine is a wine for modern times.
Bowl Grabber, Banrock Station and Bruce Jack have bagged and boxed the kind of wines that will have any wine connoisseur stopping in their tracks and smiling. Whether it's a gift of white zinfandel, a crisp rosé for a party or just a mellow merlot for your own enjoyment, there are plenty of options. We've ranked 10 red, rosé and white boxed wines from Australia, Italy, Portugal, and France of the best stronghold grape varieties you can buy online.
Quick List - Top Boxed Wines
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Table of Contents
- How to Choose a Boxed Wine in the UK - Buying Guide
- Consider a Pouch or Box Depending on Your Thirst Levels1
- Will It Be a Red, Rosé or a White Drinking Time?2
- Delve into the Tasting Notes of Your Boxed Wine3
- Choosing a Wine Based on Its Origin Is Half the Fun4
- Scope Out the Alcohol Content so There's No Hidden Surprises5
- Opt for an Organic Wine for a Conscious Drop6
- Products to Make Your Wine Experience Shine
- Summary
How to Choose a Boxed Wine in the UK - Buying Guide
To make sure your introduction into the world of boxed wine is a delicious one, it's clever to learn a thing or two first. This simple buying guide will lead you through the varying boxed wine types and their defining palate quenching points.
Consider a Pouch or Box Depending on Your Thirst Levels
These days, where quality wine retailers are concerned, it's all about the 2.25L box - the equivalent of three bottles. This size is seen as the industry standard. It offers an adequately stocked box while not being excessive like some budget wine retailers tend to do, with 4 - 6 bottles in each box!
If you think even three bottles is excessive for your drinking needs and you fancy something lighter for those park-bound times, then you're in suitably sized capable hands. At 1.5L, a pouch can be considered the fruity little cousin of the box, offering two bottles in the one handy carry pouch.
If you desire a box for the home, but two bottles sounds like plenty, then do not fear, as you can also find the odd boxed wine at 1.5L. This variance helps you narrow down if you want the full bag in box experience or the cuter pouch alternative right from the get-go.
Will It Be a Red, Rosé or a White Drinking Time?
It's certainly no secret that some of us sway to the rhythms and flavours of a particular type of wine. This is perfectly acceptable, and we are in no way aiming to get between you and your favourite wine, but pairing certain wines with moods, foods, and seasons can elevate your wine drinking times to whispered about levels.
White wine's flavour profile is a match made in heaven with anything tarty, citrusy or fishy. Think goat's cheese, honey roasted figs and lemon drizzled fish, and white wine has got you. On the other side of the wine tasting coin, reds are all about bold foods with deepened flavour potential. Dishes like pasta and stews soak up red wine like nobody's business.
Rosé is a summertime wine through and through, suiting times spent outside with the sun kissing your face, which is why it's so popular in countries like Italy and Spain. In a similar vein to white wine, rosé suits meals on the lighter side with grilled seafood, salads and young cheeses, all pining for a Rosé to pair with.
Delve into the Tasting Notes of Your Boxed Wine
Now that you've started developing an idea of the kind of wine you'll next be dining with, it's time to delve further into the tasting notes. With each wine gaining its complex flavours from the grape varieties and the soils they're grown on to the barrels they're aged in, this is where the art form of winemaking takes hold.
Wine producers typically include tasting notes on their box to give people a clear idea of the flavour of their wine, helping them pair it to food in the process. In reds, look out for the dark fruity flavours of cherries, raspberries, blackcurrants and plums alongside dark chocolate and vanilla.
White and rosé wines often have the more fresh and crisp tasting notes of strawberries, citrus, apple and peach to give your palette a burst of summertime freshness with every glass. With each purveyor of wines preferring certain flavours you can make a pretty good assumption that your preferred flavours are ready and waiting to be tasted.
Choosing a Wine Based on Its Origin Is Half the Fun
It's a pretty relatable thing to enter the wine section of the supermarket, and for some unbeknown reason, gravitating toward a particular countries' wines over another. It's one of the great joys of wine, trying different grape varieties suited to a specific set of winemaking parameters that each country and region is famous for.
Good quality boxed wine has been a commonplace thing in Australia for a good while already, with the preconceptions down there being swept under the rug. Look for wines from the iconic regions of the southern states for a guaranteed-to-be-tasty drop.
Many wine producers in the big European hitters of Italy, France, Spain and Portugal have also stepped over to the boxed wine side. South Africa is another country where boxed wine is taking effect, making a choice from any one of these countries a safe slurping bet.
