Upscale Wines Come in ... a Box?

Companies selling boxed wines want Americans to pour their next glass of fine vino from, dare we say it, a spigot. In fact, sales of new deluxe boxed wines spiked 19% last year, and wine reviewers are beginning to dispense praise. While upmarket boxed wines may still turn off wine snobs and lack subtle nuances of flavor, the prices remain dirt-cheap—as little as $4 for the equivalent of a 750ml bottle, the New York Times reports.

One high-end brand, Black Box, has enlisted the services of a unique ad agency named BzzAgent to spread the word through social networking sites. BzzAgent pays its 850,000 "agents" in discounts and free products rather than cash. The agents are encouraged to promote products on Facebook, Twitter, and taste-testing parties. One plus they can trumpet for boxed wines: They last up to 4 weeks in airtight plastic bags inside the boxes. (More boxed wine stories.)