Starter RED wines

[AVON Lady]

I've been drinking white wine, mainly Pinot Grigio and some Chardonnay, and would like to try experimenting with REDs. Can anyone suggest a good "starter" red wine that is not too heavy or dry. The thing I like least about Chardonnay is the dry, woody taste some have.

Thanks,
Kim

[hotwine]

Suggest you look into the wines of Georges Duboeuf. His Beaujolais Villages Flower Label could be considered a "starter red"; for other beaujolais notes, see the postings under that heading. He also makes a cabernet sauvignon that is very reasonable, and unpretentious. And, as a break from your normal chardonnay, try his - it's very pleasant on a warm spring afternoon, with an absence of oak. His wines are all very reasonably priced, readily available (usually), and they are the genuine article - in this case, French!

[anna]

You may also want to look into Rosemount Estate's Grenache Shiraz and their Shiraz-Cabernet blends. They're usually under $10 and widely available. They're both medium bodied, fruity, and very easy to like. Good luck!

[mrdutton]

I saw this header as on of "Today's Topics" and thought well this is a no-brainer, the answer is easy.

I was going to say:

Gamay - French or Californian Beajolais
Pinot - from France in Burgundy or the US West Coast.
Cabernet Franc - French not Californian
Syrah - Croze-Hermitage or Cornas, Californian or Syrah/Grenache blends from Australia.

But you guys pretty much beat me to it!