By Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

From a bone-dry Spanish white that can accompany appetizers to a sweet French wine that can take you through a cheese plate or dessert, this week's question-and-answer forum turns up a wine to enjoy with every course. Build a dinner party around them, serve them blind, and let your guests guess which one comes from a box instead of a bottle.

Are there any really good box wines out there? I have tried only a few, without much luck, and it seems that there is a lack of reviews in the wine magazines.

-- John W. Copeland, Denver

It's tough enough to convince wine lovers that screw-cap closures are better than the traditional corks; unscrewing a bottle doesn't inspire the same poetry as popping a cork. But convincing them that boxed wines are not inferior is even tougher, which might account for the lack of coverage.

However, because boxed wines are one of the fastest-growing segments of the wine market (up more than 40 percent over a year ago, according to the Nielsen Co.), that should change.

The best we've tasted was at a party in 2005 at the home of chef Daniel Boulud, who was launching his 2004 Dtour Macon - Villages ($37 for a three-liter cylinder, or the equivalent of $9.25 a bottle). We were shocked by the quality that came out of this cardboard tube and the vacuum-sealed bag within it. Later we bought our own three-liter container of the wine, which was still drinkable a good eight weeks after we spigoted our first glass of it.

Since then, we haven't found others of equal quality, but we're sold on the promise of the packaging technology, so we're still searching -- and will let you know about any we uncover in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we'll admit we were pleasantly surprised last week by the 2006 Boho Vineyards Central Coast Chardonnay ($24 for a three-liter box, or the equivalent of $6 a bottle), with subtle cinnamon-poached-pear fruitiness accented by rounded lemon acidity and with a notably creamy finish.

The Boho wine comes in an eco-friendly brown box made of 95 percent recycled materials and printed with 100 percent soy-based ink. Boho claims it generates "a 55 percent smaller carbon footprint and contributes 85 percent less to landfill waste." The wine is available now in Maryland and, as of May 1, nationally. It's definitely worth a taste. One sip had Andrew hungering for a fried oyster po' boy and Karen yearning for chicken or pork chops right off the grill.

After reading some articles about the Jura, I was intrigued enough to buy a bottle of Henri Maire Vin de Paille. What would you serve with it?

-- Lev Raphael, Okemos, Mich.

Vin de paille, or "straw wine," is a relatively rare, warm-climate sweet wine produced almost exclusively in France's Jura region, between Burgundy and Switzerland. Historically, it was made from grapes that had been dried in the sun on straw mats for at least three months. Today, the grapes are often dried in boxes or while hanging, then aged in oak for at least three years. Its honeyed sweetness is concentrated, like that of an ice wine or Sauternes. Vin de paille often is made from chardonnay blended with local white Savagnin and red Poulsard grapes. It is a cellar-worthy style capable of aging for as long as a decade or even several decades.

Its typical high acidity helps it pair with a variety of foods. On the savory side, consider foie gras, aged and/or blue cheeses, or nuts (such as walnuts). For dessert, choose those made with figs or stone fruits (such as apricots), caramel, dark chocolate and/or walnuts.

The Dr. Konstantin Frank Rkatsiteli -- which per your description combines all of my favorite wines (Riesling, Gewuerztraminer, Gruener Veltliner and New Zealand sauvignon blanc) -- really sounds fascinating. Do you have any suggestions as to wine stores in the D.C. area that would stock this wine?

-- Lewis Katz, Baltimore

The 2006 ($20) is carried at Chesapeake Wine in Baltimore (410-522-4556).

You can find it in Virginia at some Wegmans locations (including Fairfax and Sterling) and at Wine Styles in Chantilly and Fairfax. While in Virginia, check out the alluring Gordonsville-made 2006 Horton Vineyards Rkatsiteli ($15). To find it, visit http://www.hvwine.com/find.htm.

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With the recent warm weather, we crave meals that are much lighter. That led us to salads and seafood for dinner, which in turn led us to two white wine picks this week that pair well with either.

Since eating and drinking our way through Quebec City and Montreal on our honeymoon nearly 18 years ago, we've had a particular soft spot for Canadian wines. Canada's cool climate and melding of the best of Old World and New World techniques produce some of the very best Rieslings in North America. One of the most consistently excellent is Cave Spring, and the 2006 Cave Spring Niagara Peninsula Riesling ($14) is no exception. It wins Karen's nod as her pick of the week. Its ripe white-peach and pink-grapefruit flavors end in a mineral finish that lends it to pairing with pork, white fish and shellfish.

If you are a fan of sauvignon blanc, you'll enjoy Andrew's pick this week: the 2005 Hijos de Alberto Gutierrez Cascarela ($12). This light, dry, yet fruity Spanish white is from the Rueda region, famed for its whites, at the southwestern end of Valladolid on the Duero River. It has more lemon and fewer grassy notes than typical sauvignon blancs and is a 50-50 blend of Verdejo and Viura (Rioja's white grape). In recent years you can see some of the region's new-style wines blending Verdejo with actual sauvignon blanc grapes. Pair it with vinaigrette-dressed salads, white fish and shellfish.

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, award-winning authors of "What to Drink With What You Eat," can be reached through their Web site, http://www.becomingachef.com, or at food@washpost.com. Please include contact information, town of residence, and an indication of whether your name can be published in an upcoming column.