This column might not be for wine snobs, but in deference to those particular oenophiles, I will say that this boxed wine is perfectly quaffable. (Quaffable, for those who aren’t wine snobs, means it is easy and pleasant to drink a lot of it. Drinkable might suffice as a definition, but again quaffable was a nod to the wine snobs.)
Just so the lede isn’t buried, this boxed wine, GEA by Root:1 2020, retails for $24 and holds the equivalent of four bottles of wine. Root:1 is Chile’s first certified sustainable winery. In this 100% sustainable blend is Cabernet Sauvignon and Pais, Chile’s ancestral grape variety. Just 40% of the wine remained in contact with French and American oak during only four months.
What this wine isn’t is a California cabernet. It actually tastes a bit more old-world style. Though medium bodied, it’s still quite a bit lighter and far less oaky than a California cabernet. Super easy to pair with food, it is an excellent table wine.
So, the question one might have is why would one purchase a simple, easy to drink, boxed wine? One answer might be because of its easy portability; think four bulky and breakable glass bottles as compared to one relatively small compact box. In this case, picnics and larger outdoor gatherings immediately come to mind. But, if one is the only red wine drinker at home, this boxed wine allows you to enjoy a fresh glass of red without worrying about the other three glasses left in the bottle. Often after opening a bottle of wine, it becomes a game of “Beat the Clock” worrying about how long the leftover wine will still taste good. But this box, once opened, stays fresh for about two weeks when stored in a fridge.
