Everyone knows what boxed wine is. Even if you’re not a fan of wine, you’ll have seen them in the alcohol aisle of the store.
But does boxed wine age in the same way as bottled wine? In this article, I’ll tell you whether boxed wine goes bad.
The answer to whether boxed wine goes bad is yes. When you look at a bottle of boxed wine, you’ll see the expiration date, but it will stay good for several weeks after opening.
That puts it an advantage over bottled wine, which will typically go off after a week of being open.
How Long Does Boxed Wine Last?
Now, leaving a bottle of wine to age is completely fine; it will only improve the flavor over time. However, boxed wine hasn’t been designed for aging.
When you open boxed wine, you have six to eight weeks to drink it before it starts to go sour.
If you don’t open boxed wine immediately after buying it, you’ll have six to eight months to drink it. Of course, that depends on how you store it and if you do so correctly.
How To Store A Box Of Wine
Once you’ve opened your boxed wine, you should store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh, regardless of whether it’s red or white. By storing it in the refrigerator, you’ll limit the time the wine’s exposed to oxygen.
That’s how it will remain fresh. Then, you will have roughly six to eight weeks to drink it, but if you wait for those final weeks, it won’t be at its best quality.
Instead, you should aim to finish your box of wine within two to three weeks. That way, you can still enjoy the flavor of the wine without worrying about it expiring.
How Does Boxed Wine Stay Fresh For Longer?
While you won’t be able to age your boxed wine, you’re probably wondering why it stays fresh for longer than bottled wine. The answer to that lies in the bag inside of the box.
Thanks to the bag in the box, oxygen is prevented from getting to the wine itself.
Are There Chemicals In The Bag?
The answer to this question is no. Many customers of boxed wine over the years have voiced their concerns about chemicals in the bag. The main problem is whether the bag allowed Bisphenol-A, or BPA, to seep into the wine inside.
BPA is a concern because scientific research has linked the chemical to a series of health problems. Many public health advocates have ensured that any producers have to inform their customers if there is a likelihood of BPA in their products.
Thankfully, there’s no significant risk about whether BPA can get into a bag of boxed wine. That’s because the bags are made with polyethylene, one of the world’s safest plastics.
However, if you’re still concerned, you can always check the company’s website to check the type of plastic they’re using for the bag.
Don’t forget that they also have to warn you, so it should also be on the box if you are at risk.
Benefits Of Boxed Wine
Aside from the BPA issue, there are several benefits to purchasing boxed wine instead of bottled. For example, boxed wine is better for the environment.
It doesn’t take a lot of energy to make the boxes for the wine, and it’s easier to recycle. Even the shape of the box serves as a benefit because it’s easier to transport higher quantities of boxed wine than bottled.
That’s because bottled wine has to be transported more carefully. Glass bottles are more likely to break when brought from one place to another.
It also adds to another benefit: you won’t have to worry about accidentally breaking your boxed wine while carrying it around.
You also get more of your money’s worth. After all, a box of wine typically holds the equivalent of four wine bottles.
However, despite these steady gains from makers of boxed wine, you might notice that it’s still not as popular as bottled wine. If you prefer the advantage of low weight of the boxed wine we recommend to use hard to break plastic glasses, too. This will allow you to reduce the overall weight you`ve got to carry for your picnic
Disadvantages Of Boxed Wine
Although the BPA issue is the most significant of concerns, a few minor issues stem from only buying boxed wine. I’ve mentioned that it doesn’t age, a feature many people enjoy out of bottled wine.
After all, it can be placed in your wine cooler, and left there for some time. However, that won’t work for boxed wine.
You might even find it more challenging to store because it needs to go into your refrigerator for its best quality. That’s because it won’t fit into a wine cooler.
That means you can’t stock up on a small variety either. If you want more than one type in your refrigerator, you’ll have no choice but to finish that one first.
Of course, the variety isn’t the only problem. There’s also not much of a selection. If you go through a store, you’ll find a more dedicated selection of bottled wine than its boxed counterpart.
So even if you want to buy more, it’s likely that you won’t be able to enjoy the same variety and selection as bottled wine.
Hopefully, boxed wine will gain more variety as more customers begin to appreciate the benefits of boxed wine.
Final Thoughts
While boxed wine does have a sell-by date, that’s not to say it will expire immediately. Boxed wine will last longer than bottled wine once it’s been opened.
Boxed wine provides many benefits for the environment thanks to how it’s stored. It will last for a minimum of six weeks once it’s been opened, but it won’t be the same quality after two weeks.
But you can’t deny that it lasts longer than the week it takes for bottled wine to sour.
With that in mind, it will go bad if you don’t drink it within a year of buying it. So always check the date before you open a box that’s been in your room for a while.
