Below is the list of wines they selected, along with their tasting notes. Let us know if you agree with their selection or tell us your top boxed wine pick!

Reds:

2009 Alandra Alentejo Red: A rustic, country red from Portugal’s Herdade do Esporão with moderate tannins and plenty of red fruit. Try it with grilled and roasted pork or oily fish like sardines. (Importer: HCG Imports)

2009 Big House Cardinal Zin Beastly Old Vines California Zinfandel: A dialed-down style that has balanced berry fruit, is nicely made and is still big enough to accompany barbecue and sausages. The favorite of the Big House lineup.

2009 Black Box Wines Central Coast Shiraz: Black Box was an early entry into premium boxed wines nearly a decade ago. Give the bold berry flavors and hint of gaminess a slight chill – especially if it’s a hot day.
 http://www.aboutboxedwine.com/wine/black-box-central-coast-shiraz 

2008 Powers Washington Cabernet Sauvignon: The most varietal and well-structured Cabernet of those tasted.

Whites

2010 Duca del Frassino Venezie IGT Garganega-Pinot Grigio: A Soave-like wine with depth, breadth and a slight amaro-bitter almond note on the finish. Or try the 2010 Duca del Frassino Venezie IGT Durello-Chardonnay ($19, 12%) with simple grilled chicken or white-fleshed fish.
http://www.aboutboxedwine.com/wine/duca-del-frassino-garganega-pinot-grigio

2010 La Petite Frog Coteaux du Languedoc Picpoul de Pinet: If your palate prefers leaner wine, you’ll enjoy this white from southern France, with its zippy citrus and mineral hints. (Importer: Kysela Pere et Fils)

2009 R. Muller Landwein Rhein Riesling: The German category of Landwein (country wine) falls between tafelwein (table wine) and the QbA designations. Apricot and lichee; lighter-bodied and relatively sweet, but still considered off-dry.

2010 Trinchero Family Estates Wine Cube California Sauvignon Blanc: Slightly grassy and very varietal, with bright lemon and lime peel, stone fruit aromas and flavors. A terrific option for your go-to summer white, while the 2009 Wine Cube Pinot Noir ($17, 13.5%) is a perfect red for salmon.

Read the full article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/01/FD3K1K4NQJ.DTL#ixzz1REsOYkjL

The Pepperwood Grove BIG GREEN BOX offers all the convenience of a 3L bag-in-box, produced by a company with a long track record of producing great wine at reasonable prices. In fact, Pepperwood Grove has been winning the hearts and minds of consumers for 20 years!

Varietals offered in the BIG GREEN BOX include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Once opened, the wine will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Pepperwood Grove Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes

Dark ruby color with a nose full of raspberries, cedar, and subtle savory herbs. After the inviting nose entices you to take a sip, you will experience the flavors of rich blackberry cobbler, fresh raspberry jam, and caramel oak tones with integrated hints of basil and fresh figs.

Awards

Pepperwood Grove wines have been awarded over 35 “Best Values” and “Best Buys” from major wine publications over the last 20 years.

http://spiritofwine.blogspot.com/2010/10/practically-free-big-green-box-wines.html

http://isantetalk.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-big-green-box-winethumbs

Learn More

http://www.donandsons.com/ourwine/biggreenbox/

http://www.aboutboxedwine.com/boxed-wine-is-good/discover-rate-review/

In a large sauce pan, combine

• 4 cups of apple cider
• 5 cups of red wine, (Cabernet Sauvignon is recommended)

For great cabernet sauvignon that comes in a box, check out www.aboutboxedwine.com/category/wine/varietals/cabernet-sauvignon

• ¼ cup of Honey
• 4 Cloves
• 3 Star of Anise
• 2 Sticks of Cinnamon
• 1 Orange-Juiced

Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Before serving, place a piece of orange zest in each glass and strain wine with colander to remove cloves, star of anise and cinnamon sticks.

This recipe should make six servings.
Cheers!

What is Mulled Wine anyway?

In medieval times, heated wines were called Ypocras or Hipocris, named after ‘the father of medicine,’ the Greek physician Hippocrates. Purer than the water in those days, it was thought to be a very healthy drink. During the 1500′s, the mulling of clarrey, or bordeaux wine, sweetened with honey and spiced with cinnamon and cardamon was popular.

There are various types of mulled wine and many countries have their own versions and names for this heated beverage. Other types and names for mulled wine include:

• Glögg – in Scandinavian countries, it is spiced with ginger, cloves and cinnamon. Sugar is added to the red wine and brandy or vodka is sometimes also added.
• Glühwein – “glowing wine”, in Germany.
• Vin brulé – “burnt wine”, in Italy.
• Grzane wino – “heated wine”, in Poland.
• Varené wino – “boiled wine”, in Slovakia.
• Forralt bor – “boiled wine”, in Hungary.
• Quentão – in Brazil, it is made using cachaça, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented sugar cane mixed with spices. In some parts of the country though these days, cachaça has been replaced for the more common red wine.

