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" Before I devoted my life to grape and grain, I specialized in another type of liquidity. I was a business-school student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. When Black Monday hit in 1987, my corporate-finance professor wisely relocated our 3:00 P.M. class to a pool hall up the street for some margarita analysis. Now, as we face another (possible) recession, margaritas are still a fine option for dulling the pain. But economic slowdowns tend to drag on for a while, and subsisting on tequila could land you in the drunk tank. Wine is a better long-term investment. Which is why, for your recession-shrunken wallet, I present six of the best bargains on the market. White 1. Torres Gran Sangre de Toro, Spain, $13. This juicy red is a blend of garnacha, Cari\u00F1ena, and syrah grapes, and that&amp;#039;s why it&amp;#039;s so cheap; you pay a premium to see merlot or cabernet on the label. And maybe drinking &amp;quot;blood of the bull&amp;quot; will somehow help your portfolio.  2. Villa Mt. Eden Coastal pinot noir, California, $10. When I find a pinot under $20 that&amp;#039;s got pinot&amp;#039;s silky texture and essence-of-cherries flavor, I am reminded there is a God. This wine tastes great with goat cheese, barbecue, you name it.  3. Domaine P\u00E9laqui\u00E9 C\u00F4tes du Rh\u00F4ne, France, $10. The recent vintages from C\u00F4tes du Rh\u00F4ne are great, and the dollar&amp;#039;s strength makes them especially affordable. They&amp;#039;re a blend of grapes from the juicy-spicy family--syrah, Grenache, cinsault, and mourv\u00E8dre.  Red 1. Joseph Phelps sauvignon blanc, California, $17. Crisp, refreshing, and delicious. Easily the quality of chardonnays twice the price.  2. Elvenglade pinot gris, Oregon, $14. Unbelievable flavors echo through this wine: poached pears, marzipan, pineapple LifeSavers, your turn. You rarely get this much complexity at this price.  3. Glatzer gr\u00FCner veltliner, 1999, Austria, $11. Austria&amp;#039;s signature white grape is nicknamed gru-V, an apt description for this laser light show of flowers, vibrant fruit, and exotic spice that stands up to everything from sushi to chili.  FOR MORE OF ANDREA IMMER&amp;#039;S WINE WRITING, VISIT ESQUIRE.COM/DRINKING. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/a1377/bear-market-bottles-wine-0401/>