So you want a snappy bargain wine? Here's one for toasty weather

It's been brutal in southern California these last few days, with mid-day temperatures nearing the century mark and violent, dry Santa Ana windstorms searing throats. "Fire weather" is what locals term these disagreeable conditions, since the terrain in this region has the unfortunate tendency to go up in flames at around this time each year.

As if the climate isn't enough for people here to contend with, consider the economy. I call the mess a total collapse, while my 84-year-old parents say it's worse than the original Great Depression they remember as elementary-school kids. It's ugly everywhere, but few places nastier than here in Orange County, the unofficial headquarters of the mortgage, financial, and contracting industries on the west coast. Rarely a day passes without news of a local mortgage or financial firm slashing drastic numbers of staffers, many to battle personal financial crises they'd never imagined.

Even for those who haven't had things so rough, the economic climate is nevertheless a definite downer. What's an oenophile to do when Wall Street takes massive belly flops of several hundred points each day?

Here's my advice: Think outside the box -- ahem, bottle -- for maximum quality for a minimal price. Over the last year, wine pundits have enthusiastically pointed to Spain and Portugal as superb sources for excellent, extremely affordable juice. The Better Half and I, long fans of tantalizingly priced Riojas, nod in agreement.

With that, here's what to pour when both the heat and the economic collapse get their angry on:

ALIANCA CASAL MENDES VINHO BRANCO NV/VINHO VERDE: ABOUT $6

Pederna and Azal Branco (both unidentified quantities). Alianca was founded in 1927 by Portugal's Bairrada Dellimited Region. According to Daniel Sogg of Wine Spectator, Alianca is one of the 20 best wine companies in the world. "Alianca is a family company that is one of the most advanced and modern wine producers in Portugal," he points out, of which "the quality has been a guide in the path to success on the recent crops." The wine companies honored offer stunning value, as well as distinctive flavors for the varietals from the region's leading wine regions. Casal Mendes' Vinho Branco stands out as a perfect Exhibit A of the concept of top quality for a song: Two workhorse white grapes -- Pederna and Azal Branco, both bit players in white Port and lighter white Portuguese blends -- lend their fresh appeal. Starting with its delicate straw color and its tempting scents of fresh citrus, it offers tangy, light flavors of lemon, lime, pineapple, and kiwi, as well as a lovely lift of acidity and a spunky, peppy finish of ginger and star anise. It's just the thing with a sizable range of fare: poultry, halibut, mahi mahi, sushi, and an array of cheese-based vegetarian entrees. Then again, it's great as a preprandial sipper, a way to take off the edge on a hot, gusty day. Best of all is its price tag: $6 or under, for a 750 ml bottle, at better wine shops.