Scope Out the Alcohol Content so There's No Hidden Surprises
Influenced by the ripeness of the grapes at the time of picking, the alcohol content of wine is a balancing act that even experienced winemakers don't always get right. Constantly testing and tasting their wines in the ageing process, they often add water, sugar or even fruit juice to get the alcohol content and taste just right.
This variance in the alcohol content of wine makes for some wonky times if not considered when buying. Most wines that are produced on a large scale generally have between 9 - 14% alcohol content, with 14% considered a fairly potent drop.
So depending on how tipsy turvy you fancy getting, look for a wine that's somewhere on this scale. If you're prone to feeling fruity after just one glass, maybe a lower percentage wine is a clever idea, although we're certainly not judging!
Opt for an Organic Wine for a Conscious Drop
Just like boxed wine, organic wine is seeing a steady increase in popularity and production, growing 20% annually over the last two years. This desire to step over to the organic side is, in part, due to consumers clocking on to the health and environmental benefits associated with organic wines.
Be on the lookout for any wine that is 100% certified by a recognised board such as EcoCert. Organic wine practices include farming without the use of herbicides, pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, all of which can negatively impact both the environment and our health.
Luckily, unlike other popular drinks and food, opting for an organic drop doesn't necessarily mean a higher price tag. You can find plenty of organic wines that are within a similar price bracket to non-organic. The same can be said for boxed organic wines, making an organic choice, a smart one.
10 Best Boxed Wines in the UK
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bowl Grabber Portuguese White Wine | | Dry and Crisp White Made From on-Trend Alvarinho Grapes | |
2 | Banrock Station Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine | | A Rich and Complex Red From Down Under | |
3 | Terre Organic Red Wine | | Organic Vegan Friendly Red Produced in Puglia, Italy | |
4 | Phillip Schofield Organic Nero di Troia Red Wine | | Robust Full-Flavoured Organic Italian Red | |
5 | Bruce Jack Chenin Blanc Wine | | A Social and Environmentally Conscious White From South Africa | |
6 | Bijou Le Chic Rosé | | A Refreshing and Balanced Rosé for the Park | |
7 | 19 Crimes 2019 Red Wine | | Taking No Prisoners, This Red Is a Powerful Mouthful | |
8 | When in Rome Sauvignon Blanc White Wine | | Crisp, Aromatic White Wine With Intriguing Tasting Notes | |
9 | Atlantique Cabernet Franc Rosé | | Pale Summer Rosé That's Dry and Ripe for Seafood Pairing | |
10 | The Wine Show Reserva Lisboa White Wine | | Fruity and Friendly White Wine From Lisbon Portugal |
Dry and Crisp White Made From on-Trend Alvarinho Grapes
Produced from the on-trend Alvarinho grape, Bowl Grabber's classic crisp white is undeniably a wine of the now. Winning gold at the people's choice wine awards in 2021, this white is fresh off the grape press, with word from the grapevine that it's going big places this year and beyond.
Selected by a master of wine (only 409 in the world) and with tasting notes of apple, peach and citrus zest, this wine is one that you simply must try. A vegan-friendly, conscious wine from a modern, fun company that also revels in quality of taste.
A Rich and Complex Red From Down Under
Australian-owned Banrock Station has a far-reaching positive environmental impact. Having donated more than £3 million to 130 projects in 13 countries, the world needs this company just like you need their wine.
The Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes of this bold red produce a rich and complex taste that includes cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, plum and rounds out with a hint of spice. It pairs sublimely with any red meat, but particularly venison and peppered steak, which'll make you sit back, smile and say - wow!
Organic Vegan Friendly Red Produced in Puglia, Italy
With its unique packaging, this organic red from the Terre range is ready to be swooped up and taken home or out on a wine-drinking excursion in a heartbeat. The cylindrical box with a carrying cord offers the same desirable, easy to carry feels of a pouch but with 2.25L of wine.
Certified organic, this is a red that's thoughtful in both production and packaging. With hints of rich dark fruit, spices and a vanilla burst, it's a distinct yet easy drink that can be relied upon time and time again. At 13.5% alcohol, it's also a full-bodied option that's ready to knock your socks off.
Phillip Schofield Organic Nero di Troia Red Wine
Robust Full-Flavoured Organic Italian Red
Wine enthusiast and TV personality Phillip Schofield has brought out an impressive, high-quality, artisan wine range handpicked from independent Italian vineyards. This is his Nero Di Troia red from the Puglia region, which is defined by its intense berry and cherry flavours with a slight tone of star anise.
