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The 10 Best Mass-Produced Wines

Wine is an elixir of the gods made to help you get through quarantine. And while it practically grows on trees (vines) and is available in just about every store from Portland to Pensacola, you can still be a little selective. You know it’s true, treat yourself. 

We all know about bargain vino like Carlo Rossi and Trader Joe’s Two-Buck Chuck. These are perfectly serviceable wines that will have you feeling a little more at ease during unpredictable times. Yet, we also think the spectrum of mass-produced wines is surprisingly large in terms of quality.

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Compiled below are ten wines or labels worth your time that are generally large-production affairs, available in most grocers and online outlets. They’re not always cheap, although they tend to be. Because they’re made at such a scale, they’re extremely reliable, with the winemaking very much streamlined and dialed into a predictable science. You’ve got enough to worry about right now as it is, so cheers.

Underwood Cans

Underwood Cans

Armed with one of the largest wine-canning facilities out there, Oregon’s Union Wine Company has changed the crushable wine game and has made some really good juice en route via its Underwood line. It’s wine put into aluminum that’s tasty enough to warrant a glass.

Pepperwood Grove

Pepperwood Grove

These bottles tend to come in around $6 a pop, which is impressive. Skip the Pinot Noir but the Pinot Grigio and Cab are both just fine, especially for the price. If you’re extra thirsty, the label does box wines as well. 

Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 

Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 

A quality Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, Los Vascos is earthy, dark fruit-driven, and the recipient of some pretty solid critical acclaim, given the price tag.

Bota Box Pinot Grigio

Bota Box Pinot Grigio

In the box wine category, Bota produces one of the best in terms of Pinot Grigio. It’s full of apple and pear, with enough acid to pour into dishes as you’re cooking and to sip as you’re eating.

Ruffino Chianti

Ruffino Chianti

An accessible take on the classic Italian red style, Ruffino’s handful of Chianti takes are great for the dinner table. The large Tuscan estate goes back to 1877 and turns out some quality, pasta-ready wine. Italian restaurants in the states have long relied on the brand, from entry level up.

Marqués de Cáceres

Marqués de Cáceres

An old standby from the Rioja in Spain, Marqués de Cáceres produces a handful of tasty wines at good prices, like the Crianza, made mostly of Tempranillo, and the thirst-quenching Verdejo.

Charles Smith The Velvet Devil Merlot

Charles Smith The Velvet Devil Merlot

It’s nice to grab a Merlot at the supermarket that tastes like the varietal, all while spending about $10. The Charles Smith brand, based in Washington state, has specialized in a varietal program that’s easy on the wallet and the eye (the labels are handsome).

La Vieille Ferm Rosé

La Vieille Ferm Rosé

A workhorse pink wine, this rosé is uncomplicated but refreshing and mostly dry. It’s great with most lighter foods but has enough in the way of fresh berries and floral components to enjoy on its own.

Bodega Garzón Tannat

Bodega Garzón Tannat

There’s a lot of okay Malbec from South America at this price range and availability but sometimes you want something a little different. Enter Tannat, a big red especially popular in Uruguay. Fire up the grill, throw on a steak, and crack this beefy wine.

Reef Ridge Sauvignon Blanc

Reef Ridge Sauvignon Blanc

Here’s a Sauv Blanc from New Zealand that’s quite cheap and quite tasty. It’s fresh and tropical in flavor, as a good Kiwi white wine should be. Enjoy this wine solo or with lighter fare like chicken salad.

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This is the major change coming to Toblerone chocolate
Stripped of its "Swissness," Toblerone is getting a new look
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Toblerone, the nougaty, triangular chocolate bar we all know and love, will be getting a modern makeover later this year. US owner of the popular candy bar company, Mondelez International, has decided to relocate some of Toblerone's production a few countries over to Slovakia, stripping the chocolate of its "Swissness."
Under Swiss law, established in 2017, a product that's advertised with marks such as the Swiss flag, any references to Swiss cities, or, in the case of Toblerone, the Matterhorn mountain, must meet very strict origin criteria. The Swiss powers that be established this law to protect the prestige and reputation of genuine, high-quality Swiss-made products, including, of course, its chocolate.

While much of Toblerone's production will remain in Switzerland — even amping up by the end of the year — the strict laws dictate that it can't be considered a Swiss product anymore unless manufactured there exclusively.
Because the candy will now be partially produced elsewhere, it will no longer be allowed to advertise with any "Swissness," including the iconic Matterhorn logo. The label will also shift from reading “Swiss chocolate” to “Established in Switzerland in 1908” instead.
Reportedly, the hidden bear in the current mountainscape design will remain, but no word yet as to how prevalent it will be.
In a statement reported by CNBC, Mondelez International says that the Toblerone new logo will have a “modernized and streamlined mountain logo that is consistent with the geometric and triangular aesthetic.”
We think we speak for most when we say we couldn't care less what the box looks like. Just make sure it tastes the same.

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