Two - Count 'Em - TWO New Organically Grown, Artisanal Boxed Wines from U.S. Producers

I am currently making the rounds on my annual trek to visit Slow Wine USA producers in preparation for the next edition of Slow Wine Guide (2026). It's always fun to check in with the wineries and the wonderful people who host me for tastings for the guide. It's a chance to catchup on the events of the year with the wines and the wineries.

A year ago, I was writing a big piece for Wine Business Monthly about a new, emerging category–bag in box wines that were artisanal (or at least way above Franzia). 

Retailers were having a hard time embracing the category, but hopefully that is fading away. Because consumers were ripe for it, as the producers and their early adopter retailers told me. Going to the Caribbean on vacation? Easy to pack some of your favorite rosé in your suitcase. Headed for the beach near home? Take the box off and sling the bag over your shoulder. From DC to San Diego, consumers were raring to go. 

New companies were forming focused solely on bag in box. Companies like Juliet (which will even recycle the plastic for you if you don't have a local recycler) and Really Good Boxed wine. But none were organic.

CARBON and FRESHNESS 

Why is bag in box so important? The darn wine bottle is responsible for the vast percentage of a wine's carbon emissions and buying wine in a bag in box reduces emissions by 83%. 83%!

So I've been watching and waiting for wineries to hit the mark with organically grown wine in a box. I like boxed wine to come from domestic producers–to encourage organic growers here, and increase their number–which is better for our ecosystems than conventional growers. 

Tablas Creek did one, but only one last year - it was one-off when they had a surplus of Grenache. (They also make Patelin wines in bag in box format but those are not organically grown, in contrast to the label's estate wines). 

I have to also say that being a single person, I far prefer drinking boxed wines–rosé especially. It's just so easy to have a half glass of wine with lunch or a snack and then more in the evening. Boxed wine is so easy to chill and who doesn't stand in front of their refrigerator wondering what to eat/drink. The power of visuals. 

So I was so delighted this past week to meet not one, but TWO organic producers offering bag in box wines–both Folk Machine and a new label from the Phil Coturri family, Enrico Valentine (EVwines.com). 

Both are Sonoma producers–Go Sonoma. 

In Napa Matthiasson also made a boxed rose but it sells out super fast and is gone until next year. Bonterra used to make boxed wine, but I have not seen it on their website for several years now. Field Recordings makes boxed wine, but I do not know if it is organic or not. (As memory serves me, I think not).

So here are two I am excited about. 

FOLK MACHINE WHITE LIGHT | $45 | 3L Box

It's always exciting to see a local, bootstrappy winery getting reviewed in the New York Times, especially on price, where the imports dominate in such articles. So here it is - White Light. (And this is not the first time they've gotten praise from Eric Asimov). 

It's a wild white blend - and it comes together beautifully. 

My notes: "From certified organic vineyards in Mendocino and Lodi. A unique blend of Tocai Friulano (30%), Albariño (23%), Verdelho (21%), Vermentino (21%) and Sauvignon Blanc (5%). Beautifully textured, with notes of peach and melon. Refreshing. Also available in 3L box ($45). Labeled "Made with Organic Grapes."

(It's also available in bottles). 

Here's what the boxed wine looks like. 

Lynn Wheeler of Folk Machine (aka Hobo Wine Co.) holds up the brand new boxed wine packaging. Fun graphics!

It launched today!

ENRICO VALENTINE WINES | $95 | 3L

A new label from the family of Phil Coturri and Arden Kremer...from their sons Sam and Max. 

Typically the family's regular wines are high priced (and worth every penny) – single vineyard designates from outstanding vineyards ($45-115). 

EV Wines is the family's "second label" more or less, which is to say it's more than what you would expect from most second labels. 

The Story Behind the EV Wines Brand

The brand name comes from Sam and Max's middle names. 

Said Sam, "The concept of these is in honor of these two men who we wouldn't be here without (Enrico and Val) is to make farmer's wines–to make wine with what you have that you can drink. The wines are not vineyard designates, but they are wine that we had available. And again, the idea is to make them accessible. So we try and do everything we can to keep the price really reasonable and prove that you can get really well made, really well farmed wines out to the world in a way that's a little less exclusive than what we normally do."

Sam is the proprietor/winemaker of the family's winery–Winery Sixteen 600. (The brand is named for the street number of Phil's home address.) They make top tier wines from grapes Phil farms with a variety of winemakers.

Sam's middle name is Enrico, after his grandfather who arrived on Ellis Island from a town near Lucca in the early 1900's. 

Max works for his dad's company Enterprise Vineyards, a leading organic vineyard management company in Sonoma with its "world headquarters"–i.e. Phil and Arden's house–on a mountainside in the Moon Mountain District his father helped to develop. 

Max's middle name is Valentine, an homage to Val Rossi, whose vineyard is where Phil and Arden first connected (with a little assist from Val). When former Intel CEO Paul Ottelini bought the vineyard, which had fallen into neglect in 2010, he hired Phil to revive it. Today it is one of the celebrated historic vineyards that vintners clamor to buy grapes from. 

So - EV Wines. 

The roster of winemakers is world class (as are the grapes). Basically it comes down to some amazing blending of certified organic fruit Enterprise farms in Sonoma coupled with Cannard grown grapes. 

The wines are available in box from the winery or in bottle ($25 a bottle or $300 a case) from the winery or retailers. 

The white blend is mostly Semillon farmed by Ross Cannard organically grown (but not certified). 

He is the son of the famed Bob Cannard, who grew vegetables for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse for many years. It's blended with Grenache Blanc and Roussanne and sees some skin contact. 

The rosé is Primitivo (60%) in a blend with Grenache (30%) and Mourvedre (10%).

The red blend is all Enterprise grown Zin - a combo of two vintages. The 2023 was a traditional ferment (60% of the wine) while the 2024 vintage (40% of the wine) is partially carbonic. 

The ace winemaking team includes Alejandro Zimman, Erich Bradley, Jack Sporer of Magnolia Wine Services, Sam and Rhone based, Cambie protege Isabel Gassier.

The wines are also sold as a 3 box set, with the clever name The Neapolitan (like the ice cream, get it?)

https://www.evwines.com/

PS Matthiasson also had an organically grown boxed rose but it is currently sold out.