Best of the Boxed Wines?

[craigt3365]

OP: Where do you live? There are a few wine distributors that do deliveries depending on where you live and have pretty good selections.

As for Tesco, it's a bit like shopping for good wine at Walmart. Not a fun experience. Here in Pattaya, Friendship has a pretty good selection with a lady who really knows her stuff. She introduced us to a red wine that sells for 310B if you buy a case. It's quite good and is "real" wine.

I do drink box wine from time to time. Many nights I'd just like to have one glass. And maybe not another for a few nights. So opening a bottle isn't worth it. I find the white wine is more palatable than the red wines. Just my opinion. But the selection of box wine here is terrible. After the last increase in tariffs, box wines became too expensive if the real thing.

If you like wine, Thailand is not the best place to live. Unless you are rich! LOL

[radjag]

IMHO.

The best quality boxed wine is the Mar Sol brand from Chile. It seems to be 100% real wine (rather than a wine/juice blend that is in most of the other boxes). The white is particularly good.

Price is about THB900 for a 4litre box. Available in Foodland and, sometimes, Big C. I have noticed that it is often out of stock, so must be popular.

[binjalin]

IMHO.

The best quality boxed wine is the Mar Sol brand from Chile. It seems to be 100% real wine (rather than a wine/juice blend that is in most of the other boxes). The white is particularly good.

Price is about THB900 for a 4litre box. Available in Foodland and, sometimes, Big C. I have noticed that it is often out of stock, so must be popular.

no it's fruit juice mixed

[binjalin]

OP: Where do you live? There are a few wine distributors that do deliveries depending on where you live and have pretty good selections.

As for Tesco, it's a bit like shopping for good wine at Walmart. Not a fun experience. Here in Pattaya, Friendship has a pretty good selection with a lady who really knows her stuff. She introduced us to a red wine that sells for 310B if you buy a case. It's quite good and is "real" wine.

I do drink box wine from time to time. Many nights I'd just like to have one glass. And maybe not another for a few nights. So opening a bottle isn't worth it. I find the white wine is more palatable than the red wines. Just my opinion. But the selection of box wine here is terrible. After the last increase in tariffs, box wines became too expensive if the real thing.

If you like wine, Thailand is not the best place to live. Unless you are rich! LOL

I'm in Chiang Mai and we have no 'Villa' here (which I use when in Pattaya)

BTW I bought 4 bottles from Tesco Lotus yesterday (all their stock) @ 124 baht a bottle!!! the real stuff

[Tassie Norm]

Have to agree with H90 -South African Mont Clair - as a guzzling wine - is the best value for money in Thailand. Except for a special occasion the bottled wines are simply far too overpriced. In Oz folk are spoilt for the range of wines to chose from at a very low price.

[binjalin]

Have to agree with H90 -South African Mont Clair - as a guzzling wine - is the best value for money in Thailand. Except for a special occasion the bottled wines are simply far too overpriced. In Oz folk are spoilt for the range of wines to chose from at a very low price.

no no no Mont Clair is terrible... really bottom of all the boxed wines I'd have to say - there is a reason it's the cheapest! anyway it looks like there are NO boxed wines which do not have fruit juice added to save tax

AMAZING THAILAND

[craigt3365]

Have to agree with H90 -South African Mont Clair - as a guzzling wine - is the best value for money in Thailand. Except for a special occasion the bottled wines are simply far too overpriced. In Oz folk are spoilt for the range of wines to chose from at a very low price.

no no no Mont Clair is terrible... really bottom of all the boxed wines I'd have to say - there is a reason it's the cheapest! anyway it looks like there are NO boxed wines which do not have fruit juice added to save tax

AMAZING THAILAND

It's been a few weeks since I've looked, but I did see Jacobs Creek boxed wine. Didn't really pay attention as it's incredibly expensive. Can't remember the price, but you are better off getting bottles as it'd be about the same price!

I found a bottle of Malbec I really like. It's about 500B/bottle. My friend went to Hong Kong a few weeks ago and found the exact same bottle for 150B. Sad days here in Thailand.

[pedrinho]

wine shouldn't come in a box. period. spend a few more baht and get a bottle.

[Taco]

Marisol red is decent in the box and even better in the bottle at 290bt a bottle at Makro. Blend C is cab and M is merlot.

For some reason every time I drink half a box of Marisol red I start calling my girlfriend a prostitute so there are some side effects.

[xylophone]

I mainly use Villa, although Tesco can be good. The guy who had the Hardy's for 199b got a bargain.

In general, boxed wines are not very good (which is why you don't see Chateau Margaux in a box).

