Hip to Be Square

Photograph by Toan Trinh

Boxed wines were once considered louche, the neglected redneck cousin in a family of rakish glass bottles. But those days are coming to an end thanks to some intrepid winemakers who are seeing the ecological—and practical—advantages of the bag-in-a-box format. Not only does the packaging eliminate much of the oxidation that ruins open bottles, the roomier confines also allow producers to fit more booze per container, minmizing waste. Here, we asked three of the city’s top wine pros to show us what’s in their fridge.

1. John Libonati, Social Wines
Jenny & François “From the Tank” Côtes du Rhône

“An easy-drinking red with dark berry fruit, and just a little bit of that spice particular to the Rhône. It’s the perfect everyday I-don’t-want-to-have-to-think-about-what-I’m- drinking red.” $39 for 3 liters.

2. Michael Dupuy, Streetcar Wine & Beer
Tomisa Cabernet Sauvignon, Emilia-Romagna

“A wine that’s made for immediate consumption, as opposed to meditation or cellaring. It’s not as tannic as you might imagine cabernet to be, but it’s got nice, full brambly fruit and plenty of structure to balance it out.” $30 for 3 liters.

3. Liz Vilardi, Central Bottle Wine + Provisions
Rebel Artigianale Catarratto, Sicily

“People don’t think they can drink 5 liters at a party, but they can. This is a deliciously floral, slightly rounded catarratto with just enough acid to not offend those who don’t want it, but enough for us hounds who need it.” $47 for 5 liters.