Black Box – 1st Super-Premium Boxed Wine

January 2003

Healdsburg, CA – Tincknell & Tincknell were retained by Black Box Wines, LLC, to assist them with marketing and sales for the startup and launch of packaging high-quality, vintage-dated wines from fine wine appellations. Black Box Wines will release the inaugural 2001 Napa Valley Chardonnay in their signature black three-liter box to the Northern California marketing in January 2003.

Since the company startup in July 2002, Tincknell & Tincknell has assisted founder Ryan Sproule and Black Box Wines, LLC, with consultation in the concept, packaging design, taste profile and product development, operations, general marketing, public relations, and sales.

Black Box Wines is breaking convention by releasing America’s first, high-end, super-premium, boxed wine. In January of 2003 Black Box will launch a 2001 Napa Valley Chardonnay in their signature black three-liter box, which is the equivalent amount to four regular bottles of wine. Unlike the inexpensive boxed wines currently found in the US market, Black Box Wines will release high quality, vintage-dated wines from California’s premier wine-growing regions, known as appellations. Throughout Europe and Australia boxed wines are accepted among wine drinkers as a good deal; the savings from not buying costly bottles are passed on to the wine drinker who gets a better wine at a better price. Europeans and Australians have acknowledged that a box is better for fine wines crafted to be enjoyed immediately. The suggested retail price of the Black Box 2001 Napa Valley Chardonnay will be $24.99 or the equivalent of $6.25 per bottle. A comparable a wine of similar quality would likely retail for about twice the price.

Besides price, Black Box has other key advantages over bottled wine. The wine comes in a vacuum-sealed bag inside the box that deflates when poured, preventing oxidation that spoils bottled wine a few days after opening. There is no glass, reducing transportation costs and breakage. The box is easy to open by consumers, requiring no corkscrew or additional tool. Since there is no cork there is no possibility of cork taint.

The inaugural release of Black Box Wines will be in California, though the company plans on developing national distribution. Further vintage-dated appellation varietals, including red wines, are planned for national release in early 2003.

Tincknell & Tincknell was founded in 1997 with the recognition that the wine industry needed expertise in applying new economic business models and technology to compete in the burgeoning global wine industry. Located in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, T&T offer services and consultation in business, marketing and branding strategies; direct, internet and national sales strategies; packaging and web site design; media relations strategies; and information systems and technology management strategies.