52
Beverage Media
October 2012
A
side from screwtops, no other
category has more profoundly
changed the U.S. wine land-
scape in recent memory than
3
L bag-in-box wines. As surely and
steadily as table wine consumption has
risen, 3L boxes have grown even faster.
Shops of all sizes and orientations con-
tinue to make room for these square-
but-hip packages, and leading the way is
DFV Wines’ Bota Box.
The factors driving box wine’s suc-
cess are well established: economical
scale compared to 750mls, superior
convenience for home use, freshness ex-
tended over weeks not days, and a gen-
tler environmental impact. But what
has continued to set Bota Box apart is
the quality inside the smart packaging.
Senior Portfolio Manager Mark Ko-
ppen, who also oversees DFV’s Twisted
and Domino brands (both in bottle),
explains that the Bota Box advantage
derives from the family-owned firm’s
85-
plus years as a grower and supplier
of wine for other California labels. Bota
Box was born in Lodi—the Indelicato
family’s “home territory”—using quality
juice that previously had gone to exter-
nal clients. And as Delicato morphed
into DFV and grew its bag-in-box line,
they were able to keep moving more
wine to Bota Box.
Vintage-dated and anchored by va-
rietals, Bota Box was instrumental in
easing America’s bag-in-box stigma. As
Koppen sees it, Bota Box led people to
distinguish between two tiers of box
wine—one cheaper and generic, the
other premium. “Obviously the price
point has helped people differentiate
between these tiers, but once they taste
a premium brand like Bota,” says Kop-
pen, “the comparison then becomes be-
tween Bota and other wines they may
have had in a bottle.”
Extending & Improving
Introduced back in 2003, Bota Box is ar-
guably the senior statesman of the $18-
and-up 3L category—and has drawn
plenty of imitators, from California
and beyond. But Bota Box has main-
tained its leadership by not standing pat.
Evolving in synch with American tastes,
the line has grown to include 10 types.
Pinot Grigio is the best seller, followed
by Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvi-
gnon. Other varietal wines include Mer-
lot, Shiraz, Old Vine Zinfandel, Malbec
and Riesling; plus the newest additions,
wildly popular Moscato and a jammy
blend called RedVolution.
The package itself has also evolved.
The proprietary FlexTap’s drip resis-
tance and ability to lock out air have
become key selling points. A handle
was added to the box in 2010, making
it even more portable and easier to tip
forward when pouring. The current box
also reinforces the brand’s green messag-
ing. The more natural look is not only
100%
recyclable, but also the box is
made of 100% post-consumer recycled
paper, bonded with corn starch instead
of glue, and all inks used are VOC-
free. Adding even more eco-friendly
resonance, DFV’s ongoing partnership
with the Arbor Day Foundation has
replanted over 100,000 trees across
the country.
Meet the New Bota
Most recently—and clearly a testament
to the strength of the brand name—
Bota Box has spun off a completely
new, yet complementary, 500ml pack-
age. The Bota mini, so to speak, essen-
tially turns the box concept inside-out,
offering a new twist on the themes of
convenience, value and sustainability.
Besides appealing to an active, mod-
ern lifestyle, the go-anywhere package
has fantastic price appeal. As Koppen
puts it, “It’s a five dollar bill, and the
perfect size.”
The500ml line launched in2011with
four varietals—Pinot Grigio, Chardon-
nay, Cabernet and Merlot—and already
DFVhas extended the line to includeOld
Vine Zin andMoscato. Sales of the 500ml
Tetra Paks are expected to hit 250,000 six-
liter cases in 2012. It appears that Bota
Box has not only earned its tagline—
“
the original environmentally friendly
premium 3.0L wine box”—but also has
proven that good things come in small
packages, too.
■
Bota is now available in a handy, portable size.
BRAND
PROFILE
Success Inside the Box
DFV’s Bota Box Leads the Booming Genre
BY W. R. TISH
