In my mind, the sign of a happy life is having a nice time on an everyday Wednesday—because if an everyday Wednesday is a happy occasion, you’ve got nowhere to go but up for the rest of life, right? So, go ahead, make your average Wednesday all the better with these great budget-friendly box wines that pair beautifully with your family’s favorite comfort foods. Here are a few of my favorites:
Macaroni and Cheese + Bota Box Old Vine Zinfandel
A little sweet, a little spicy, a little cherry-vanilla. Bota Box goes as well with mac and cheese as a classic Coke does, but with a lot more style.
Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes + Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon
Smooth, balanced and easy to drink, Black Box’s Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t taste all that much like cabernet sauvignon, but I can’t say I care: It’s good and tasty, and most nights, that’s good enough.
Pot Roast with Gravy + CalNaturale Cabernet Sauvignon
A rather elegant version of cabernet sauvignon. Add a half a cup to the pot roast when you start cooking for a little hint of beef bourguignon in your roast.
Chicken Pot Pie + Wurtz Riesling Trocken
The slight sweetness of this nicely acidic Riesling goes well with all the sweet veggies and creamy chicken in a good pot pie.
Lasagna + Vina Borgia, Bodegas Borsao, Campo de Borja
Traditional Spanish garnacha with a nicely light and juicy cranberry base and echoes of licorice and cinnamon up top, this pretty wine goes well with everything that has tomato sauce, a little cheese and spice in it, from lasagna to delivery pizza or a meatball hoagie.