2013 Vinium Russian River Valley Chardonnay

13.7% alc., $35. Vinium™ is an innovative, eco-senstiive, alternative packaging of wine that keeps wine fresh for up to 6 weeks after opening. Founded by industry veterans Richard Cardoza, Richard Catania and winemaker George Bursick, the wines are available through retail partner Whole Foods Market or direct to your door. The wines are available in a 3.0 L cardboard box holding roughly the equivalent of 4 regular 750 ml bottles or 20 glasses of wine, and priced at the cost of two bottles. The packaging replaces bottles, labels, capsules and corks reducing the carbon footprint and landfill waste by up to 8.5%. The package is BPA free and 100% recyclable. · Pale yellow and clear in the glass. The nose is fruit shy with only a hint of lemon and is dominated by oak-driven notes of roasted nuts and dark caramel. Soft, lush and slightly creamy on the palate, yet crisp on the finish with delicate flavors of citrus, apple, banana, roasted marshmallow and toasted oak. The internal bag does preserve the wine which tasted the same at 1 and 2 weeks after opening. This wine is said to be one of the better box wines, but I cannot make that claim since I do not taste box wines usually. What I can say is that regardless of how eco friendly and convenient the packaging is, the wine inside needs to deliver its producer’s claim of “ultrapremium” quality and the fact is, it just isn’t very good. Score: 85. Reviewed October 6, 2014

Winery: Vinum Cellars
From article: Recent Sips of Chardonnay