Wine; to some, it is beautiful, elegant, and a great complement to any meal.

To others, it’s really friggin’ scary and should be avoided at all costs. If you fall into this category, we have some work to do.

People have been producing wine for millenia; anywhere from 6000-8000 years ago. Though records are sketchy as to its origins, there is little doubt that its evolution has seen it find its way onto restaurant menus across the world, into endless tasting clubs and groups, religious ceremonies, and into the homes of thirsty consumers everywhere.

So, why should you have any fear of this guilded grape juice? Let’s delve into some of the basics, and then you can attack the vino on your next visit to a wine bar, nice restaurant or wine tasting.

Although there are some standards when it comes to wine, you really only have to know some starter info.

Colors

There are three basic wine colors: red, white, and blush (or rosé; the two can generally be used interchangably). Red wine comes from red grapes, white wine comes from green grapes, and blush/rosé wine comes from red grapes that have been processed a different way.

Red wines tend to be heavier or stronger in taste than whites, and blush wines are sweeter than both red or white. That being said, there is a spectrum in all three color families, especially when it comes to reds and whites.

Varietals

Wines typically get their names from the primary grape that the winemaker uses in its production. A merlot grape is used to produce merlot wine, for example. The type of grape also tells of its varietal. Merlot (pronounced mer-loh) is a varietal of wine, along with Cabernet Savignion, Pinot Grigio, and so forth.

One can measure a wine in many ways, but we’re going to start with a scale of sweet to dry. If you can picture a horizontal scale, with sweet on the left end and dry on the the right, that is how you measure the basic taste of a wine. When getting started you should definitely try as many different wines and varietals as you can. The best way to start, however, is with sweeter varietals.

Sweet white wine varietals include Riesling (pronounced reese-ling) and Pinot Grigio (pee-no greej-ee-oh). Medium varietals include Sauvignon Blanc (saw-vee-yawn blahnk) and Chenin Blanc (shuh-neen blahnk). For a heavier and more dry white, try a bolder Chardonnay (shahr-din-nay).

Getting into reds…on the left, lighter end of the chart we have the fruity Pinot Noir (pee-no nwahr). Climbing up the scale to medium, check out a Merlot (mer-loh) or a Shiraz (shih-rahz), and then for the heavy red stuff, try a Cabernet Sauvignon (cab-er-nay saw-vee-yawn).

These are just some basics; there are hundreds of varietals, and you can’t always pigeonhole one onto this spectrum. But if you’re facing a gigantic list and an impatient server or wine steward is staring you down, be confident to pick from one of these varietals and ask about its characteristics. Also, there’s nothing wrong with asking for a server’s opinion. You can say, "I typically go for a sweet red or a bold white…what do you recommend?" Even that will put you light years ahead of what your date is probably used to.

The process that follows should be a breeze. Tradition dictates that the person who orders the wine for the table gets to taste first. When the server brings the bottle (if you ordered a full bottle), he/she will show it to you. There’s a reason for this — they want to make sure they brought you the correct wine. It’s not the best career move when a server starts drilling out the cork of a $200, 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon when you ordered the $35 Pinot Grigio. So when he/she presents you the wine, take a look and affirm that this was indeed your order with a simple, "Looks great!"

The server will then pour a small amount into your glass, and expect you to taste it. Go ahead. If you dig it, then signal your acceptance. If it’s absolutely wretched, then you don’t have to drink a whole bottle of something that you can’t stand. But we don’t recommend sending it back if you’re not absolutely euphoric — give it a chance to breathe (to mix with the air outside the bottle), and it just may grow on you. Wine tends to taste better as you drink it anyway. And, yes, that may have something to do with the alcohol taking effect.

These are just some basics…enough to get you to open that wine list and order your first glass with confidence.