Red, Red, Wine

I was going to say Shiraz or Syrah.  Also, try different wines from different countries.  There was a coffee shop near Tampa that had a wine tasting every Friday night that featured a different region every week.

Try a Vidal Blanc for your sweeter white.  One of the best "drinking" wines I ever had was a Vidal/Riesling blend from Chateau Morrisette in VA called "Our Dog Blue".  Very easy to drink on a warm day in the sun.

Try a vouvray instead of a reisling, (its a chenin blanc grape) and try a lighter style Italian like a Montepulchiano d'abrruzo (masciarelli makes a good inexpensive one). Or try a lighter stlye Red Zinfandel from sonoma ca

ETA:  FWIW my wife and I own a wine shop and she hand sells a lot wine by getting the same amount of info you posted.  For full disclosure, the info was provided by my wife, she's really good at picking wines.

Living in Southern IL there are  a ton of local wineries.  That is what we have the most so I can't  be of much help, sorry.    I guess we tend to lean towards reds more so than whites.  A good port after dinner on a cold night is hard to beat. 

If you were a little further south or if I was further north, I'd drive up and see ya.  

Thanks for all the recommendations guys.  Keep them coming!  Time to build up the wine supply again!

If you're ever diving up 91 on your way to Vermont look us up, Our Shop is in Greenfield and only 2 miles off exit 26.  It's called the Wine Rack.  Good luck, have fun exploring wines. 

There's also a good tri the first Sunday in August in Greenfield too.  http://www.greenfield-triathlon.com//>

x2 on the Shiraz, if you like Pinot Noir.

Rosenblum Vinters Curvee Syrah, California.   I get it for $10.

A full-bodied wine with incredible depth and layers of black fruit, smoke, lavender, herbes de Provence, and a silky touch of vanilla bean that adds to the beautiful finish.

This is a great food wine; equally at home with pizza and burgers as it is with steak or veal chops.

Hubby is hoping for pizza and we are having burgers for dinner so that might be a winner for tonight!

And starts belting out a little Neil Diamond, then tries to impersonate UB40. 

Doesn't your hubby always hope for PIZZA ?

Very true!  Not working tomorrow so it is actually a possiblity for tonight!

PIZZA night.......oohhh how we all love PIZZA night!

One word - Pinotage.  It's from South Africa. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinotage

In light of my bday yesterday I decided to pick up a bottle of wine to enjoy.  BTW, Total Wine & More is like heaven and I should not be allowed in there alone.

But, I decided to try something new and I love Riesling's so I found this one:

Encyclopedia by Coppola Mosel Riesling

http://www.liquorama.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=36799

Awesome!  And if you hate the wine, the bottle is pretty cool looking.

Happy birthday!!!  

That is the coolest bottle ever!  It's on my list!