7 of The Best Bag-in-Box Wines

Boxed wine has a Joan Jett-like bad reputation. Ask most people what they think of the stuff and they’ll end up having a nightmarish flashback to a time when they gave themselves the worst headache of their lives after they stuck their head under the tap of a boxed wine for five minutes straight. That’s not all that surprising considering that most bag-in-box wine has historically been the wine that the vineyard isn’t too mad about. The dregs, so to speak.

That’s not the case anymore. An increasing number of wine producers are starting to see bag-in-box wines as a viable option. The larger pack sizes (which can go up to 10 litres if you’re looking in the right place) offer customers better value for money. The nature of the packaging itself means that wine can stay fresher for much longer than it would in a bottle. Our own Sophie Wyburd took to boxed wines like a duck to water during lockdown and still swears by the stuff as a great of getting in a bulk order of quality wine. If you’ve got a dinner party coming up and want to ensure you don’t run out of the good stuff, a big old bagnum might just be the answer to your prayers.

From St. JOHN to Le Grappin, there’s a lot of decent producers getting involved in the game. Even Phillip Schofield makes his own boxed wine. I haven’t included it on this list of the best boxed wines but, by all means, go and check it out if you’re curious. Then please, for the love of God, report back and tell me how it is.

If St. JOHN is okay with selling wine in a box then you should be okay with buying wine in a box. The rouge, blanc, and rosé are all seminal examples of the genre and offer brilliant value for money considering the quality of the grog. £38 gets you three litres of St. JOHN’s own label wine. Sourced from the Languedoc region, St. JOHN’s house wine is the result of close work with a number of like-minded producers. Each bag in box wine offers an impressive terroir and, once opened, should be kept either refrigerated or somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight. St. JOHN recommends drinking each box within four weeks of opening but, let’s face it, it’s not going to last that long, is it?

Coming in at a lean £29, this skin contact Aligoté is the product of a partnership between Shop Cuvee and wine producers, Du Grappin. Super fresh and drinkable, this wine – which was made especially for Shop Cuvee – is perfect for sipping when the sun is shining and offers a shining example of why the bagnum movement is taking on some real momentum. Affordable and delicious, it’s a worldie of a wine. The fact it comes in a big old 1.5L bag is just a bonus.

1.5l of crisp and crunchy goodness, Weino Bib's bag-in-box is the perfect representation of Beaujolais. The wine, made in collaboration with 'Production Unique Rebelle', is a supremely easy drinker with delicate tannins and a strong fruit flavour. It's the sort of wine that just about everyone who has a sip will describe as "juicy" almost simultaneously. A great option for when you want to imbibe in bulk.

A bagnum is a magnum that comes in a bag. Nothing less, nothing more. It’s not of a lower quality than the stuff they put in the bottle and this Gamay from Le Grappin is supremely smashable. Pressed after 8 days on skins, the wine has got a slight edge to it which will appeal to anyone into their natural wines. Not only does the packaging mean the wine stays fresh for longer but it also produces 80% less carbon emissions than bottled wine. It’s good for the environment and your bank account.

Made by producer Cosimo Maria Masini, this Italian orange wine proves that time and effort makes all the difference when it comes to wine. Plump Tuscan Trebbiano grapes are left on their skins for around a week to allow this wine to take on some pleasant saline and nutty notes which contrast wonderfully with the bottle’s stone fruit punch. At the equivalent of £16 a bottle, it’s also a bloody bargain. You've outdone yourself with this one, Vinnaturo.

This pale rosé from Laylo paints a perfect postcard of the south of France. Made from Grenache grapes harvested in the cool of the night, it's an easy, breezy drinker that you’ll want to drink when it’s either: A) hot and balmy, or B) freezing but you’re still wishing it was hot and balmy. A serious rosé that should be taking up space on your kitchen counter for that essential 5pm emergency glass.

A blend of white and red grapes, this bagged wine from Spanish producer Fina Perera is perfect for casual consumption. The pouch itself is apparently named after the winemakers's dog, Dora, who follows them around their vineyard in Catalunya. If that hasn't sold you on this biodynamic bag of wine, then I don't know what will.