However, if you are on a low-cost budget, you may not want to shell out the big bucks for a worthwhile bottle of wine. You may also want to be outside in the summer months - camping or grilling out - which is not particularly conducive to sporting the "hoity-toity" Riedel glasses and "fancy-schmancy" Gewürztraminer you just purchased.
So go "ghetto" with it: break down and buy the boxed wine you've seen sitting there in the liquor store cooler. It's not as bad as you might think, and you're getting a lot more bang for your buck. You can get an entire liter of halfway decent wine for the price of a mid-range bottle (750 mL) of good wine. Now, of course you're going to want to stay away from the Franzias and anything resembling Boone's Farm. My recommendation is the Bandit Pinot Grigio from Three Thieves. (They also make a Chardonnay - and a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for fans of the red).**************
Another great way to get more bang for your buck is to make your own "Weinschorle." I recently discovered the Weinschorle after refusing to shell out another €5.50 for one more glass of some good, not-listed-on-the-menu South African wine that came strongly recommended (by the waitress, of course). Weinschorle is basically a white wine spritzer, and it's quite tasty - and cheap!
At home, you can make your own Weinschorle. Combine about 1/2-2/3 bottle of tangy, cheap wine like (again) the Bandit Pinot Grigio with 1/2-1/3 bottle of sparkling mineral water or club soda. If you want to be creative, you can throw a little fresh fruit (or fruit juice) in with it. I like using strawberries as a garnish. You will find this drink incredibly refreshing in the summer, and it can make your cheap bottle of white wine last twice as long!
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