If you're hosting a party, this App Smart column will help bring some creativity to your bartending duties.
But if you just want to wow your guests with great wines without draining your bank account, you need Cor.kz ($4) and the Wine Enthusiast Guide ($5). Neither are flawless; both can be useful.
Wine Enthusiast relies on the editorial expertise of the popular magazine (of the same name) to help you brainstorm for ideas before you shop.
Using the "search" tab, for instance, I selected red wines for $12 or less, and specified wines that would qualify for "best buy." More than 500 wines qualified, but many were older vintages that I'd never find at my local store. I sorted the results so they returned the most recent vintages first, and I found a few promising names.
Cor.kz will be more helpful when you're at the store. Using the app's bar code scanner, you can look up tasting notes and ratings about wines you're considering, as well as general market prices. With about 975,000 wines in its database, you're not likely to strike out.
Android users can open RedLaser or Google Goggles (both free), scan the wine label and try their luck with search results. The results will be less focused than what you'd find on the iPhone apps, but they can still be helpful in steering you to a good bottle.