Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee Hills, Ore., is adding to its line box wines with two new 1.5-liter boxes of Evolution Chardonnay and Evolution Big Time Red.
"When we launched our first two Evolution box wines in mid-2020, they were met with huge enthusiasm," said Sokol Blosser CEO Alison Sokol Blosser in a statement. “Consumers are loving box wines because of the ease of drinkability and quality has gone up in recent years. So far, we're still the only winery in Oregon producing super-premium wine in boxes and distributing nationally. We're excited about adding Chardonnay and Big Time Red to the mix.”
Evolution 2020 Chardonnay is 100% Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley. Each 1.5-liter box ― the equivalent of two 750-ml bottles ― has a suggested retail price (SRP) of $28. Evolution 2020 Big Time Red is a blend of Syrah, Sangiovese, Montepulciano and the secret ingredient: a touch of Evolution Lucky No. 9 White. Big Time Red is American-appellate, with grapes coming from Oregon and Washington and a SRP of $21.
The two new box wines also mark an updated package design for all four Evolution box wines. The boxes feature a "by Sokol Blosser" tagline beneath the bold Evolution brand name, as well as an "Oregon" icon and reference to Sokol Blosser's B Corp status. There also is a "gluten-free" indication on each box.
“We acted fast last year with the first two boxes and this time around, we were able to add some great new design elements to the boxes,” Alison Sokol Blosser noted. “The Evolution brand is all about enjoying great wine with friends and having fun, so the box design and labeling gives customers the information they want with a lot of visual appeal. We can't wait for people to see these beauties on store shelves this fall.”
All of the Evolution 1.5-liter box wines fill a growing consumer demand for great quality wines in convenient and accessible formats, the company says.
“These are the same high-quality wines that consumers know and love in glass bottles,” said Sokol Blosser Winemaker Alex Sokol Blosser. “Putting them in the bag-in-box package helps them stay fresh for up to 30 days ― if people don't polish them off before then.”
Sokol Blosser worked with its bottling partner in Oregon to make it possible to package the wines locally. This marks the first bag-in-box packaging capability in Oregon and Sokol Blosser invites other wineries to join in.
“Sustainability has been a priority for us for 50 years,” Alison Sokol Blosser said. “Box wines have a smaller carbon footprint than bottles, making them a very sustainable option for eco-conscious consumers. We hope other Oregon wineries are inspired to jump on the box wine train with us now that bag-in-box packaging is available locally.”
The new Evolution Chardonnay and Big Time Red box wines are expected to reach store shelves across the country by November, in time for the holiday season. The new box wines joined Evolution Lucky No. 9 White (Riesling, Pinot Gris, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Chardonnay and Gewürtztraminer), with a SRP of $21 and Evolution 2020 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with a SRP of $28. All four Evolution box wines will be in the newly designed boxes.
