Wines that don’t break the bank, stay fresh for up to six weeks after opening, and are environmentally friendly? What’s not to love about bag-in-box wines? Yes, it may seem sacrilegious to abandon the ritual of opening a beautiful, weighty glass bottle sealed with a cork, but we’re all aboard the sustainability train, and the box has become a vessel worthy of our attention.
Bag-in-box wines were developed by Australian winemaker Thomas Angove in the 1960s with the goal of keeping wine fresh for longer, without the risk of oxidation. Using a collapsible plastic bag and tap for ease of pouring, the bag-in-box was born. At the time, however, the world wasn’t quite ready to take it seriously, and the “goon bag” developed an infamous reputation for cheap, headache-inducing wine.
Fast forward to today, and there’s a whole new movement toward quality-driven bag-in-box wines. We’re particularly drawn to young-drinking, vibrant wines that don’t need to be carefully nurtured for decades in a damp, dark cellar to develop those tertiary characteristics of age – think fresh, accessible, quality-driven wines made for everyday enjoyment.
Producing boxed wine uses significantly less energy than glass bottles, and with the lighter weight, massively reduces carbon emissions during transportation.
At the intersection of thoughtful spending, mindful drinking, and environmental awareness, wine experts, supermarkets, and retailers are embracing the movement, carefully selecting a fantastic range for every occasion.
How we tested
We sourced samples of boxed wines from our favourite retailers and independents, as well as spoke to the buyers and creators who are embracing innovation and sustainably focused consumption of wine. With a range of samples, we gathered industry peers, friends and family to judge the selection, with many voices and palates from wine experts to lovers, we picked our favourites. Read on to find your IndyBest-approved boxed wine.
The best boxes of wine for 2024 are:
Chateau Marie Plaisance le brin merlot
We recently discovered this small, independent company and fell in love with its commitment to providing outstanding wine, championing small, personality-driven producers and end-to-end sustainability. Hailing from the formidable Bobo team, this is a red with some age. The production of this wine means we get a sustainable, organic, bag-in-box red that has had time to develop, age, and bring layers of character before being “boxed” and released. The merlot and cabernet franc grapes from Bergerac (a stone’s throw from Bordeaux) are fermented in stainless steel tanks before spending a year in subterranean concrete tanks that act like barrels, allowing the wine to mature, breathe, and develop before release.
Medium to full-bodied, with lots of personality and wonderful notes of blackcurrant, cherry, brambly blackberry, cedar, tobacco, and spice – it cries out for steak frites.
Buy now £38.00, Bobowines.co.uk
Torres viña sol
The viña sol it’s a perfectly gluggable, staple white for the fridge. Fresh and fruit-driven with simple notes of white peach, citrus, and a touch of floral character, it’s well-balanced and easy-drinking. Producer Familia Torres has a gold medal under its belt for climate action, ticking yet another box for producing quality wine with the environment in mind – and at accessible prices.
Buy now £13.00, Tesco.com
Adnams classic sauvignon
Sauvignon blanc drinkers – run, don’t walk. This sauvignon is well-crafted and beautifully balanced, with vibrant, thirst-quenching acidity and notes of zesty lime, gooseberry, green apple, and flinty minerality. Made for Adnams by Arnaud & Albéric Lechat, this sauvignon blanc truly reflects the Touraine region on the banks of the Loire River. Expect three litres of pure, zingy joy.
Buy now £39.99, Adnams.co.uk
The Ned sauvignon blanc
There’s a reason The Ned sauvignon blanc is a best-seller at Waitrose. It has been carefully crafted to highlight sauvignon blanc’s vibrant array of flavours. With selected yeasts and cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks to retain fresh fruit characteristics, the result is an exceptionally easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing wine with a broad flavour profile. This wine offers layers of zesty lemon, lime, juicy grapefruit, herbaceous notes, and that classic marlborough tropical passion fruit character.
