Trying red wines for the first time? Try these light bodied wines and discover a new world of taste.

In a previous article, Learning to Taste Wine, I suggested white wines for beginning wine drinkers. This was followed by a list of Beginning White Wines, for those who like light Chardonnay. Expanding our experience we have light bodied red wines.

• French Beaujolais
• Pinot Noir from Burgundy, France
• Light Chianti, such as Il Pino Chianti
• South African Pinotage

To complete the tasting you might taste a rosé wine. Try the Chateau Marouine Cotes de Provence Rosé, 2001, it has wonderful fruit flavors with just a hint of sweetness.

Please remember that when serving light red wines, they should be 53°-56°F. That is not the "room temperature" of the average home. I place a marble serving tray in the freezer for an hour. After removing I place the opened red wines on this tray. It helps to keep the wines at the proper temperature.