Read more at Suite101: Mulled Wine Recipe: Including a Brief History and Alternative Names for Hot Wine http://www.suite101.com/content/mulled-wine-recipe-a179247#ixzz14zfR0COF

Fine dry white wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety. Ideal to be drunk young, it does not require an aging process. Vigorous on the palate, this ruby-red colored wine denotes fruity aromas.

Learn More

Vinicolaperini.com.br

Tasting Notes

Seleção Tinto is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot of the same vintage. The wine is good color intensity, with hues ranging from ruby red to purple. It has a pleasant bouquet with a good combination of wood and fruit. Aroma descriptors include; strawberry, blackcurrant, dried fruit, eucalyptus, cocoa and spices. Seleção Tinto tasted well developed and rounded, with a pleasant and lingering finish. The wine’s ideal serving temperature is between 14º and 16º C.

Food Pairings

Miolo Seleção Tinto is an excellent accompaniment for meats, such as steak and onions, roast beef, beef roll, and pizzas such as mozzarella, Margherita, and Portuguese. Try it with pasta with tomato sauce, cheese or stuffed pasta. Light and soft, this wine goes well with grilled chicken in a variety of sauces and mushroom, meat or cheese risotto.

Learn More

Miolo.com.br

Tasting Notes

Seleção Rosé is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo of the same vintage. The wine is clear, bright, pink coloring of medium intensity. It has a delicate aroma of fruit, strawberry, melons and light notes of cherry. This wine is soft in the mouth, light, medium and pleasant persistence.

Technical Characteristics

• Manual harvest
• Manual selection during harvest
• Keeps the berries as a whole when undoing the bunches
• Filling the tanks by gravity
• Short maceration on 10º, for 4 hours
• Alcoholic fermentation with controlled temperature from 12º to 15ºC
• Conservation in stainless tanks with controlled temperature

Learn More

Miolo.com.br

Cave de Amadeu developed this wine drawing upon the most advanced production techniques, combining select raw materials, technology and tradition, in order to achieve the highest quality.

Tasting Notes

This wine has an intense ruby color with a fruity and excellent balance, and touches of vanilla and coconut. On the palette, this wine is balanced, fruity, well structured, natural acidity and pleasing.

Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 12.5 % vol.

Technical information

• Vineyards grown in espalier
• 4-6 months of custody in oak barrels
• Production per hectare: about 8000 kg

Tavernello is a #1 selling wine brand in Italy owned by Caviro. Consumers choose Tavernello because it is genuine, light and suitable for everyday use.

Genuine, because it is produced by 46 wine-producers’ cooperatives, wine-growing consortiums and wine-producers’ associations including more than 30,000 wine growers located in 8 Italian regions and cultivating over 6% of the Italian vineyard surface. Light, because it has a low alcoholic strength, which makes it suitable for everyday use.

Tavernello Cabernet Tasting Notes

Elegant red wine of intensive bordeaux color. The flavor is dominated by black currant, berries, blooming rose and flowers. Tavernello Cabernet has an intensive and bright long finish.

Food Pairing

Enjoy this wine with lasagna, spaghetti with red meat sauce, grilled meat, and cheeses.

Learn More

Tavernellousa.com

Where to Buy Tavernello Wine Online

FIND MORE BOX WINE ON ABOUTBOXEDWINE.COM

Concha Y Toro is one of the most successful Chilean wineries, Latin America’s major wine exporter and with presence in over 130 countries, one of the world’s most important wine brands. Concha Y Toro ownes the Frontera and Sonata wine lines.

It is a truly global company where tradition and innovation meet to underwrite a commitment to customers to offer the best quality and wine-drinking experience.

Sonata Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes

Bright, dark plum. Bouquet: Appealing ripe cherries, black currant and dark plums with a touch of vanilla and toasted oak. Taste: Medium bodied with smooth and friendly tannins. Hints of plums and cherries and a generous touch of toasted American oak.

Food Pairing

This would be a Very Good wine to pair with barbecue steak tips and a terrific glass pour at your favorite wine bar.

Learn More

ConchaYToro.com

Where to Buy Concha Y Toro Wine Online

FIND MORE BOX WINE ON ABOUTBOXEDWINE.COM

Concha Y Toro is one of the most successful Chilean wineries, Latin America’s major wine exporter and with presence in over 130 countries, one of the world’s most important wine brands. Concha Y Toro ownes the Frontera and Sonata wine lines.

It is a truly global company where tradition and innovation meet to underwrite a commitment to customers to offer the best quality and wine-drinking experience.

Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes

Ruby-like, bright in color. Fruit forward with red plum and varietal characteristics. Medium dry, medium body and harmonious with a good finish This wine marries two of the classic Bordeaux grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon offers character, complexity and longevity.

Food Pairing

 Patterned after the same classic blend that distinguishes many fine chateaux of Bordeaux, this superb red wine complements the heartiest foods, especially red meats, barbeque, savory pasta dishes, and pizza.

Learn More

ConchaYToro.com

Where to Buy Concha Y Toro Wine Online

Frontera.cl

FIND MORE BOX WINE ON ABOUTBOXEDWINE.COM