Villa had/has a red 5 litre box called Jimberoo (Aust). At 999b it was drinkable (just), but then I bought 3 boxes which were all "off", so I have stopped that one. The box is purple/lilac in colour.

Some are mixed with juice but many are not. Check carefully. Anything which looks French but was bottled at Siam Winery or Chaing mai (or also in Vietnam!) is usually horrible.

Montclair is awful. the Sol y Mar is supposed to be Chilean but is almost as bad. Some are OK as a cooler with sprite!

I'm using the Chilean Bodegas box(799b Villa) to mix with sprite, just now.

The Australian Brookfields bottles (Villa) has just gone up from 350 to 445 in the Cabernet and the Shiraz versions. I find it OK.

Jacobs Eeeek is absolute Jam for the price they charge (yuk). The most common unexciting rubbish (Jammy or Jam is a wine buff term for cheap wine which is like the 3rd pressing or just tastes awful)

The Wolf Blass yellow labels are OK at about 850.

Let's face it, no wine under 800b is "good" in Thailand unless it's on promotion or a bin-end.

I'm not a sommelier, although I lived in France and Spain for 16 years (also worked in the grape-harvesting 3-4 times) so I'm not a complete amateur. I've been an armchair buff for 40 years.

Eddy

(ps if you buy wine by the glass in any BKK restaurant excluding the swish ones, it's almost always MonT Clair or some such rubbish. Ask to see the bottle.)

(pss the late great Chris Hitchens always said that cheap booze and cheap fags are a false economy. He should know, because booze and fags gave him the cancer which killed him. If you want to enjoy wine, buy something for 800b and enjoy it. Don't buy for 200 b for 2 bottles and then feel smug. You are almost certainly drinking jam)

Quote, "The most common unexciting rubbish (Jammy or Jam is a wine buff term for cheap wine which is like the 3rd pressing or just tastes awful)"

I'm afraid you are wrong on that description, and "jammy or jam" is not a wine buff term for cheap wine, in fact it is a description used where the grapes have been particularly ripe and good extraction from the skins has given a wine which is usually higher in alcohol and can have some of the flavours consistent with "jam" – – blueberries, blackberries etc.

Very often used to describe wines from Australia and the USA where the longer sunshine hours prevail and certainly not used as a description for cheap wines.

Quote; "Let's face it, no wine under 800b is "good" in Thailand unless it's on promotion or a bin-end".

Sorry, cannot agree with that statement either because there are some good wines around under 800 baht, for example the Penfold's Private bin/Release at 740 baht per bottle, Taylors Promised Land at around 699 baht per bottle and a particular Italian wine I have found which utilises the "appassimento" method for about 50% of its grapes, is absolutely superb at 660 baht per bottle.

I could name a few more, as indeed I have on another thread entitled "Montclair Wine".

Quote; "In general, boxed wines are not very good (which is why you don't see Chateau Margaux in a box)."

I part concur with that that statement because the boxed (or cask wines as mentioned by another poster) were a way to get cheaper wines (and surplus/glut wines), ready for immediate drinking, in large volumes out to the public and of course to help with storage/convenience. The only problem with the cask wines is that the "shelflife" of these is limited, and not just because of the quality of the wine.

The only successful medium for storing wine for the long term is in glass bottles, hence the reason for the great wines of the world being released in these.

[xylophone]

Have to agree with H90 -South African Mont Clair - as a guzzling wine - is the best value for money in Thailand. Except for a special occasion the bottled wines are simply far too overpriced. In Oz folk are spoilt for the range of wines to chose from at a very low price.

no no no Mont Clair is terrible... really bottom of all the boxed wines I'd have to say - there is a reason it's the cheapest! anyway it looks like there are NO boxed wines which do not have fruit juice added to save tax

AMAZING THAILAND

As mentioned before........Bodegas Centenarus is a Chilean wine which does not have fruit juice added.

Be careful because a similar looking cask wine, Bodegas Valley, has fruit juice added and is really from OZ, despite the name!!

[draftvader]

A post using all capitals has been removed.

[craigt3365]

Back in the US, there is some pretty good wine that is also sold by the box. Again, great if you only want a glass or two every day or so.

[pchansmorn]

Am from California, and had my own restaurant/catering business, all my meals came with a glass of wine of the month, the best wine I could afford to buy for my customers, often I did not make much on the wine, but people would come for the food and get the wine with the dinner for free. Being in Thailand has been Torture, almost impossible to find in decent wine to drink for under 1000 baht. We brought some box wine from Loas recently, it was from France and was outstanding for the price, 4L for 1500 baht, we should had brought 10 of them. But I have to tell you that I have been Lucky enough to find the young women that sells wholesale wines in Bangkok, has a small store in Bangkok, that is where we met here, we brought are glasses, aerator, wine carafe, and started opening wines one night after she closed. Since then we have been drinking Chile wines, the 2012 cab. is outstanding for 1500 baht, also Yali Syrah and reserve Syrah. We are so lucky to have this person in our lives.

