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Some little known facts about an oft-overlooked wine gem: boxed wines.
Boxed wine retains the freshness of wine almost indefinitely. By means of a tap on the bottom, and a collapsible bag, the wine is never exposed to air at all before it is dispensed. I can drink at a nibble and retain the goodies. Even better, the economics are impressive: about 35 cents per glass! No one should depend on my evaluation of taste, but several wine connoisseurs, including ones in the New York Times, have declared their surprise at how good the box wines are. A few upscale wines are now being package this way, too. I find the tap extremely handy to use (no drip) so the box sits on a shelf in the pantry awaiting my daily draft. Here's to taste, longevity and the good life!
Box Wines are in supermarkets and beverage stores. The elixir of youth I am drinking:
Franzia Cabernet Box (5 liters),$11
Almaden Burgundy Box (5 liters),$8
For those wine snobs that must drink wine from a bottle, there is one tool that can prevent oxidation in bottles fairly well. Devices that try to make a vacuum often don't succeed for long, but an inert gas called Private Preserve can make a useable seal. A few zips of this mixture of heavy inert gases (nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon) down the neck of the wine bottle creates a barrier to oxygen which preserves the wine's freshness for up to a year. Each seemingly weightless can holds enough for more than 100 applications. Easy enough to use when boxed wine might embarrass the guests. |
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