by JR Wondra

Created on: December 10, 2008

Learning About Wine Don't Be Afraid

Are you tired of feeling empty-handed or empty-headed when the waiter brings you a wine list? Wouldn't it be nice to scan down the list and identify not just the wines that would let the waiter (and your dining companion) know that you can't be fooled-with, but which might result in a really enjoyable meal or evening?

Snobbishness aside, there's not much to learning enough to make intelligent choices and enjoy yourself at the same time. You will find that the surprises in a bottle of "grape juice" can often far exceed expectations, and can lead to revelations that can add dimensions of pleasure and satisfaction to an evening that would otherwise have been only O.K.

First, decide what you like. Fruit? Sweetness? Gobs of grape, currant and other flavors that develop in the glass before you eyes and nose? The scents and tastes of subtle characteristics can amaze you. A single varietal can yield chocolate, mint, cedar, flint, melon, and limitless variations depending on the vineyard, the winemaker and the conditions under which the grapes matured.

Did you know that there are wines that begin as one thing and evolve in minutes into something else entirely? The same grapes that yield dark purple fruit, on the palate can taste like nuts or roses as well.

First thing first.

The easiest way to start is to think about color.

Whites tend to be light and "short" on after-taste and flavor, although some of the fullest-bodied and most expensive wines in the world are made from white varietals. That doesn't mean they're bad; it's just that the experience with most whites tends to be more fleeting and instantaneous than reds, which can take time to develop.

Reds can be "full forward," with gobs of fruit that jump out at you from the glass, or more subdued, that sit and "evolve" as they sit in the glass, an open bottle, or decanter.

There are amazing examples of each, and oddballs that don't fit any ordinary description. That is the intriguing quality that brings wine drinkers back to try new revelations, or to find old friends, that makes wine among the oldest and most satisfying of all foods.

Now, for the nitty-gritty:

For whites, go with the basic chardonnay grape. Ask the server for his or her recommendations; that's what they're being paid to do, after all. More often than not, an experienced server has tasted the wines on the list and is not inclined to recommend anything other than his or her favorite. Don't be afraid to set a price limit! Most

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