[craigt3365]

Am from California, and had my own restaurant/catering business, all my meals came with a glass of wine of the month, the best wine I could afford to buy for my customers, often I did not make much on the wine, but people would come for the food and get the wine with the dinner for free. Being in Thailand has been Torture, almost impossible to find in decent wine to drink for under 1000 baht. We brought some box wine from Loas recently, it was from France and was outstanding for the price, 4L for 1500 baht, we should had brought 10 of them. But I have to tell you that I have been Lucky enough to find the young women that sells wholesale wines in Bangkok, has a small store in Bangkok, that is where we met here, we brought are glasses, aerator, wine carafe, and started opening wines one night after she closed. Since then we have been drinking Chile wines, the 2012 cab. is outstanding for 1500 baht, also Yali Syrah and reserve Syrah. We are so lucky to have this person in our lives.

That wine distributor is great if you live in Bangkok, not so great if you don't.

[xylophone]

Someone mentioned (Anthony5, #22) cooling a wine (normally a no-no for red wine), but I must say that in certain restaurants I have noticed that a cooled box wine is perfectly drinkable.

It could be that the cooling serves to obscure the less than pleasant taste that might otherwise be there.

Cooling a red wine is perfectly okay here in Thailand where the room temperature can be around 28 to 30°, way above what is considered the optimum for drinking red wine because this temperature releases too many volatile aromas (as they are called).

Now here is the thing............slightly cooling a red wine so it is around 20° (or thereabouts) is fine, yet cooling it much lower will actually mask some of the unpleasant flavours of a wine which may be just about over the top/off (you are right in what you said in your post). You find many cheap Italian wines in restaurants, which usually come in 2 or 3 L bottles, are chilled like this and if they are allowed to warm up in the glass, they become just about unpalatable!!

So it is a bit of juggling game getting the temperature of red wine about right, because if it is allowed to "open up" at a reasonable temperature, the wait can be worthwhile, provided the wine was good in the first place.

I have a wine cooler, so I take a bottle out some 30 to 45 min before I am due to drink it so that when opened and drinking, it will be just about right, and even just a little warmer is not too much of a problem provided it is not excessive.

[NickJ]

I miss Gallo's Thunderbird or Ripple. .....

[smotherb]

For more than seven years now, I have been enjoying Corte Antica, an Italian table wine in five liter glass jugs, white or red, for B940-980 at Tesco and Makro here in the South. Makes those boxed wines and the hit and miss unknown bottled wines seem a poor joke.

[Stupooey]

wine shouldn't come in a box. period. spend a few more baht and get a bottle.

Wine shouldn't come in a bottle, full stop. It should come in a goatskin.

[rogerpilly]

Checked all the boxes and asked the guy at my local wine shop. He confirmed they ALL have fruit juice added as a tax dodge. NO more boxes for me! cheers

BTW he also related a story from a sales rep. One of the brands did not add fruit juice and sold for 1100 baht - very few sales - so company took all the boxes back and remixed with fruit juice and sold for around 800 baht. Sales skyrocketed.

Correct. That was the Cedar Creek. I was lucky to get the last ones before the juice, very drinkable, especially the white one. Then it changed, like you said, and now it is crap. I suggest buying the Matti in 2 litre bottle. Not exactly the price you can find in boxes, but very drinkable, especially the white. You can get it around 430 B. No fruit juice added. I think this is the best cheap option around.

I have never seen Matti wine : where did you buy it?

I live in Phuket. Here it is not difficult to find. Supercheap carries it and also some local stores. I cannot help you with other locations, but if they sell it here, it must be possible to find it in other locations as well.

[rogerpilly]

For more than seven years now, I have been enjoying Corte Antica, an Italian table wine in five liter glass jugs, white or red, for B940-980 at Tesco and Makro here in the South. Makes those boxed wines and the hit and miss unknown bottled wines seem a poor joke.

It is mixed with fruit and very sweet. Good with fruit, dessert or for sangria, terrible with any other kind of meal... Very difficult to get a decent wine in Thailand without spending a lot. I work for an Italian food supplier, we also sell wines, so I know a little bit. best quality versus price are definitively the Chileans. there is a wine called Viu Manent. The Sauvignon Blanc is superb for the price, but you are looking at 460 for a bottle. To be able to find this quality with other wines you need to spend a lot more...

