But, if you’re looking to step up your game as an event host, consider stepping up one notch on the wine scale. Here’s a quick-and-dirty about what to look for and what to get.

1) Find a local wine shop. Liquor stores often carry lots of beer and a limited selection of cheap wine. Wine shops carry lots of wine and lots of beer. You can get all your alcohol buying done in one stop at a wine shop. Virginians, you have it easier than us Marylanders, since you can walk into a Grocery store and walk out with enough beer and wine to start a riot. If you’re having trouble finding a wine shop, or don’t even know where to start looking, call a wine snob friend and ask for help (or leave me a comment on this post).

2) Go to France. You say “Alsayse” and I say “Alsaaahss” but either way it’s good wine for cheap. Wine bottling in Alsace is still governed by some draconian French law that demands that they use tall skinny bottles. Winemakers hate this because the bottles are the same as what Riesling is usually bottled in. Consumers see the bottle, think they are sweet wines, and move on (unless they’re into that sort of thing). While sweet wine can be found in Alsace, it is home to some of the freshest, cleanest, crispest, refreshing whites in the world. Look for Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc in the $10 range.

3) Stopover in Italy. Italy makes about one-fifth of the world’s wine, and some of it is likely to be in a big-bottle format at your local wine joint for $10-$20. Buy some. Chianti is a solid play here.

4) Red-eye to New Zealand. Good Sauvignon Blancs can be found here for under $10 a bottle. They range from grassy to full to crisp to whatever. You’ll have a hard time finding a bad bottle.

5) Set out cheap glasses, an ice bucket, a bucket with ice-water to keep the bottles cold, and get the grill going. Bask in the glow of compliments from your wine snob friends about the gooseberry in the Sauvignon Blanc.

In no way to I mean to imply that good wine cannot be found elsewhere. These are where I go for when I want something good and cheap without having to worry about producer, vintage, or otherwise. Enjoy!