Today on Serious Grape: Back to the Barrels?

Today over at Serious Grape, my weekly column on Serious Eats, I've been inspired to think about wine and the environment by fellow wine blogger and author Tyler Colman of Dr. Vino. (photo by brewrat)

I find myself much more sensitive to wine's environmental impact these days because of Colman's work. As a historian I am intrigued that we've been thinking about boxes and other new forms of packaging that might leave less of a carbon footprint than wine bottles when it comes to shipping--but we haven't been thinking as much about the very old-fashioned alternative of buying wines straight from the barrel.

I buy all kinds of things from big, bulk containers in Whole Foods that I would never imagined I would buy this way ten years ago. I can even make jam and take it home in a plastic container if I'm really serious about lowering my carbon foot print!

Why not wine?

Of course, there are probably laws standing between me and taking a clean jug to Whole Foods to be filled with red table wine. But they can be changed. What do you think? Head over and join in the discussion. If you could, would you buy wine from the barrel? If not, why not?