I pride myself in being a wine cheapskate as I don't think you should pay more for pleasure than you have to. And these days, you don't have to as you can find terrific wines in the liquor store at great prices. Here are my top five bargain bottles at the moment.

Economics, environment and jokes aside, in an era where we are embracing the screw cap as an acceptable -- and in some cases superior -- alternative to cork closures, why wouldn't the oenophile take the boxed wine for a test drive?

As glittering decorations, twinkling lights and snow-and-ice displays roll out for the holidays, sparkling wines also add warm, fuzzy -- and, of course, fizzy -- feelings to the season. Here is a quick pre-season primer on what's out there for all bubbly budgets.