My first glass wasn't too good.

[Innkeeper]

Hi Richard, and welcome to the Wine Board. Heat is usually caused by high alcohol in a wine without mollifying qualities. Don't have any problem with Olive Garden, but the plonk they serve in that huge decanter as house wine is not the ideal way to start drinking wine.

As has been posted all over the place around here recently, Beaujolais is a good way to start with red wine. The 2001 Beaujolais Nouveau that is on the market now, will be enjoyable throught this month, and then begin to fade fast. Other Beaujolais such as Beaujolais Villages is made to go a much further distance, and the 2000 is drinking very well right now.

If you want to stay with Italian Wine, Barbera d'Asti, and Salice Salentino are nice wines to start with.