Don't judge a book by it's cover right? Same mindset for when you first lay eyes on CalNaturale's bottle. The idea of wine coming from a box or anything besides a bottle has such a terrible connotation with people. In the past, I would probably have looked right past this wine and I'm telling you to stop a sec and smell the roses or in this case the wine. : )
Ok, let's talk about the packaging for a second. This is not a box…. it's called a tetra pak. These cartons use less than half the energy it takes to make a traditional wine bottle and they are made from paper. And plus, these cartons are 1 full liter so you are getting more wine than a standard bottle! So, that's cool right? This packaging is perfect for bringing on a picnic or camping trip! And bonus: it'll give you a good excuse to use that wine decanter that's been sitting on your shelf for years.
Now, the important stuff, what's inside this package. CalNaturale uses only organic grapes coming from Mendocino, California (which is one of the most beautiful places if you've never been!). I know blah, blah, blah… I'm sure you are saying to yourself, "that's all dandy, but how does it taste?" Well, this wine is it's crisp, clean and ultra fruity. It is good on it's own, but I enjoyed it with some pizza and it paired very well.
So the result: give it a try! The idea of enjoying a nice glass of wine and knowing that it's coming from a company that cares so much about the environment can never be a bad thing right?
You can find CalNaturale wines (they also make a chardonnay that I can't wait to try!) at select Whole Foods stores and at some specialty stores at the affordable price of $13 (don't forget you are getting a full liter).
PS the fine folks at Calnaturale did send me this bottle of wine, but the above review is my opinion completely. If you would like to send me something to consider, please email me by clicking the link at the top of the page. : )
They are environment friendly that’s why it’s in a box?hehe? It looks like a juice? I like wine with pasta, I better give this a try right? Besides it’s not that expensive.
The packaging looks interesting… I wonder if it stays fresher longer?
Since it’s being used for a “food” product, the paper can’t be recycled, can it? Or, since it’s wax coated inside (or something to make it leak proof), maybe it can be recycled?
Pavel, so it looks like about 20% of communities have recycling programs for this kind of packaging in the US. Here is a link to find out if it’s available in your community: http://www.recyclecartons.com/
Thanks for the info Leslie, but what I was actually asking was if the tetra pak is made from recycled paper? After all, using less than half the energy of making a bottle is great, unless an innocent sober tree has to make the ultimate sacrifice for the savings. After all, the energy could be produced by renewable means like solar or wind.
Yay Leslie! Thanks for informing everyone on how great this wine is. Not only is the pkg earth-friendly but beach and poolside friendly. Most beaches and pools do not allow glass containers. My boyfriend and I recently took some chilled whites to a pool party at Evo, Downtown LA. With Cork Bar in their lobby, major wine snob residents quickly raised noses and eyebrows. But it ended up being the favorite wine of the evening