Boxed Wine Sales Up 30% - Recessionary Trend?

In a study today published by www.nielsen.com, the 3L box wine is winning the race as the largest growth sector on the red wine scene.

The study further points out that sales of wine in restaurants and bars are down as consumers tighten their belts for this 'bumpy' economic ride.

The good news is that better quality wines are finding their way into the now infamous box - and that it does store well for up to a month in the refrigerator - so perhaps this trend is here to stay.

The market is growing in the price range for these wines - usually under $20 for the 3L box - a definite sweet spot for wine consumers. The interesting thing is that this trend is being adopted in countries like Italy and France.

More to come as labels migrate to this format - just don't expect to see any boutique wineries producing premium wine move into this arena. The jury is still out over how long wine - especially wine that needs aging - can last in these boxes. And the plastic bag interior certainly doesn't add anything favorable to the aging process.

Found a box wine that you love? Tell us about it.

Enjoy!