Originally Posted by Calcifer

When we got married I had a similar budget but was also snobbish enough that I didn't want it to be a wine that everyone knew was cheap. We ended up getting a recommendation from a friend for a discount wine place, asking them what would work with our headcount/budget/menu, trying a few suggestions and then buying cases of the ones we liked. I have a vague memory that you live in a place with state liquor stores, however, so that route may not work as well.