BOSTON -- If you enjoy wine and you're a purist about what you buy, this story may alarm you: Instead of uncorking a bottle, more and more people are pouring it out of a box.

NewsCenter 5's Anthony Everett reported that it's a big hit in Europe that's starting to take up more shelf space in the states.

In the film "Sideways," the main character takes wine very seriously. So, he'd probably find the concept of wine in a box, a once "low brow" product, a bitter concept to swallow, but, it's a hot selling product.

"The convenience that it offers is tremendous. It's probably one-third the weight of a 1.5 bottle, and the boxed wine will last for about five to six weeks, whereas wine in a bottle will be dead in a couple of days," said Joe Schuman, of the North End's Golden Goose.

Forget what you've always thought about boxed wines. The new ones are from top producers, who prefer to call them "casks," not boxes.

"You have Blackstone making Black Box, and Kendall Jackson making the Wine Block, whish is equivalent to two bottles. I'm sure we'll see much more from larger companies," Marty's Liquors' Mark Reilly said.

Three-liter boxes, the equivalent of two bottles, are increasing faster than any other segment, according to a recent survey. They range in price from $10 to $20. They're essentially bags in boxes with spigots that keep air out and keep the wine from oxidizing.

"It's changing American attitudes toward wine. Wine was viewed as a status thing, now people are just trying to please themselves," Schuman said.

Wine, it seems, is undergoing a quiet revolution. Even the coveted cork is losing ground while screw-capped bottles are gaining cachet.

"It is something that will make wine more accessible on a day-to-day basis," Schuman said.