Franzia Vs. Almaden: Which Boxed Wine is Better?

Let's face it--boxed wine isn't exactly the classiest thing in the world. Once the common punchline in jokes, boxed wine has become more and more popular as consumers are looking to cut down on the cost of non-essential items like alcohol. In fact, 2008 and 2009 were two of the best years the boxed wine industry has ever seen. The quality of wine that comes in a box has also improved over the past decade, making it a much more acceptable option for those with a discerning palate. Plus, boxed wine is better for the environment, as there is less packaging per liter of wine and it doesn't take as many fossil fuels to transport it as a result.

At most liquor stores, you will find the two major brands of boxed wine: Franzia and Almaden. While there are definitely many other brands of boxed wine, I find that these two are perhaps the most ubiquitous. So which boxed wine is the best? Let's start with Almaden. Almaden recently "reimagined" their packaging, so you will now find Almaden wine in a black box with gold lettering. In my experience, Almaden white wines are very sweet and fruity, while the red wines are extremely acidic and sometimes bitter. Every box of Almaden wine I've purchased has been drinkable, but I would definitely say that their white wine is much more appealing than their red wine. My boyfriend found that the Almaden wine tended to give him headaches, while I never experienced this problem when drinking Almaden boxed wine.

Franzia, on the other hand, comes in a primarily white box with black lettering. I have tried several different wines from Franzia, and while the red wines have rich and complex flavors, I've found that the white wine made by Franzia is a bit dry and "flat" tasting. Unlike my boyfriend, I find that drinking Franzia wine gives me a headache more than when I drink boxed wine from Almaden.

Both brands of boxed wine are similar in price, with a 5 liter box of wine setting you back approximately $12-$15. In Maryland, Almaden is usually one or two dollars more expensive than Franzia, although I've heard that the opposite is true in other parts of the country. In the end, I like both of these brands of boxed wine, but I prefer white wines from Almaden and red wines from Franzia. Both of these boxed wines can be found at liquor stores nationwide. For more information about Almaden or Franzia boxed wine, check out the websites listed in the resources section of this article.