Costco Vs Trader Joe's Boxed Wine: Which Is The Best Value?

Boxed wine used to be something you hid in the back of the fridge for yourself. It definitely wasn't good enough to serve to guests — unless those guests were cash-strapped college students. But times — and tap spouts — have changed since the first 5 liter box of Franzia hit grocery store shelves in the 1980s. Today, boxed wines are going "premium" with the bestselling Bota Box, award-winning Gratsi, and some budget-friendly options from your local Costco and Trader Joe's. Both retailers carry 3-liter private label offerings: Costco has its fan-favorite Kirkland Signature brand, while Trader's Joes offers an expanded series of boxed wines called Block.

All of these bag-in-box beverages serve up four bottles worth of wine for around the price of one. That's 20 glasses! But buying boxed wine isn't only about saving $2. Some people find boxed wine is a better choice than bottled because it's super portable, ready on demand, and it stays fresher for longer. Boxed wine also carries a smaller carbon footprint when it comes to packaging, distribution, and consumer recycling. That all sounds amazing ... but, how does it taste?

With retail sales of boxed wines trending upward, we were eager to find out if this new generation of cardboard Cabernets deserves to shake its bottom-of-the-barrel reputation. Specifically, we put Costco's Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio up against Trader Joe's. Which revered retailer pours the better value in boxed wine: the warehouse giant or quirky corner grocer?

For a boxed wine, Costco's Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon garners a lot of positive attention. Wine Enthusiast originally gave it a "good" rating of 86 back in 2019, then upped the score to 93 ("excellent and highly recommended") in 2024. That same year, Tastings awarded the boxed Cabernet 91 points and a Gold Medal for being an exceptional best buy. You'll also find the boxed wine featured in The Definitive Guide to Costco's Kirkland Signature Wines, a running list of high-quality, "extreme values" compiled by the Costco aficionados over at CostcoWineBlog.

There are plenty of traditional glass bottled wines with less fanfare. But all accolades aside, my tasters found this 2024 vintage to be pretty enjoyable and approachable for a Cabernet. It's noticeably fruit-forward right out of the spout, with aromas and flavors of plum, cherry, and a hint of oak. The medium finish is soft, not too dry, and not too heavy, either. While Cabernet Sauvignon typically demands the gravitas of a dry-aged steak, this boxed version could just as easily be paired with burgers, pizza, or barbecue — on a weeknight. Costco sells each 3-liter box for around $16 to $18, depending on your location.

You're not going to find any flowery reviews for Trader Joe's Block Red Cabernet Sauvignon on Wine Spectator or Decanter, but it brings plenty to the table. For starters, this 3-liter box of California Cabernet retails for $12.99. While this may lead you to doubt its quality, this light-bodied red is really quite likable all-around. The kitschy but minimalist carton design had me at "hello."

Out of the tap, this wine pours to a deep purply-red, with aromas of blackberries and cherries to match. The flavor was surprisingly sweeter than expected, but we didn't mind. The hints of cocoa and vanilla were spot-on for a cold winter's night, but light enough for any season or non-special occasion. Similar to the Costco Cabernet, this Trader Joe's box wine isn't for someone who wants an authentic, complex, or broody Cabernet Sauvignon experience. However, it is for people who want to have fun. Pair it with simple munchies like barbecue potato chips, cheddar cheese and crackers, or a frozen store-bought pepperoni pizza. You could even treat yourself to a glass for dessert. 

In the white wine aisle, Costco offers a 3-liter Pinot Grigio, also from California. Fans on Reddit and CostcoWineBlog have long suspected this Kirkland Signature wine is made by E & J Gallo Winery. However, the 2024 vintage clearly gives credit to DC Flynt MW Selections in Modesto. This boxed wine should also not be confused with the much-loved Kirkland Signature Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio, an Italian wine that comes in a traditional 750 milliliter glass bottle for $5 to $8, depending on your location.

Both are juicy bargains, but this boxed Pinot Grigio is essentially summer poured from a spout. It fills your glass with a light, lemony color and the aromas of tropical fruit. We tasted pineapple, melon, and grapefruit, with plenty of minerality at the finish. Priced at around $16, this bestselling Costco wine is bright, crisp, plentiful, and perfectly refreshing. Pair it with a giant dinner salad and call it a night. The wine stays fresh in the fridge for 30 days.

Trader Joe's Block White Pinot Grigio is a unique boxed wine imported from the Provincia di Pavia, Italy. Twist and press the tap, and it spills a pale, gold-colored wine with whiffs of apple, pear, and citrus. The flavor is crisp and bright, and the finish is compelling and noticeably acidic. I wouldn't go so far as to call this wine "strong," but it boasts a bit of rustic character. It actually reminded me of the homemade wine my dad used to make.

While The Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio could easily float your pool day in a big tumbler full of ice cubes, this Trader Joe's box of Pinot Grigio is built for enjoying with food — and friends. Pair it with the fried olive bites, Greek spanakopita, or the tempura vegetable birds' nests. In fact, just about any appetizer from the freezer aisle will do. Trader Joe's makes entertaining pretty easy.

If the Block Cabernet Sauvignon and Block Pinot Grigio boxed wines are not your favorite varietals, Trader Joe's offers a wider selection of Block series boxed wines to explore. In white wines, you'll find a low-key Chardonnay from Australia as well as a crisp, peppery Sauvignon Blanc from California. The latter has enough zippy character to pair with spicy foods (I'm thinking Chinese takeout), herby salads, or grilled seafood. 

For red wine, there's a purply Australian Shiraz presenting hints of jammy fruit and spice. While lighter and softer than your typical big, bold Shiraz, this box boasts positive online reviews for easy pouring, easy drinking, and pairing with cheese or a simple weeknight dinner of pasta with jarred marinara. These may not be the wines you buy for "wows," but they're affordable, reliable, and good enough to keep your glass (and perspective) at least half full. 

Best value isn't always the same thing as best price. And given boxed wine's cheap reputation, we were prepared to pay a little more for better quality. After tasting four boxed wines from Costco and Trader Joe's, here's what we were surprised to discover: A $13 box of wine can be just as enjoyable as a $16 box of wine. So why pay more? 

Trader Joe's wins this contest with an inexplicable $12.99 price tag that's held steady since 2016. But it's not just the savings. The Block wines offer more crowd-pleasing versatility with a wider range of styles (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon) for every mood. The squat, compact carton design is also easier to transport to tailgates or slide into a tight fridge door. My refrigerator door didn't afford the shelf space to store the tall, rectangular Costco box upright for pouring.

Trader Joe's also scores bonus points for longevity. Its bag-in-box design promises 45 days of freshness after opening, compared to Costco's 30 days. But here's what we loved the most: While the Costco Kirkland Signature boxed wine attempts to convey elegance, the Trader Joe's Block wine doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not. The approachable price, package design, and taste are all about making quality wine a simple, everyday pleasure — no drama or pretension required.

In this bout of boxed wines, we reviewed Costco and Trader Joe's wines for appearance, aroma, flavor, drinkability, and price. Costco only offered two varieties of boxed wine at the time of writing: a red Cabernet Sauvignon and a white Pinot Grigio. To keep the assessment even-handed, I picked up the same two styles at Trader Joe's (though others were available). I then called on a few friends — all casual wine drinkers — to help me complete a side-by-side tasting for each type, poured straight from the plastic tap.

While true wine experts rate wines by how well they represent their type and region, our reviews were much more subjective to personal taste and perceived deliciousness. Our unanimous choice for best value was remarkably affordable, accessible, and enjoyed by all. Price and availability of Costco and Trader Joe's boxed wines may vary by store location.