Five Best Reds Under $10

Big House Red, which is inspired by the famously unpretentious red blend Cote du Rhone, is simply good wine at a good price.

Fittingly, it's a great companion to glazed five-spice chicken.

2005 Gumdale Shiraz (Australia), $9

The shiraz grape, sometimes called syrah, is the principal red grape of the Rhone region of France. It is one of the main components of the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the highly regarded Gigondas wines from that region.

Arguably no one has had more success with Shiraz outside France than the Australians. The Aussie winemakers prefer a style that flaunts the Shiraz's rich fruit and characteristically peppery flavors. Sometimes, as with a few Australian Chardonnays, the flavors go beyond charm and toward overripe.

But Gumdale's Shiraz hits the mark. The deep inky color and the big luscious fruit flavors of the grape are evident. Pleasant cherry and prune tones abound. The signature Shiraz spice follows, in this case with a hint of cinnamon.

People rightly pair Shiraz with meat such as lamb, duck and venison. The mix of forward fruit and subtle spice plays well with the gamy meats. One outstanding match is with Boston-style marinated steak tips.

2004 Camelot Pinot Noir (central California), $7

The 2003 Camelot Pinot is surprisingly tasty and, at $7, a no-brainer, get-a-case-for-the-cellar kind of wine. But it was a late discovery of mine, and by the next visit to the store, the 2003 was gone, restocked with 2004. Regrettable timing? Not really -- the 2004 nails it again.

Snobs will want to steer clear of this Kendall Jackson subsidiary that aims to make "lush, fruit-driven wine." That's code for a fruity and crowd-pleasing. But once you get past all the apprehensions about big companies and the threats to noble grape authenticity, you find a very enjoyable wine.

Pinot noir is a notoriously fussy grape. Apparently only the finest elements working in unison, such as ideal terrior (soil) and centuries of winemaking expertise can coax pinor noir to realize its full potential. Some of the most heralded wines in the world, such as Burgundy's Gevrey-Chambertin, are pinots. So Camelot's bargain-basement version of the peoples' pinot almost adds a bit more satisfaction to drinking.

The wine has a light, almost strawberry, taste, plenty of tartness and a touch of bitterness to round out the overall flavor. Unlike bad, cheap wine that clangs on just one note, the Camelot Pinot actually unfolds in a number of directions.

The classic combo of Pinot and salmon, or even striped bass, works beautifully.

For whatever reasons -- an implied mystique, the crushing and aging with its stems and skins, or maybe the oak fermentation -- reds soak up a lot of flavor and generally acquire a bit more character than paler wines.

This is all to say that with reds, you get a lot of wine for your money. These five standouts should contribute to the season's festivities and if nothing else, help keep you hearty till you're 107.

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