Last night at the fundraiser, I asked for a Merlot and they pulled out a fresh box. In honor of that: Wirecutter Our Favorite Boxed and Canned Wines
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By Connor Grossman
Published August 25, 2021
The beauty of boxed and canned wine is its convenience. Forget the fuss of storing a bottle or resealing a half-finished one. Leave them all in the cellar. The future is now, and may we all enjoy it with a can of red, white, or rosé.
The pushback against “new” ways to enjoy wine is real, but the arguments seem to be a matter of aesthetics. Cardboard box over glass bottle? A $5 price tag instead of $50? Slurping wine out of—gulp—a plastic bag? Wine doesn’t have to look good to taste good—though many of the can and box designs have a made-for-Instagram feel to them. And as long as you’re not looking for the depth of flavor you’d find in a 50-year-old bottle, the taste of these wines will suit most drinkers.
As Wirecutter staffers bounce around beaches, parks, and BBQs enjoying what’s left of the summer, these are the favorite boxed and canned wines they’re bringing with them.
From the Tank by Jenny & François Selections (in red, white, or pink)
From the Tank by Jenny & François Selections ($27 at the time of publication)
Jenny & François Selections is a really great importer specializing in natural wines. I often look for this name on the back of bottles because I prefer natural or organic wine, so I was tickled when my local shop started selling boxed wine from the importer. I’ve tried the white and pink, and I like them both. They’re made with organically or sustainably sourced grapes—unusual for boxed wine—and both are on the dryer side. Each wine is great for camping, beach days, picnics, or an evening sip out of the fridge. They are both totally respectable table wines to serve with simple, honest food. I haven’t tried the red, but I imagine it’s probably good too.
—Christine Cyr Clisset, deputy editor
Paper Planes Flight School Rosé of Pinot Noir
Paper Planes Flight School Rosé of Pinot Noir ($30 for four cans at the time of publication)
One factor separates the drinkable wines from the excellent in my price range (as close to $20 a bottle, or under, as possible): Can it be traced to a specific farm and varietal? Or is it an anonymous blend of whatever’s left in the tanks? This rosé of pinot noir is the former, and it’s great! As it should be for a $30 bottle (split into four cans). Flight School is perfect with a side of soda and some salted almonds, as a lightweight addition to the beach cooler. I wish more makers would put high-quality wine into cans like this—and that someone would give me a trunkload of this stuff ’cause I can’t pay $30 every time!
—Harry Sawyers, senior editor
Bandit Cabernet Sauvignon
Bandit Cabernet Sauvignon ($9 for a 1-liter carton at the time of publication)
Three words: hot wine winter. In the fall and winter, my evening beverage of choice is a spicy-sweet mulled wine made with apple cider, oranges, and a yummy red. You don’t need anything fancy for this recipe. But I like to upgrade a bit from the cheapest options at the grocery store while still getting a good deal on a full liter—hot wine is best shared with friends. So I’ve been reliant on the liter-size cartons of Bandit’s cab sauv for years. I bought it once and liked it so much that I haven’t been interested in trying anything else. This wine is flavorful enough to not disappear into the juice yet neutral enough to let the spices pack their punch.
—Annam Swanson, managing editor
House Wine Red Blend Box
House Wine Red Blend Box ($22 for a 3-liter box at the time of publication)
I first picked up a box of this wine on my way to a dinner party in the distant pre-pandemic era, when we could find ourselves running late to gatherings large enough to warrant consuming a cardboard tub of wine. Initially, the 20-something-dollar price point for 3 liters of wine had me feeling skeptical. But I was pleasantly surprised to find it’s a smooth, velvety, adult-y, upgrade from the slap-the-bag varietals of my youth.
Over the course of 2020, opportunities to gather and share were few and far between, but I continued to keep a box on hand for weeknight dinners and Zoom happy hours. The red blend, a cabernet and merlot mix, pairs well with steak, pasta, a charcuterie board, or as a solo accompaniment to a Bachelorette marathon. It keeps well in the fridge for longer than the average bottle of red, if you’re a one-to-two-glasses-a-night wine drinker like I am. Importantly, the Red Blend is just as good chilled on a hot summer evening as it is at room temperature.
—Lauren L’Amie, SEO content strategist
Jacques Florent Rosé
Jacques Florent Rosé ($33 for a 3-liter box at the time of publication)
This is one of my favorite boxed pinks. It’s crisp, light, and easy to sip. It comes in a great cylinder packaging with a painting by Brooklyn artist Zach Fleming, which makes it fun and interesting enough to set out at a party without feeling embarrassed that you’ve gone too lowbrow with a box of wine. Enjoy this with seafood, beach snacks, or anything summery.
—Christine Cyr Clisset, deputy editor
Trader Joe’s Block Red Cabernet Sauvignon
Trader Joe’s Block Red Cabernet Sauvignon (not sold online)
This is my favorite cold-weather beverage. It’s decent enough to drink as a table wine with braises or stews—just put it in a decanter—but I primarily use it to mull wine. I first started mulling wine a few years ago for parties, but over the past year the boxed format has been particularly helpful since I can use exactly what I need. Sometimes that’s only a mugful or two, rather than a whole bottle. This cabernet sauvignon has enough acidity and peppery-ness to stand up to the fruit and warmth of the cinnamon and cloves. And it’s cheap enough that I don’t feel bad modifying it or using it in excess.
—Anna Shults Held, editor
Las Jaras Waves Red Wine
Las Jaras Waves Red Wine ($12 per can at the time of publication)
I’m part of Las Jaras’s wine club, and I added a few cans of this to my last shipment to try it out. I was skeptical because I’d never had canned wine before, but popping one of these open straight from the fridge was so refreshing and fun. It tastes (to me, at least) like a spiked La Croix. Waves Red is a really light and dry wine with a subtle fruitiness to it.
I’ve since gifted cans of this one and the white-wine version to friends. And I’d also bring these to parties as a good option for other non-beer-drinkers like me. This wine is the perfect, low-effort way to unwind after a long, hot summer day.
—Rozette Rago, photo editor
House Wine Rosé Bubbles
House Wine Rosé Bubbles ($45 for 12 cans at the time of publication)
I didn’t know canned wine existed until my sister introduced me to it. It was a little jarring to find out that (in some cases) a single can wields the alcohol content of half a bottle of wine—be careful, they’re easy to finish! I really enjoy this rosé in the summer at a backyard BBQ, at the beach, or while floating in a pool. Drinking wine out of a can makes it easier to be poolside, and this wine specifically has a refreshing coolness to it. This rosé pairs best with backyard BBQ basics—hotdogs and burgers—and it’s a great way to beat the heat.
—Jasmine Khoury, associate software engineer
Schplink Gruner Veltliner
Schplink Gruner Veltliner ($33 for a 3-liter box at the time of publication)
My local wine shop carries this, and it’s great—crisp, dry, and refreshing. Perfect for a picnic, beach day, or camping. It’s a cut above most boxed wine, and it comes in great packaging. This wine pairs well with cheese, grilled chicken, or really anything you’d drink a crisp white with.
—Christine Cyr Clisset, deputy editor
Connor Grossman is Wirecutter’s newsletter strategist. Previously he wrote and edited for Sports Illustrated. He loves road trips, good food, and taking pictures of good food.
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