Buy now £34.99, Waitrose.com
Famille Fabre orange wine
Bobo’s packaging produces 90 per cent less carbon than glass bottles. The wine itself is an exceptional example of orange wine. Certified organic, it’s hand-crafted, with the viognier grapes spending three weeks on the skins, developing into a luscious, full-bodied golden nectar. Dry, rich, and savoury, this is a truly gastronomic wine. With layers of ginger, ripe peach, pithy orange, and stunning jasmine, it practically screams for food – think big, bold flavours like lamb tagine, rich winter stews, or the Bobo team’s recommendation: fried chicken.
Buy now £54.00, Bobowines.co.uk
Wine Route Italian blush
Hats off to Tesco – this is a gorgeous example of an easy-drinking Italian blush rosé and a staple for the fridge door. Pale pink with bright red strawberry and vibrant citrus notes, this lovely wine is made in northern Italy from sangiovese and merlot grapes. Take us back to sunny days in the garden.
Buy now £14.50, Tesco.com
Adnams Provence rosé
Another wonderful example of wine that reflects its region. With clear skies, 300 days of sunshine, and the Mediterranean Sea bringing a cooling influence, we get a scrumptious, dry rosé packed with strawberry, raspberry, and violet characteristics, alongside a touch of minerality and a light herbaceous character. Organically produced by Emmanuelle Baude on her small estate, we’re big fans of this expressive, quaffable rosé.
Buy now £39.99, Adnams.co.uk
The Society’s Claret, Bordeaux, France 2022
The Wine Society consistently brings us great wines under its own brand. This merlot-based, unoaked claret is a popular red, made for more than a quarter of a century by the family-owned Maison Sichel in Bordeaux.
Medium-bodied, smooth and easy-drinking, this is a fruit-driven, quaffable red with gentle tannins. You’ll likely be able to taste the plum, blackcurrant, and brambly blackberry notes. Drink it on its own, with roast chicken, or with some hard British cheese.
Buy now £22.00, Thewinesociety.com
When In Rome primitivo
This wine deserves a feature, and although it doesn’t conform to the bag-in-box criteria, it’s a brilliantly produced, low-carbon, eco-friendly paper bottle of Italian deliciousness. Drink this wine guilt-free, knowing this bottle produces six times less carbon than a glass bottle.
When In Rome is the first wine brand in the UK to fully audit and publish its carbon footprint. The brand’s mission is to help the world enjoy Italian wine in a sociable, healthy, and environmentally sustainable way. This primitivo is a deliciously robust red with lashings of plum, chocolate, prunes, and wild berries. It’s great slightly chilled and paired with classic Italian dishes like Bolognese, pizza rustica, or grilled Mediterranean veggies.
Buy now £12.00, Ocado.com
The Reprobates Kooliburra red wine
We have seen firsthand how the Aldi buyers curate its wine selection, and we have to say it’s meticulous and admirable. They search for accessible crowd pleasers, with the consumer at the forefront of their decision-making. The wine itself is a classic Australian GSM blend – a big, bold reprobate of a wine. Deep in colour, smooth and silky on the palate, with lovely ripe dark berries, a touch of chocolate, and a pinch of spice. Aldi has done it again.
Buy now £12.49, Aldi.co.uk
Waitrose Romanian pinot noir
Waitrose’s own-brand Romanian pinot noir has been a best-seller in bottle form for years, and now the supermarket has released the wine in a 1.5l bag-in-box. The grapes for this wine underwent maceration for seven to nine days in stainless steel tanks to help retain bright fruit characteristics. It’s a perfect light and elegant pinot noir with notes of strawberry, cherry, and a silky texture. Serve slightly chilled, and you’ve got yourself a quaffable, delicious, and affordable pinot noir.
Buy now £13.49, Waitrosecellar.com
The verdict: Boxed wine
Leave the stigma behind and embrace the revolution of bag-in-box wines. Standouts include Adnams’ Loire Valley sauvignon blanc for white wine lovers and Bobo’s Chateau Marie Plaisance red, reflecting a thoughtful approach to taste and sustainability. We’re stoked about the new wave of brilliantly crafted bag-in-box wines – Viva la Revolution!
If you're looking for more great wine, read our review of the best online wine shops
