Recession Busters: Wines for $13 or less

This month's bargain recommendations from Dave McIntyre include two wines in alternative packaging, designed to save you money while being friendly to the environment. In recent years, three-liter boxed wines have improved in quality, and several wines have been packaged in one-liter Tetra Paks. Many people, McIntyre included, believe wine tastes better out of glass (much as many beer drinkers prefer bottles to cans), but that opinion is debatable. Boxes and Tetra Paks are lighter than bottles and stack more uniformly, so they can be shipped cheaper and with a lighter carbon footprint.

La Bastide Saint Dominique Rosé, 2009
** 1/2
France, $10

This is a scintillating celebration of summer, with bright strawberry and raspberry flavors backed by laser-sharp acidity to keep the wine refreshing. Buy this by the case, and keep a bottle chilled at all times. If anything can conquer summer's humidity, this can.

Simon 'N' Cellars: Available in the District at Cork & Fork, MacArthur Beverages, Potomac Wine & Spirits. Available in Virginia at the Vineyard in McLean, Screwtop Wine Bar & Cheese Shop in Arlington, Unwined in Alexandria.

Domaine de la Grenaudiere Muscadet Sevre et Maine, 2009
* 1/2
Loire Valley, France, $11

A crisp, refreshing white, it's an ideal hot-weather aperitif or partner to raw shellfish and sushi.

Dionysus: Available in the District at Rodman's, Whole Foods Market Tenleytown; on the list at Sushi-Ko. Available in Maryland at Balducci's in Bethesda, Finewine.com in Gaithersburg; on the list at Sushi-Ko in Chevy Chase. Available in Virginia at Unwined in Alexandria and Belleview; Balducci's locations in McLean and Alexandria; Whole Foods Market locations in Alexandria, Charlottesville, Reston and Tysons Corner; Wine Cabinet in Reston.

Meinklang Burgenland Red, 2008
* 1/2
Burgenland, Austria, $13

This wine, which is certified biodynamic by the Demeter organization, is a blend of Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch (also known as Lemberger). It is a well-balanced, spicy red with moderate alcohol (a plus in hot weather), ideal for pairing with lighter, casual grilled fare.

Siema: Available in the District at all Whole Foods Market locations. Available in Maryland at Finewine.com in Gaithersburg, Rodman's in Wheaton, MOM's Organic Market in Rockville, Viniferous in Frederick. Available in Virginia at MOM's Organic Market in Alexandria, Screwtop Wine Bar & Cheese Shop in Arlington, all local Whole Foods Market locations, the Natural Marketplace in Warrenton, Ellwood Thompson's Local Market in Richmond.

From the Tank Red
*
Cotes du Rhone, France, $40 for a three-liter box

The box holds the equivalent of four bottles, so the Recession Buster price averages out to $10 a bottle. The wine is not vintage dated, and the box does not give a packaging date to indicate its freshness. But this is nice Rhone red, and the box will keep the wine fresh for weeks in the refrigerator, perfect for pouring off a glass at a time or for serving a crowd. It's imported by Jenny & François Selections, a leading importer of "natural" wines that are grown organically and fermented without using cultured yeasts.