Chixe

I'd advise you to check out Wine TV if you really want to start learning about wines. 9rules Member site for sure and there is a damn good reason for it. Gary Vaynerchuk's passion for wine is unmatched and the show is highly entertaining and not what I would expect from a wine show at all.

I checked out WineTV. That site is freakin great! I love the videos - the passion for wine- and I don't even like watching videos on the net, nor do I have a real interest in wine, but I actually watched quite a few episodes.

Gary is great, he really is. I wish all business executives had the sense to interact a little bit. His honesty won me over.

I highly suggest experimenting. You can get so many bottles of wine for under 10$. Also, find a local store that does tastings. Every place I've been to that does it is more than happy to explain wines and let you sample (wihtin reason) as much as you want without the pressure of buying.

There's enough good stuff on the market under 10$ that you should have a lot to choose from before you branch out to more expensive wines. I don't think there is much reason to go above 20$ with the level of quality that's out there.

I agree with Matto, experimenting is the only way to go. I'm not a fan of red wines at all and only like some white wines. It took me some time to start to narrow down what types I like and even then I still forget the names too often. Give me a full liquor bar anytime of the day.

And he really does mean "any time of the day."

*zing*

;)

You may also want to try some Reislings. They have a less "dry" flavor and are "easy on the tongue"

if you're in california, i HIGHLY recommend checking out silver rose winery ... they do a tasting and tour that can NOT be beat. personally, i hate wine, but J Paul made it interesting ... particularly when he give a tasting out of two different kinds of barrels.

you might also check out winesource.com ... but only if you plan on purchasing at least 3 bottles of wine at a time ... otherwise they're not so much worth it.

There's a brand around these Minnesota parts that has a picture of a penguin on the label. Damned good wine and decently priced.

I second Matt's opinion. Find a local shop that does tastings. If you like it, pick up a bottle. If you don't, then there's nothing lost. I work just a couple blocks south of a Best Cellars. It is pretty convenient to have free wine tastings 10 steps from my bus stop.

As far as reviews go, I've never disagreed with what I've seen on WineTV. Gary is right on the money with his picks. At the other end of the spectrum, Anna (of Pillsbury Bake-Off fame) has a wine blog too: Everyday Wine Pairings. Unfortunately, she uses a certain non-paginating blog engine not to be named.

Ugh. The url is http://www.ginsberg.com/wine/. Can we get a 'preview' feature in here?

Spanish wines are a no brainer, cheap and always good. Also, look for "Timbuku" Big Block Red from S Africa. Great wine for $10. And from CA, anything by Cline. Their Syrah is very good.

Abi - it's on the list of additions - like edit. :)