Wine in a box still has something of a stigma in Germany. The exact same could be said about beer in a can until very recently. Then the craft beer scene exploded and an unstoppable supply of excellent canned beer proliferated across the country. Quite suddenly, general attitudes changed and it’s now widely accepted that delicious, high quality beer is just as great served out of a can. In a few short years, it became utterly normal to see the aisles of mainstream grocery stores stocked with colourful tins of craft beer.
With any luck, boxed wine is about to experience a similar renaissance. Enter Glük Weine, a new premium box wine delivery company born out of a friendship, a shared passion for good wine and, well, a global pandemic. Founders Alex and Gregor are on a mission to change the way Germany thinks about boxed wine and I couldn’t be more on board.
As an avid wine drinker and party hostess, I’ve been known to blow through significant quantities of wine in a short timeframe. I find the bulk option extremely practical. As an American service industry veteran, I know full well that boxed wine can be top quality. We served delicious boxed red and white as our house pours at an upscale restaurant where I bartended in Portland.
There are also considerable benefits that come along with rethinking the way we package our consumable liquids. Drastically reduced CO2 emissions during transport, longer shelf life and new artistic opportunities, for example.
I couldn’t wait to try out some of the Glük Weine varieties, talk to Alex and Gregor about their vision and share some cocktails incorporating that fabulous boxed wine.
The first cocktail features their Petite Lestrille Bordeaux Supérieur. It’s a lighter take on Glühwein, a delicious German mulled wine. Rather than bury this beautiful bordeaux in the traditional heavy clove and cinnamon spices, we elevate it with a homemade cordial of fresh orange, tart cranberry and anise. It’s ideal for drinking all night long at a holiday party. It’s called Third Advent and you can find the recipe here.
Next up, is a New York Sour. It’s one of my very favorites, and to my knowledge the only classic cocktail that calls for red wine. Since we only need 2 cl / ⅓ oz of wine to float on top, I figured we should go luxury and use Glük Weine’s Vacqueyras Beaumirail Rouge 2017. This wine has the highest price point of their entire selection, but it’s totally worth it. We did a little taste test before adding it to the cocktail, and it’s divine. If you do the math, it’s about equivalent to paying €10 for a bottle, which is a steal in my honest and not-sponsored opinion.
After the two red wine drinks, we started experimenting around with the Bordeaux Rosé and Bordeaux Blanc. We tried out a Rosé Negroni and a few other holiday inspired ideas with the blanc.
I haven’t decided which one is most worthy of its very own cocktail page on Zutrinken. It might be the white wine, fig, pear, allspice combo, or maybe the apricot, thyme, brandy thing . . . or maybe something else. Stayed tuned to our Instagram to find out as soon as we post it. And while you’re there, follow Glük Weine!
Published on December 10th, 2020