The Worst Budget Cabernet Sauvignon You Can Drink, According To Our Taste Test

What's better than a glass of dark and fruity cabernet sauvignon? An affordable glass of dark and fruity cabernet sauvignon. Not every bottle or box of wine has to break your bank account to taste great, and there are plenty of budget-friendly cabernets that deliver the same rich flavor as estate wine bottles worth a fortune. Unfortunately, there are also budget wines that belong (and should probably stay) at the bottom of the barrel.

Food Republic tried and ranked eight budget boxed cabernet sauvignon wines so you wouldn't have to, and our final verdict placed Vendange cabernet sauvignon dead last. After judging the wines on their body, complexity, acidity, and flavor, it was clear Vendange didn't deliver in any of those categories. It was flat and overly tart instead of "bold," as described on the box, and it was neither fresh nor flavorful as intended. What's more, there was no big finish with a strong oak taste, the other supposed "rich aromas" failed to stand out, and even the slight dryness on the palate — usually a plus — was lackluster. It doesn't take much to figure out that this boxed wine is better off left on the shelf than in your stomach, especially when there are other budget-friendly options that taste light-years better.

There are many factors to consider when picking a good wine, with price and taste being just a few that earned our top choice: the Summit cabernet sauvignon. Summit's well-balanced taste and smooth, yet dry, feel checked all the boxes for this budget boxed wine. This brand also stood out visually, offering a classier presentation that can be hard to find with boxed wine. The only downside to Summit is its lack of size options, a key feature of other boxed wines. Many come in 3- and 1.5-liter boxes, as well as individual 500-milliliter cartons, making them more versatile than a regular bottle — something worth considering in your search for a budget cabernet sauvignon.

The beautiful thing about cabernet sauvignon is that, whether it comes in a box or a bottle, its diversity of flavors makes it easy to find a wine to suit your taste — one of the reasons cabernet sauvignon is so popular. Since this grape can be grown all over the world, with each region adding its own unique touch, you get varying degrees of dryness, sweetness, and depth of flavor from the oak barrels. Looking for an all-around good cabernet sauvignon might lead you to a more dry and vanilla-tasting variety like Bota Box or a fruity and sweet option like Bay Bridge, both of which satisfy a variety of palates. Just make sure to steer clear of Vendange cabernet sauvignon — your taste buds will thank us later.