If you're ever passing through Texas, pick up some Ste. Genevieve. All their varieties are pretty good - I prefer the white zin and my much more knowledgeable sister-in-law the merlot. Always under $10, usually the larger 1.5 liters are under $10. But you have to be in Texas. It's grown, fermented, bottled, and sold in-state only.

My brother and SIL used to regularly take a couple bottles home to Boston. That's a little harder now. You can hardly shrink a bottle of wine to go in one of the stupid 1-quart-size ziplocs...

Abigail