"Jug wine" is a term in the United States for inexpensivetable wine typically bottled in aglass bottle orjug.
Historically, jug wines were labeledsemi-generically, often sold to third parties to be relabeled, or sold directly from thewinery'stasting room to customers who would often bring their own bottles.[1] For a period followingProhibition, 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 includeGallo,Carlo Rossi,Almaden Vineyards, andInglenook Winery. Typical formats include 750 ml and one liter glass bottles, as well as three and five-liter jugs. More recent packaging methods include lined boxes, and plastic bags insidecorrugated fiberboardboxes ("bag in a box").[1]
