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Swirlin' Dervish Wine Tasting at Swirl Sensational Wines
Posted by bevo vino on 2007-04-18 10:38:36
(3116 views) 
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[Events]
[New Orleans] |
 Bottle vs. Box Matchup!
Tuesday April 24, 6:30 to 8pm
$10
Matt Lirette from International Wine and Spirits joins us for this fun matchup of bottle wine vs. box wines, as we taste 3 of our bottled wines side-by-side with their box version! Come on over and see what you think, and maybe pick up some wine for your Jazz Fest parties! |
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Ok, so Jazz Fest is right around the corner, and you’re wondering how you’re going to afford enough libations for all of your house guests, before- and after-Fest parties, and for just hanging out on the porch with friends who drop by. We’ve got the answer to your problems: box wine! Yes, believe it or not, some producers really are putting quality wine in a box, and this the perfect time to throw out old prejudices and give box wine a try.
When they first came on the market, the best thing anyone could say about box wine was that it was inexpensive. In the past year, however, there's been an interesting turnaround in the attitude toward box wine. Black Box, a company producing premium California wine, launched the trend of vintage-dated boxed wines in the United States. Its 2001 Napa Valley Chardonnay was a silver medal winner at the 2003 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The company now offers vintage-dated chardonnay, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon. And there's a host of other producers, from California, Australia, and even France, who are busy thinking inside the box.
Vintage wine from specific wine-growing regions--as opposed to generic juice whose provenance is as murky as unfiltered mash--is one of the box wine's most significant upgrades. In Australia, the subject is no longer even news. More than 50% of all wine consumed in that country comes in boxes, and has for years. In Sweden, it's more than 60%, and the wine-snooty United Kingdom is fast approaching those numbers. Even the French have embraced the concept.
The bag-in-the-box system was created 40 years ago by the Scholle Corp. of Northlake, Ill., for sulfuric acid battery electrolyte disposal. It was 25 years ago that the Australians decided it might be a good idea for packaging wine, and were so successful with it that they often are credited erroneously with its invention.
Here's how it works: The inner bag is made of several layers of clear plastic film to which a spigot or tap is attached. After the bag is filled (the box is used only for stability and aesthetics), the wine is in a sterile and nearly anaerobic environment. But since the bag and the tap are not utterly impervious to oxygen, small amounts will enter the wine over time, causing the quality to eventually deteriorate. Oxygen doesn't enter the bag through use. The bag simply collapses as it empties, so if the wine is consumed within a month or so, the last glass should be in the same condition as the first. The Scholle folks claim they are getting closer to solving the oxygen issue, at which time wines theoretically could be kept indefinitely, which opens up entirely new possibilities for even the finest-quality wines.
There are many advantages to buying wine in a box, especially price and convenience. Since the producer can save up to 80% of packaging costs (as well as some shipping and storing costs), he can afford to sell the wine for less. The producers of Black Box wines say the $20 price of their boxed wines would double if they were sold in glass bottles.
A 3-liter box holds an amount equivalent to four 750 ml bottles, yet it takes up not much more room and weighs little more than a half-gallon carton of milk. Wine can be drunk one glass at a time over a period of weeks or months, so there is no waste. The package is lightweight, portable, very durable, and wildly popular with boaters and campers who don't want to deal with glass. And perhaps best of all, no special tool is required to open it.
So, still not convinced? We were skeptical too, until our friend Matt Lirette from International Wine and Spirits brought us some of the wines that are staples on our shelves to try in their box version. We were so impressed by what we tasted that we want to let you judge for yourself. At our Tuesday Swirlin' Dervish on April 24th (I wanted to give you a week to let this sink in!), we’re going to have some fun with premium box wines, sampling the following bottled wines side-by-side with their box versions:
- 2005 Picpoul de Pinet Hughes Beaulieu – this fun little white from southern France has been on our shelves since we opened, and is one of our biggest sellers. Picpoul is a little-known grape that is native to the Languedoc, and one of the thirteen permitted varietals in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Today, it is rarely used in the Rhône Valley, and most of the production comes from the Picpoul de Pinet appellation. The wine is absolutely delicious, with the delicate flavors of crab meat, oysters, shrimp, and shellfish in general, making it a perfect wine for New Orleans fare. It has an attractive nose of floral and mineral aromas, a lively acidity on the palate, and a clean, citrusy finish.
- 2005 Corbières Rouge, Col des Vents, Castelmaure – Another store staple, the "Col des Vents" refers to the hills of the Corbières region, which are swept by night winds coming off the sea and cooling the vineyards. The wine is a blend of 50% Carignan, 35% Grenache, and 15% Syrah, with ripe blueberry, cherry, and garrigue flavors. It’s similar to a good Cotes-du-Rhone, with soft fruit and light notes of Provencal herbs. A real value, this wine is fabulous with barbeque and pairs well with anything from grilled vegetables to smoked meats.
- 2003 Powers Cabernet Sauvignon - “Everyday Cabernet” sounded pretty good to the folks at Powers Winery, where they are constantly trying to make great varietal wines that are affordable and accessible. Their goal was to provide a vintage-dated, classic Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon you can serve in any situation that calls for big red wine. No more settling for generic “house red.” This single-vineyard, barrel-aged wine from Goose Ridge is bursting with aromas of dark sweet cherries, ripe raspberries, and black currant, with a hint of wood spice. They’re making it easy to tap into great Washington Cab!
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Swirl Wines
3143 Ponce de Leon Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 304-0635 |
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