Brilliant: you can now buy a chilled wine bag at HEMA, with a pump!
HEMA knows exactly how to make us happy. A wine cooler bag! Say what? A cooler bag that makes it very easy to transport and keep bag-in-box wine chilled. And… pour wine straight from it! Picnicking is about to get a whole lot more fun.
Bag-in-box-in-a-bag
Sure, wine in a bottle is much more elegant than a cardboard box with a tap sticking out. But a bag-in-box is incredibly practical! Because you can simply slide it into your fridge and pour away, and you can easily take such a wine box with you. In a trendy backpack, for example!
Why a BiB is brilliant
It’s actually strange that bag-in-box, also known as BiB, is still relatively uncommon in the Netherlands, because in countries such as France and Australia, for example, every fridge is packed with them. In fact, in Scandinavia many fridges come standard with a wider door so that the BiB fits inside! A cardboard pack containing a vacuum-sealed plastic bag is fantastic for more than the reason mentioned above. The contents vary per BiB, but usually come to around two or three litres. Because the wine is packaged in such a way that no oxygen can reach it when you pour it, wine in a BIB stays good for much longer after opening than wine in a bottle.
Cheaper than bottles of wine
A bag-in-box is also about 30 percent cheaper than wine in a bottle, weighs much less than the same number of litres in bottles, and you don’t have to take it to the bottle bank. Why isn’t the BiB hugely popular in the Netherlands yet? Probably because it looks a little cheap, making the average consumer think it must contain cheap wine too. But in terms of quality, wine packaged in a BiB need not be inferior to that same wine from a bottle. Just like screw caps, the BiB was looked down on for a long time because of its association with cheap, low-quality wine. But the savvy drinker knows better: the BiB is nothing less than a very clever solution. Especially when you put such a cheerful bag around it.
Want a chilled wine bag?
The HEMA wine cooler bag costs €15 and is ideal for transporting and pouring 3 litres of bag-in-box wine. The wine is held in place in the backpack with an elastic strap. There are openings in the side of the bag for the wine tap. Pouring wine becomes a piece of cake, and your wine stays cool the whole time. The cooler bag closes at the top with Velcro and a click closure and has adjustable shoulder straps.
More picnic essentials at HEMA
And if you’re going on a picnic (or camping), you’ll naturally need a few extra things too. Plastic wine glasses, for example, an outdoor blanket, and plates and cutlery. And of course, we also have a delicious recipe for a BLT salad with smoked chicken for you. Chilled wine alongside it: pure enjoyment! Just watch out for fruit flies in your wine; they really can ruin your entire glass of wine!
Also read:
- Tipping in restaurants and bars: why don’t Dutch people do it anymore?
- This is the absolute, ultimate, most delicious filthy pizza on the menu in Italy
- Vegan food for your cat: good idea or not?
Image: HEMA
