Looking for wine resources

[wondersofwine]

I'm going to direct you to another website you might find very helpful:
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/regionalguides/regionalguideshome.shtml
Regional guides to Loire wines, German wines, etc. Very good advice on German wines.
I will say that most wine fanciers who have more than a beginning knowledge of wine will not be that interested in white merlots or white zinfandels. We tend to favor actual white wines (Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Viognier, etc.) and actual reds (Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Syrah/Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Malbec, Mourvedre, etc.) I think you need to start with a basic book such as Andrea Immer's "Great Wines Made Simple,"
"Wine for Dummies" or an encyclopedia of wine as Hotwine suggested. There is a good book on California wines that came out a couple years ago. Does the wine shop have any books on hand either for staff to peruse or to sell to the customers? If not, try a local library before spending a lot of money at the bookstore. (Just as you can save money by attending free tastings at the wine shop or local restaurants if they are allowed to hold them before you spend money on bottles you may not enjoy.)
Wine is a great hobby and I applaud your effort to learn more but there is no instantaneous all-knowing resource.