[Tassie Norm]

wine shouldn't come in a box. period. spend a few more baht and get a bottle.

Wine snobbery my friend. Besides, it is not "a few more baht"

[charliebru]

Anybody know if availability of cheap wine (without fruit juice) is any better in Cambodia or Vietnam?

[binjalin]

you know I just don't know why they don't give people the choice? with Fruit Juice @ 850 baht and without at 1,200 I know which i'd buy!

I asked this question of my local wine chappie and he said 'Thai thinking' (translated as 'Thainess')

so that was that

[rogerpilly]

Anybody know if availability of cheap wine (without fruit juice) is any better in Cambodia or Vietnam?

Cambodia does not have import duties, you can find wine and liquors at the same price as in Europe. I noticed some wines also available here (like Penfold, for example) priced close to 50% less in Supermarkets. Unfortuantealy, I had only hand luggage when I went, so I could not bring any here... I don't rememebr about boxed wines, though.

As far as I remember Vietnam is as bad as here.

[binjalin]

Anybody know if availability of cheap wine (without fruit juice) is any better in Cambodia or Vietnam?

Cambodia does not have import duties, you can find wine and liquors at the same price as in Europe. I noticed some wines also available here (like Penfold, for example) priced close to 50% less in Supermarkets. Unfortuantealy, I had only hand luggage when I went, so I could not bring any here... I don't rememebr about boxed wines, though.

As far as I remember Vietnam is as bad as here.

Yes I travel to Vietnam often.... probably more expensive than here

[smotherb]

For more than seven years now, I have been enjoying Corte Antica, an Italian table wine in five liter glass jugs, white or red, for B940-980 at Tesco and Makro here in the South. Makes those boxed wines and the hit and miss unknown bottled wines seem a poor joke.

It is mixed with fruit and very sweet. Good with fruit, dessert or for sangria, terrible with any other kind of meal... Very difficult to get a decent wine in Thailand without spending a lot. I work for an Italian food supplier, we also sell wines, so I know a little bit. best quality versus price are definitively the Chileans. there is a wine called Viu Manent. The Sauvignon Blanc is superb for the price, but you are looking at 460 for a bottle. To be able to find this quality with other wines you need to spend a lot more...

You must be tasting something else. The red is almost dry, the white a bit tart.

[xylophone]

For more than seven years now, I have been enjoying Corte Antica, an Italian table wine in five liter glass jugs, white or red, for B940-980 at Tesco and Makro here in the South. Makes those boxed wines and the hit and miss unknown bottled wines seem a poor joke.

I don't really know the wine so can't really comment on it, other than to ask the question that surely unless you are drinking more than a litre a day, by the time you got to the bottom of the 5 L jug, the wine would surely have gotten to the stage of being almost undrinkable, because of the wines reaction to the air in the bottle?

That is one of the "benefits" of cask or boxed wine, in as much as the bladder containing the wine collapses when wine is poured out, thereby ensuring that only a minute amount of air enters, so it has a life of around five or six weeks after opening.

Edited February 5, 2015 by xylophone

[smotherb]

For more than seven years now, I have been enjoying Corte Antica, an Italian table wine in five liter glass jugs, white or red, for B940-980 at Tesco and Makro here in the South. Makes those boxed wines and the hit and miss unknown bottled wines seem a poor joke.

I don't really know the wine so can't really comment on it, other than to ask the question that surely unless you are drinking more than a litre a day, by the time you got to the bottom of the 5 L jug, the wine would surely have gotten to the stage of being almost undrinkable, because of the wines reaction to the air in the bottle?

That is one of the "benefits" of cask or boxed wine, in as much as the bladder containing the wine collapses when wine is poured out, thereby ensuring that only a minute amount of air enters, so it has a life of around five or six weeks after opening.

I agree, that is a good point. It seems to last in a cool room tightly-capped for about a month--that is only a little more than a liter a week. However, you can always rebottle it and store it propery. Quite frankly, when I first arrived and found the wine, I was staying with a friend. After the first couple of jugs, we agree to never again purchase only one jug, it seemed to disappear the night we bought it. And, the jug is really great for parties when several winos are present.

[Bcgardener]

Agree with the above on the Viu Manet. The reds are particularly good. The sauv blanc is also good but a little "sharp" if you are used to the NZ sauv blanc as I am. However for 460 baht at Friendship Mart in Pattaya it is great value. We order it by the box from there and I gather a lot of others do as well when speaking with the staff.