Blizzard shopping: done.
The Domaine du Grand Moulin Touraine is my current favorite under $15.00, crisp and light, reminiscent of a Sancerre (but at a sort-of weekday price), and it holds its freshness really well even if open a few days. The Mondeuse is silky smooth, delightfully complex for such a light red, and as one of the reviews on Cellar Tracker notes
Second night: fruit is much more open, cherry-plum, much smoother and more elegant, no reduction, quite enjoyable.