"Eww, wine in a box?" I say, down with snobby elitists! Drink what you enjoy.

The "image" of boxed wines has improved greatly in the past few years. No longer are they looked upon as simply a larger quantity of Ripple or Boones Farm in one container! Many of today's boxed wines are quite good. Granted, some are not, but that is certainly the case with bottled wines as well. As a good friend pointed out when I made the mistake of buying an inexpensive bottle of Yellow Tail imported from Australia: "Haven't you ever wondered about the quality of wine that is imported all that way to America and STILL makes money for the company?"

Some of the pros and cons of wine in a box:
* Easy to handle and unbreakable
* Easy to store in the refrigerator; in fact, you can remove the bag and throw away the box to save even more room
* Stays airtight and fresh much longer than bottled wines
* Convenient for picnics, camping and travel; you don't need a corkscrew
* Many stores give a "case discount" if you buy 4 boxes at a time

My favorite boxed wines come from Peter Vella Wines, a Modesto, California vintner. They are inexpensive, the quality and flavors are always consistent, and the packaging is always reliable (no drippy spigots). There are close to a dozen different varieties including Burgundy, Cabernet Sauv, Merlot, Chablis and Chardonnay. I especially recommend their Chardonnay. CHEERS!

Learn more about this author, Pennie McPhee.
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