Archives for October, 2007
Tetra Pak Candy Bar
When last visiting Italy one of our favorite wines was a cheapo red blend picked up at the supermarket. It was “bottled” in a 1 liter Tetra Pak and we drank our last bottle of it on the train, passing it around swilling it directly from the pak, wino style.
One of the best things about Trader Joe’s opening around the corner is that Whole Paycheck, which is just around the opposite corner, has had to become competitive, resulting in some less outrageous markup and the inclusion of more inexpensive offerings (not all of which are drinkable but that’s another story).
The 2006 Green Path Shiraz from Australia comes in the same 1 liter Tetra Pak and cost $9. The grapes are organic and the packaging is being touted as more sustainable (whatever the hell that means) than glass bottles. Glass bottles are re-usable, recyclable and biodegradable (as are Tetra Paks) but they are heavier and hence more costly to transport (OK, time to admit I only glanced at the Tetra Pak web site — there are probably more arguments for it than the weight).
In this case the light weight applies to the contents as well. Not light as in body or flavor but short of character. It’s sweet, salty and simple which means it will probably sell well to people who know enough not to be put off by the alternative packaging but not enough to be able to compare it to a quality bargain shiraz (Thorn Clarke Terra Barossa 2005, for example). There’s only fruit and no earth, spice or mineral elements. It’s actually not bad but it’s not good either. Drink it, sure, but don’t start the evening with it. Wait until you’ve consumed enough of the good stuff to have numbed your palate a bit and then, when it’s past the time when you should have stopped but you’re determined to have a little more, this can save you some pennies.