Cask wine come back puts SA at the top of the box
It seems a cask wine come back is on the cards. Rewind the VCR back to the 80’s, when Fruity Lexia was Queen of the Cabaret. According to a recent article in The Guardian, by Sommelier, Samantha Payne, given the “spotlight on the sustainability and carbon footprint of wineries, the appeal of boxed wine over glass bottles is becoming more prevalent”.
And it should come as no surprise, that after an in-depth cask “wine-off”, South Australia cemented its position as the Wine Capital of the country, goon bags and all.
Putting the boozy boxes to the test, Payne was joined by other “wine professionals”, and used the industry standard 100-point scale to judge the wine’s appearance, smell and flavour. The wines also had to be readily available, online or at major liquor outlets, and produced by existing wineries, not private supermarket labels.
Coming in at the top of the crop, as the “highest-rated wine and a clear standout” was the McLaren Vale Cult Cru, 2022 Grenache. This little box of goodness was hailed a restaurant quality wine and scored a 92/100. If it was a fair dinkum competition, that score would be enough for Cult Cru to pick up a silver. And at $39.99 for two litres, it’s definitely an upper class version of wine in a bag.
The Cult Cru Wine Company are leading a revolution in their Bag-In-Box wine offerings, with a mission statement to “provide exceptional wine that surpasses quality expectations while minimising environmental impact” 👏.
But with economic times reminiscent of the 80’s, if you’re after value for money, the wine capital also has you covered. According to the experts, Winesmiths 2022 merlot is “juicy, brings happiness and is reminiscent of slipping your hands into velvet gloves”. And at $13.99 for a handy two litre box you can keep in your car, blow up the bag and use as a pillow after you drink it, that’s value.
Other South Aussie goon bags to rate a mention in the cask “wine-off” were Gonzo Vino’s 2023 “Soul Control” – made at Erawirung in the Riverland and presented in the coolest boxes, with each one saving four glasses bottles going to landfill.
Winesmiths 2022 Cab Sav was rated as value for money and Clare Valley Winemakers, the Koerner Brothers’ got a mention, albeit not a great one – if you give the Brothers in a Box a go, be sure to chill it first!
