The Top Ten Wines Under $10

You’ve started ironing your own shirts. You make do with coffee room joe instead of shelling out for the venti frappuccino. You do Netflix instead of a trip to the multiplex. Now it is time to recession-proof your wine rack . 

Even in these tough economic times, there are still plenty of great bottles for $10 or less. MainStreet asked three experts to recommend some top-notch vinos for these belt-tightening times. Here are their top ten cheapies:

1. Cape Indaba Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($6). This South African white is crisp and refreshing, perfect to “drink on a patio,” says wine connoisseur Andrea Clurfeld, food critic at New Jersey's Asbury Park Press. She says its citrus and mineral undertones make it suited for shellfish.

2. Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja Borsao Red 2005 ($7). Clurfeld, calls this Spanish combination of Grenache and Tempranillo grapes “the single best cheap red wine in the world.” Fruity, but with depth, she says it goes with a wide range of foods and is “good on the tongue.” “I would put this against anything out there,” she says. 

3. Real Companhia Velha Porca de Murca 2005 ($7). This red blend from Portugal consistently sells out at Bottle Shoppe, Cesar Ruiz’s Brooklyn, N.Y. store. “It has a dry cherry taste," says Ruiz. "It goes great with spicy food and even pizza.” 

4. Adega Condes de Albarel Albarino Salneval 2006 ($9). A warm day? A late lunch? Try this light Spanish white. Mouzouras calls Salneval “perfect for summer.” “It’s clean and crisp with a citrus flavor and nice acidity,” he says.