These bold flavours ensure that this wine is a tantalising punch to your palate that'll without question leave you yearning for more. The best part about the wine is that it's certified organic - a key part of the environmentally-conscious Phillip Schofield story.
A Social and Environmentally Conscious White From South Africa
Bruce Jack is a South African wine producer with a difference. Striving to be completely carbon neutral by the end of 2021 and taking part in some significant social initiatives in South Africa, this company isn't solely about profits.
This particular offering is a small two bottle box at 1.5L, suiting less thirsty drinkers. The Chenin Blanc grapes have been grown in vineyards located on the rich soils of the Western Cape, producing a bold yet welcoming white with flavours of peaches and cream and a kiss of vanilla.
A Refreshing and Balanced Rosé for the Park
Grown on the vineyards of the Garrigue region of Southern France, the Grenache grapes of this refreshing yet balanced rosé offer a dry and clean taste that's hard to argue with. Bursting with notes of wild strawberries, citrus and white flowers, this light drop is guaranteed to cover all your alfresco dining needs.
The beauty of this rosé is that it's ready to be wistfully whisked away to whichever outdoor setting you see fit. Coming in a sleek pouch with a handle, this tapped 1.5L pouch is poised for park days where the food is grilled and the wine is flowing. However with no box, it'll pay to protect the pouch when on your merry way.
Taking No Prisoners, This Red Is a Powerful Mouthful
The Australian wine company 19 crimes draw its inspiration from the white settlers of Australia who worked the land and country, forging new lives from their checkered pasts, one brick at a time.
This is their full-bodied, firm on the palate red, with tasting notes of red currants, dark cherries and chocolate with a smooth vanilla hit at the end. A potent red that's bold in character, bold in taste and at 14%, you'd better believe it's bold in alcohol too - being the strongest wine on the list. Which may or may not suit everyone's drinking needs.
When in RomeSauvignon Blanc White Wine
Crisp, Aromatic White Wine With Intriguing Tasting Notes
An Italian white that is sure to intrigue with its particular tasting notes of yellow pepper, lime, green peas and fresh hay. A peculiar mix of flavours that will undoubtedly leave the less adventurous wine drinkers with a few question marks circling overhead.
However, for the ones who dare, this Sauvignon from the vast Venezia Giulia region is a crisp and aromatic pleasure-producing white. Pair it with a Caprese salad, white fish and grilled veg for a food and wine tasting team that's set to impress.
Pale Summer Rosé That's Dry and Ripe for Seafood Pairing
With every wine on this list being a great bag in box choice, you could do a lot worse than this French rosé at number 9. This pale and dry rosé's Cabernet Franc grapes were grown in the iconic Loire valley of France, being cooled by the Atlantic ocean breeze.
Sounds like a pretty idyllic place, doesn't it? With tasting notes of summer berries and crisp fruit, this rosé pairs perfectly with salads, seafood, and fish. Another one that hasn't got the backing of reviews but sounds positively delicious nonetheless.
The Wine ShowReserva Lisboa White Wine
Fruity and Friendly White Wine From Lisbon Portugal
A fine Portuguese white made from the Arinto de Bucelas grape variety, this fabulous wine offers a burst of freshness in every glass. With tasting notes of peaches, acacia honey, lime and pineapple, it's sure to bring an instinctual feeling of summer to the table.
The vacuum tap will keep the wine tasting exactly as it should for up to six weeks, giving you plenty of time to polish the box. The only hitch is the wine is new to the scene, with very little ratings making it more of a take-a-chance-choice than a guaranteed to be brilliant one.
Products to Make Your Wine Experience Shine
There are certain things in life that just seem to hold us in more awe than others - such is the pairing of wine and cheese. Wine and cheese is one of those mystical matches created in the foodie heavens and brought down to earth for us to feast on and to feast well. The below products are each centred around cheese, and your boxed wine, which we assume, is now on its way!
Summary
As you're now well aware, some dedicated wine producers are striving to rid boxed wine of its prejudice for good. If you weren't already a boxed wine convert before this article, we hope it's helped you to see the boxed wine light and found you a wine (or two!) to delight in.
Author: Connor Macanally
Top 5 Boxed Wines
No. 1: Bowl Grabber｜Portuguese White Wine
No. 2: Banrock Station｜Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine
No. 3: Terre｜Organic Red Wine
No. 4: Phillip Schofield ｜Organic Nero di Troia Red Wine
No. 5: Bruce Jack｜Chenin Blanc Wine
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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