A plastic container for retaining a commodity during a high temperature pasteurization or retort process. The container includes a finish defining an aperture for receiving the commodity, a body portion generally extending downward from the finish portion, and a base portion generally extending inward from the body portion and closing off the bottom of the container. The body portion itself includes a sidewall having a crystallinity of greater than 30% and a shoulder portion flaring outward, from a generally transverse plane defined by the mouth of the container, at an angle of about 15° or less.