Good wines under $10

[Innkeeper]

All of WC's advice is top drawer. Almost anything between $5 and $10 is fine, be it from Australia, Chile, France, Italy, or the good ole USofA. One under $5 worth trying is Blossom Hill Cabernet. Regarding when to drink it, most of the wines in this category are drinkable on receipt, except for one small thing. Wines become "disturbed" when they travel; especially red ones. If you have wine "shipped in" let it set for ten days. If you smuggle it in from another state let is set for a week. If you just bring it home from the store; a day or two. If you spend $15 or more for a bottle, you have to wonder about when to drink it. The best bet is to do a little research. You can usually find out quite easily which wines are immedidately approachable and which ones need to lay down for awhile.
Innkeeper