Best Beach-Safe Wines

More and more winemakers today are putting high-quality reds and whites in offbeat containers. That's good news for people who want to bring wine to the beach, since bare feet and glass bottles (which sometimes break when rattling around in picnic baskets) aren't an ideal match. Here are three great options.

 Perfect Picnic Recipes

Wines for the Beach:

2008 Bandit Cabernet Sauvignon California

Bandit's medium-bodied, curranty Cabernet has a licorice hint on the finish. It's packaged in lightweight, recyclable Tetra Paks.

2008 Powers Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State

Powers's Cabernet has been a great value for several vintages straight, with dark, rich blackberry fruit and a subtle hint of spicy oak. Now it's available in a three-liter box (the equivalent of four regular bottles).

2010 Domaine le Garrigon Côtes-du-Rhône

Importer Wineberry packages several of its wines in attractive wooden boxes, among them this meaty, spicy, Grenache-based red from the Rhône valley.

Updated May 2011

More Summer Drink Tips:

Summer's Best Wines

Best Burger Pairings

Summer Drinks

Published June 2009