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It wasn’t too long ago that refreshments for a Super Bowl party consisted of several cases of beer and few bags of pretzels. If you really wanted to get creative you’d heat up a jar of Cheese Whiz, pour it over a pile of tortilla chips and call it “nachos supreme.”

Thank goodness those days appear to be over.

Super Bowl parties have evolved into thoughtfully planned, well orchestrated events, and wines have increasingly become a part of the beverage menu.

There’s no requirement to do a super splurge on wines for this coming Sunday’s game, but offering wines in the 1.5 liter size (equivalent to two standard 750 milliliter bottles) can make a great addition to your Super Bowl party. Granted, we’re not talking about over-the-top wines here, but they do tend to be fruit-forward, crowd pleasing choices that won’t cost you a bundle.

Glen Ellen Winery out of California produces several varietals in the 1.5 liter size that all retail for the bargain price of about $10 a bottle. Included in the selection are the 2008 Chardonnay, 2007 Merlot, 2007 Cabernet, and 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel. The zin is particularly tasty, with big, brambly blackberry flavors and an eye-popping 14.9 percent alcohol content that’s balanced by a touch of residual sugar.

Washington’s Columbia Crest Winery Two Vines label offers a trio of good quality, 1.5 liter wines that are priced at about $15 each. In addition to the 2007 Chardonnay, there’s also a 2007 Merlot/Cabernet (which is actually a blend of mostly merlot and cabernet franc) and a 2008 Vineyard White, a combination of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and semillon.

Box wines have come a long way and might be something you want to consider serving as well. Chardonnay or cabernet are available in a 3 liter container from both Powers Winery (about $20) and Black Box Wines (about $23) Each box houses a vacuum-sealed bag, which should keep your wine tasting fresh at least a week or two after the party is over.

South America is also a terrific place to look for bargain-priced wines. A couple of examples: the Doña Paula Los Cardos 2008 Sauvignon Blanc (about $9) from Argentina’s Mendoza region. It displays hints of green herb, menthol, and mint on the nose and lime and gooseberry flavors without the strong burst of acidity, leaving it with a soft, almost delicate finish.

And from Chile’s Maipo Valley, try the Santa Ema 2007 Reserve Merlot (pictured at left, about $12). It’s full of dark plum flavors followed by an unmistakable finish of vanilla bean that lingers into a butterscotch twist. Interesting, unique, and great value for the money.

With credit card bills from the holidays rolling in and the prospect of income taxes on the horizon, I always like to designate January as my month to take advantage of some good wine bargains.

What constitutes a bargain is all relative, of course. It might depend on your level of affordability ($10 a bottle seems to be a natural cutoff point for some, while others might go as high as $20). Or it might depend on the perceived quality of the wine in relation to comparable varietals costing two to three times more.

Whatever the case, purchasing a tasty wine and feeling like you picked up a bargain should always give you degree of satisfaction – particularly this time of year.

Tracy Olney, Wine Specialist at The Market at Fairhaven, recently gave me several recommendations priced in the $8 to $12 range that turned out to be great buys.

Olney says there are currently plenty of good deals on Washington wines, including newer labels such as the Rain Shadow 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (about $9).

This is a lighter colored, lighter bodied cabernet, with a gorgeous fragrance of plums and violets and flavors of candied cherry and boysenberry. There are virtually no tannins on the finish, so I’d hesitate to serve this with traditional cabernet compatible foods, although it makes a nice red wine for sipping at the end of the work day.

South America is also a terrific place to look for bargain-priced wines. A couple of examples: the Doña Paula Los Cardos 2008 Sauvignon Blanc (about $9) from Argentina’s Mendoza region. It displays hints of green herb, menthol, and mint on the nose and lime and gooseberry flavors without the strong burst of acidity, leaving it with a soft, almost delicate finish.

And from Chile’s Maipo Valley, try the Santa Ema 2007 Reserve Merlot (about $12). It’s full of dark plum flavors followed by an unmistakable finish of vanilla bean that lingers into a butterscotch twist. Interesting, unique, and great value for the money.