A practical palate is key in this economic climate, which means good finds should be chronicled – like this tasty $6 sipper I’ve come across.

Big House Red is not a new bottling but now this red blend is also offered in a new 3-liter package. It holds the volume of four bottles of wine so at roughly $24 a box, it’s about $6 a bottle.

The red blend is juicy, with a good concentration of fruit and black pepper spice. It’s not terribly complicated, but it’s a good quaff. The winery claims it should stay fresh for six weeks after opening it so I’ll keep an eye on that.

The label Big House Red, formerly owned by Bonny Doon Vineyard, is now owned by Underdog Wine Merchants and its goal is to create “premium box wines” for everyday sipping.  

Underdog offers 10 3-liter boxes. To peruse them, visit www.underdogwinemerchants.com.