Tap the box and toast Revelry

For years, wine lovers have pondered a concept as elusive as a unicorn -- great wine that comes in a box.

The best by far I've sampled to date is Revelry, a trio of varietals from winemaker Jared Burns of Issaquah, Washington, in the Columbia Valley.

Priced at about $20 a pop, each tall, slender cylinder of Revelry Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay contains the equivalent of two bottles of wine. It's equipped with a handy spigot, as well as technology -- a vacuum sealed, foil-coated plastic bag -- that preserves the taste of the wine for up to a month after tapping.

The boxes, decorated with colorful renderings of urbane celebrants, look cool on the counter or in the fridge. And the freshness sack inside keeps folks who imbibe only on occasion happy. Best of all, the wine tastes as if if came from a bottle -- a really nice one, at that.

I appreciate the flexibility the packaging brings because it enables the sipper to enjoy a single glass -- or serve guests readily, economically and, yes, with a modicum to style.