wines. She had been drink whites but felt it time to try reds. So, he asked for some advice on how best approach red wines. Actually it is a really good question. If you know red wines, than you know that the range of "drinkable" reds for beginners is quite narrow. After all, the last thing, you want to recommend is a "big" California Cabernet Sauvignon with 14.5% alcohol. Guaranteed, the newbie's will never drink red again. And it is pricey!So, here was my recommendation. Start with a Gallo Hearty Burgundy. No laughing here! Gallo Hearty Burgundy has always been a great place to start because it has moderate tannins with a touch of acidity which gives it a smooth, balance finish. That is key. A very tannic wine is like sucking on a tree bark. It is like having cotton mouth in the morning. It is not a very pleasant sensation for the beginners.And price is important. Starting out and experimenting means starting with affordable wines. A place to start could be a Beaujolais Villages, but here in Hawaii, that goes for 14 to 15 bucks. Gallo Hearty Burgundy is under 5 bucks. Beaujolais' are a light red wine with refreshing acidity and a touch of tannins for body. It has nice floral aromas, and most beginners probably would not taste the red berries in the wine. But, it is three times the cost of a Hearty Burgundy. Start cheap.From there, move on to mostly Merlots, before moving to Blends, and lastly to either Cabernets or Syrahs. The progression follows the levels of tannins and acids. Beginners do better with lower tannins with some acidity. As the taste develops, then the progression is to higher levels of tannins and lower levels of acids. Alcohol tends to reinforce the tannic feel of red wine, so for beginners - the start point is lower levels, say around 10 to 11 %. Again, as the taste develops, you would move gradually toward higher alcohol content wines. Of course, I have never been that crazy about these 14 to 15 % alcohol reds from California. I mostly drink wines with dinner and there is a reason why European wines tend to level out at 12%. You do not want the alcohol to dominate your taste buds.Depending on the prices in your area, you could go from Merlots to an Italian Dolcetto d'Alba or even a Bordeaux blend like Chateau Parenchere or Chateau Ricaud (both should about 14 bucks or so).Now, here is what could happen. You start drinking some Gallo Hearty Burgundy. It runs about 3 or 4 bucks, not too bad, and decent bottle to boot. And you think, hey, that shelf talker on that wine says that it is an Australian Shiraz Cabernet. It says that the wine is fruity with moderate tannins and fun to drink. Sounds a bit like what Jack recommends. And it is not too expensive, about 4 or 5 bucks. So you take home and have it with pork chops.There is a wine tasting at the local wine shop on Tuesday night. 25 Bucks and you