What you will find, as elle pointed out, is that wines can be classified by color, grape, region,sub region and maker.

So for white, you can have sauvigon blanc, viogner, chardonnay, riesling,etc..THEN...is that a California chardonnay or French....is it from Napa or Burgundy regions, if from Burgundy, is it from Chassagne Montrachet region of Burgundy, and is it from Les Morgeot vineyards of Vincent Girardin?

If I had to give one pointer, I would say buy only wines that have the name of the grape on the bottle. For red wines, same applies though you may also see something called Meritage (classic blend). Some countries like France don't always say what the grape is, but I would skip ones labelled "Vin de Table".

Complicated stuff....so what is a regular white? Chardonnay (the grape) is probably the biggest seller. You could try a bottle of this, and say, a bottle of German Riesling (the grape again). Both are white, but the Riesling (Germans are the biggest and best in this white wine) is fruitier. A sauvignon blanc would be more acidic. I like Rieslings.

Pick red or white, try different types of grapes, and you will find some you like better or worse.

Another web page with grape varieties

http://www.cellarnotes.net/index.html

Mike

There is no need to drink wine if you don't want to. I rarely drink and I never felt anyone looked at me strangely for not ordering wine...they might have looked at me strangely for other reasons...one never knows do one? Having said that, I just came back from the Sonoma winter wine tasting in northern California this weekend. I did taste, not everywhere..92 wineries on the list and we got to 22 of them in two days. I did come home with two bottles of wine that I really liked. I finally got a wine cooler so I could keep my wine without it spoiling because I don't drink it very often. I enjoy tasting some of the beers in London and did share a couple of bottles of wine in Paris with my brother. Sometimes I would have a glass, sometimes not. So do as you wish and don't worry about it. Some of these things are aquired tastes and if you want to try some, then it's part of the adventure but if you don't, or try it and don't like it, well just don't worry about it.

Oh, you mean I wasted good finger action typed a response to a troll? Phooey, foiled!

I'm typing like I have had too much wine today!

I suggest you buy one book - try Amazon.com for the Windows on the World wine book, which discusses major wine production and wines for major producing countries. This will give you a good intro. and handy reference.

Then try subscribing to Wine spectator for the next year, and read about their discussions and descriptions about wines.

Sure, when you're able, buy a few french wines ... some reds, some whites, and enjoy them. Look in the book and read about the grapes, etc.

There's really no need to try to become an experienced wine person before you go. Just relax, read about wines, and try a few, and when you go, ask waiters, etc. to recommended decent wines for your meals. The key really is just to enjoy the wine, not learn a huge amount about them in an admittedly brief period. Make sure your goals are sound. Just learn to enjoy the wines.

Hey March...you were 46 on 1/30/2004 on another post, but you're 51 now???

How'd you do that??

tpattrico, although wine he has NOT drinken aged him considerable! ;;)

Goodness, I never expected to be thought of as a troll. I've been coming here quite awhile. My family lives in California (my home state) and when I visited last time, on our way to my sister's funeral, we stopped at several wineries. We are of Italian descent and everybody in the family drinks except me. I did not taste anything at those wineries.

And the 46 is the number of states I've visited.

BTW, my sister, Rocco, is the one who turned me on to this place and many of you helped her on her farewell trip to Italy. She passed away from colon cancer in Sept. I dearly miss her. I may really want to drink wine to toast her.

>..aren't Lancers and Blue Nun the typical first time wine drinkers' favorites?<

I remember when they were considered sophisticated in those states that comprise the ACC.

((I))

PS,

Forgot about Mateus, when it used to come in real pottery jars. :)

march123, I'd pay no attention to the bum! Some posters simply know only the low road. yes, indeed, drink a toast to your sister, she will appreciate that. Take care and enjoy the wine, and have a good trip.

Why not buy a bottle of Port and have a sip at night ?
Then graduate to having a Kir before dinner then the Port after.
Then a nice soft red wine, so you can have a before during and after drink!
By the time you go to Europe, you will be drinking like a sailor :D

Rocco???? Are you sure your sister wasn't your bother????

:D snort! LOL

I would imagine his desire is to learn about wines so he can drink and enjoy them socially, with food, and responsibly, not to evolve into a slobbering drunk. March123, I'd suggest you do read a bit and taste a bit, and if you have friends who enjoy wine, then ask them as well. You are in for a delightful experience, so enjoy. Nice to chat with you.

End of the day, it's about who has class and who doesn't. Or as the Bard observed, character is destiny. He'd have made a hell of a great companion for sharing a great wine.

Slobbering drunk? LOL, would that be you, TravelsDrinkingWhileLaughing?

To Class or Not To Class, that is the question. That Bard, lol, knew the good wines from the offs.

LoveItaly: I think maybe the poster was addressing someone (an accuser?) whose real name s/he may happen to know as "Rocco," not necessarily saying that the sister's name was Rocco. But on the other name, a woman could have the surname Rocco and use it as an ID. It's a little ambiguous, but not necessarily a contradiction. Better to assume that it is an honest question. And anyway, even if it were not, it could still be an interesting enough question and the replies could be helpful to someone else who might rather do passive research instead of posting a question.

...on the other HAND....
Not "... on the other name...."