Back to the future: Will cask wines soon be back in fashion?

Bag-in-the-box wines, known in Australia as cask wines, once enjoyed immense popularity. And now they are on their way back. 

Casks were cheap, convenient for drinking over a long period and had a lower carbon footprint than glass bottle alternatives. 

Unfortunately. many cask wines were also nasty, although honourable exceptions include De Bortoli, Yalumba and Morris.

Now Calabria Family Wines is producing a new range of bag-in-the-box wines that are 100% vegan-friendly, include some alternative varietals and have hip and happening packaging. 

So if you'd like a two-lite box of montepulciano or Nero D’Avola, you might want to check out the Banta Box range. 

Banta Box promises "a range of premium quality wines" in cask format, with varieties like sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and shiraz, as well as a rosé. 

Wines in the Banta Box range are all vegan-friendly and once opened stay fresh for up to 30 days. With a 100% recyclable outer carton, and lightweight format, the cask produces a smaller carbon footprint than glass bottles. 

“Consumers are more conscious than ever of the impact excess packaging is having on our planet, and it’s no different for the regular wine drinker, which is why we’re seeing such great excitement for alternative packaging formats in the industry,” says third-generation sales and marketing manager Andrew Calabria. 

“Banta Box gives wine drinkers who want the occasional glass of wine with a meal at home an optionthey can store in the fridge for an extended period of time without the guilt of opening an entire bottle.

“For a while now, the Australian cask category has carried a poor reputation for being of low quality, but this perception is changing as more premium offerings come to market. 

"Markets abroad have really embraced the wine-in-box format and we are totally confident Australia is on the same path. 

“With our alternative styles like Nero d’Avola and montepulciano in the range, and the compact, convenient pack size, we feel the Banta Box range will be a fantastic introduction to someone who is interested in exploring the cask category for the first time or a refreshing new favourite for those familiar with this classic Aussie innovation.”

The new Banta Box range (​RRP $13.99​) is now available in independent retailers, with branded point of sale displays and an integrated marketing campaign to follow.

I'm told my boxes are on their way, so I will report back on quality. 

See www.bantabox.com