a few dumb questions!

[Innkeeper]

Hi Joe, and welcome to the Wine Board. "Dry" means that all the sugar in the grape juice has been fermented into alcohol. The more sugar the higher the alcohol. Both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are usually vinted dry. Some brands make them a little on the sweet side. These include Sutter Home and Kendall-Jackson. We generally aerate all except the lightest red wines, and white wines not at all. This is done by pouring the wine into a decanter. Simple opening the bottle, does not let it "breathe" through the dime size opening very well, unless you want it to sit there for twenty four hours or so.

Keep those questions coming.