Varietal: Â Indigenous grapes of the Delle Venezie
Region: Â Delle Venezie, Italy
Cost: Â $15 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Â A rich bouquet of red berries and currant mingle with layered flavors of black cherry and red and black berries that lead to a long, stylish finish. Enjoy Viama with your favorite Italian fare, grilled meats, vegetarian entrees, and a selection of cheeses.
My Review: Â Last week it was the Duca Pinot Grigio, this week it’s the Viama Rosso. While last week we saw a 3L box that was clearly meant to sit on a counter and be enjoyed at home, the packaging on this wine makes it clear that they intend for it to be taken with you and enjoyed with friends on the go.
The wine itself was enjoyable – medium dark in the glass with aromas of dark red berry and tart, black cherry notes in the mouth. I personally found the wine to be something of a one-noter, but it’s a note that would certainly pair well with pizza, burgers, or pasta, which in many ways is exactly what I want out of an Italian red.
The box itself provided me with some conflicts though.
On the one hand, I see what they’re trying to do with this box – create a boxed wine that doesn’t resemble a boxed wine. The triangular shape, the short strap, even the appearance of what looks like a zipper at first glance, is all done to make this box look like a woman’s purse.
And that’s totally fine. Except for one small problem.
No man is going to buy this wine for himself. We’re just not. It could, however be fixed.
Square the box off a bit and make it look more like a small briefcase, a folder, really anything but what it currently looks like, and you’ll bring men back into the fold of wanting to buy this box, and not just enjoy the wine.
At $15 for a 1.5L box it’s certainly a good value, and I appreciate the visual appeal to take this to a friends house or to put out for a party. I’d like to see them create an option that’s either more male or at least more gender-neutral in the future, but I am appreciative of the steps they’re taking at first to make boxed wine more approachable by making it looked like not boxed wine.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
