Jug wine

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An open bottle of Carlo Rossi jug wine with a drinking straw.

Jug wine is a term in the United States for inexpensive table wine (or "bulk wine") typically bottled in a glass jug.

Historically, jug wines were labeled semi-generically, often sold to third parties to be relabeled, or sold directly from the winery's tasting room to customers who would often bring their own bottles.[1] For a period following Prohibition, jug wines were the only domestic wine available for most Americans.[2] Beginning in the 1960s, when Americans began to consume more premium wine, jug wine took on a reputation for being "extreme value" (bargain-priced premium wine).[1][3] Beginning in the late 1980s jug wines have increasingly been labeled varietally to meet consumer demand.

Common brands[edit]

Common brands include Gallo, Carlo Rossi, Almaden Vineyards, Inglenook Winery, and Opici. Typical formats include 750 ml and 1 liter glass bottles, as well as 3 and 5-liter jugs. More recent packaging methods include lined boxes, and plastic bags inside corrugated fiberboard boxes ("bag in a box").[1]

A refilling station for wine jugs in a winery.

See also[edit]


  1. ^ a b c Tara Duggan (2008-07-04). "A jug full of tradition:Wine Country vintners serve up wines straight from the barrel". San Francisco Chronicle. 
  2. ^ Bill Daley (2007-11-07). "Jug-heads:Retro charm of big bottles still appeal to some". Chicago Tribune. 
  3. ^ Julia Flynn Siler: The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty, page 310. Gotham Books, 2007.