Date:         Fri, 25 Apr 2014 09:43:10 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: OT & NVC & Pre-Friday: Palcohol?--now boxed wine discussion
Comments: To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>
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Good idea.  I've settled on the cheapest I can find, the Peter Vella line.
$13.99/five liters (6 1/2 750ml bottles) around here, equivalent to
$2.15/bottle.  They are running a rebate now of $4 a box up to four boxes,
or $1.50/bottle .  Can't beat that.

The reds (Burgundy & Merlot) are, as they say, "quaffable," which means they
are light and uncomplicated.  Their Chardonnay is also decent, but I prefer
their reds.

Next up is Trader Joe's "two buck Chuck," (Charles Shaw brand) which is
actually $2.50/bottle here in Washington.  I wish Joe would put it in a 5
liter box and sell it for $12, but part of their thing is to offer products
with an "affordable cachet," and the bottle is part of that.  But, they got
their start in California offering a gallon jug of Chardonnay at an
affordable price back in the late '60s.

Their Shiraz is a nice wine, definitely a cut above Vella's reds. But with
Chuck I prefer their Pinot Grigio, which is a very nice summer wine.  The
wine is made by Bronco Wines in California, which is run by Fred Franzia of
the Franzia wine family.

Joe is now offering some box wines from South America at the same price
point as the Vella line. I am working my way through them.

There are several brands of boxed 1.5 and 3 liter local varietals available
here, but they tend to work out to $7 to $10 a bottle.  Often I've found
better under $10 bottled wines then those.

Stuart
Wine guzzler

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Felder [mailto:jim.felder@gmail.com]

You sound like me. Anyone up for a discussion on the best boxes wine? There
certainly is bad and good out there.

Jim
>
> I'll stick to my 5 liter boxes of wine.  Quantity, not quality on my
budget.
>
> Stuart
>
>