Seven actually-good boxed wines for summer

Likely, the last time you drank boxed wine, you were playing Slap the Bag in a musty frat-house basement. (What, just us?) But despite its bad rap, boxed wine does have its benefits: It's inherently portable, it's a great bang-for-your-buck and its single-portion size means you don't have to open an entire bottle of wine for one mere glass. This summer, take back the box with these six bag-in-a-box wines that prove good vino's not relegated for bottles only.

Bota Box 
Use of FlexTap technology—preventing wine exposure to light and air—means these bad boys stay fresh up to six weeks after opening without quality decline. Grab a three-liter box of the RedVolution for a juicy blend of merlot, cab, syrah and petite sirah. 

Bandit 
The slim Tetra Packs (available in one liter and 500mL sizes) are convenient for throwing in your picnic basket for those sunny Central Park afternoons. Our go-to? The brand's award-winning pinot grigio, a crisp and citrusy California number. 

Steinschaden
The family-run Austrian winery offers small-batch, bag-in-box options like a dry, floral 2015 Gruner Veltliner Selektion, which sports a vibrant, Kamptal-true yellow-green hue beneath its eco-friendly packaging. 

Black Box
Inside of those sleek black boxes—rigged with a pull-out spout and self-compressing bag—are blends that have nabbed a whopping 48 Gold Medals from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. The cabernet sauvignon is a particularly tasty option, with a dark blackberry sweetness. 

Loft 
Created by winemaker Denise Worden, the premium boxed-wine brand has four varietals in its portfolio, including two refreshing, summer-ready whites: a stone fruit-forward chardonnay and a sauvignon blanc with a nectarine nose. 

Les Quatre Tours
This one's for you rosé lovers—the version from these Provence producers, available by three-liter box, is richly fruity with well-balanced acidity. 

Beso Del Sol
Beat the summer heat with this Spain-imported sangria-in-a-box. Inside the 500mL Tetra Pack, find an all-natural white sangria generously imbued with citrus, peach and mango fruitiness.