For a wine lover who hovers around the $10-$12 price range these days, it’s music to my ears – and my wallet – to be able to bring my own wine to dinner. Given the state of the economy, I and my husband love discovering all our new Ukrainian Village neighborhood spots, where we can eat like kings and queens, but spend like modern day paupers. After all, we must continue to support local small businesses in any way we can, especially now. You with me?

To complement my budget-friendly BYOB outings as of late, there are, thankfully, myriad quality wines out there which can be purchased for less than $12; in this case, for less than $10. A couple of my favorites, available at Just Grapes, are a 2007 De Bortoli Chardonnay from Australia ($6.99) and a 2007 Viña Borgia Grenache from Spain ($9.49).

This fresh and flavorful Chardonnay from Down Under displays lively aromas of peach and melon, and the wee bit of French oak aging adds complexity, a hint of vanilla on the palate and a satisfying finish. The Grenache flaunts a bold bouquet of blackberry and cherry with distinct notes of licorice on the palate. The words “clean” and “bright” sprung to mind when tasting this approachable 100% Grenache.

At these prices, folks, let me tell you, you can’t go wrong. Trust me. I’m Chicago’s new value wine bandit in disguise. Let me know some of your favorite wines that pack a mean punch for around $10 – and your favorite local restaurants to sip ‘em.

There are so many reasons right now to have extra bottles on hand: watching the game with friends on Sunday afternoon, hitting a BYOB restaurant before the theater, evenings in front of the fireplace with candles and some mood music, days when you come home from work in the damp, dreary, cold dark and need a little warmth from the inside. Not to mention the beginning of holiday season.

It’s so fortunate that Just Grapes hosts a sale at this time of year. You can save as much as 50 percent on more than 100 bottles during the appropriately named Fall Wine Sale, beginning tomorrow, September 16, through Sunday, September 21. Shop online or come in and see what yummy new wines you want to take home to warm up your wine rack.

And if you find a few roses and cool whites to take home, well, that’s OK, too. We’ll tell the fashion police and the wine police to take a hike through the crunchy fall leaves. See you there!