White Zin lover

[dananne]

I, too, would suggest the BV if you're looking to try a red, but if you decide the riesling route, I've had good luck with Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling -- it runs about $10, and it's hard to miss with the unusual label. I'm a big Bonny Doon fan, and could rattle off several other non-riesling suggestions, including the Ca del Solo Malvasia Bianca. Also, I've enjoyed some nice rieslings from Hogue, a Wash. winery, but these tend to lean to the sweet side -- perhaps not a good choice for food pairing, but good as an aperitif or dessert wine. If you go German for your choice, the labels can be a bit indecipherable, but look for the words Kabinett, Spatlese, and Auslese. These are technically guides to ripeness, though can be thought of as guides to sweetness from lower to greater. Trocken means dry, so it should be a bit cleaner and crisp if you're looking for something that isn't so sweet that it becomes cloying. Others on this board are going to have much more in the way of expertise on this topic, but I wanted to just chip in a bit as another relative newcomer to wine.