Just as you can imagine the different flavors of steak, chicken, and pork chops without actually eating them, you can learn to imagine the flavors of zinfandel, pinot noir, merlot, and other wine varietals. Being conscious of the differences makes buying wine and pairing it with food much simpler.

PINOT NOIR

Personality: Sensual and understated. Pinot noir is one of the most food friendly red wines, thanks to lots of inherent acidity.

Origin: The Burgundy Region of France, though great examples also come from California and Oregon.

Aroma, flavor, and texture: Rich Loamy earth, mushrooms, warm baked cherries; usually medium-bodied flavor with a smooth, supple texture that's often described as silky.

Cost: From $20 for a decent American version to more than $100 for a top-quality French Pinot.

Try it with: Grilled salmon, most anything with mushrooms (Risotto with mushrooms!), roasted chicken, and duck breast.

SYRAH/SHIRAZ

Personality: Rich, dramatic, even a bit wild

Origin: Northern Rhone Valley of France; also made in Australia (where it's called shiraz) and the US.

Aroma flavor, and texture: Wild berries, chocolate, black licorice, black pepper with hints of meatiness; medium to full bodied flavor, with a soft, thick mouthfeel. Australian shirazes, in particular, are big, plush examples of the wine world.

Cost: Modest (good shirazes can be had for $15) to $40 plus for the top French examples.

Try it with: Lamb or slow-cooked hearty meaty stews and casseroles.


MERLOT

Personality: Depends on price - inexpensive merlots are simple, basic red wines of little character. But if you spend $25 or more, you'll get a wine as rich and majestic as cabernet sauvignon.

Origin: The Bordeaux region of France; California and Washington State.

Aroma, flavor, and texture: Cocoa, red plums, cassis, espresso, cedar, tobacco; medium to full bodied. The top merlots have a lot of structure.

Cost: From $10 for inexpensive Chilean merlot, $20 to $40 for a very good merlot from California, to more than $2000 for a bottle for the top Bordeaux made merlot.

Try it with: Meat dishes such as roasted chicken, braised short ribs, or steak.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Personality: The preeminent classic red variety, thanks to its complexity, majestic structure, richness, and capacity to age for decades - the Sean Connery of red wines.

Origin: Bordeaux, France, but terrific examples are now produced in virtually every great red wine region of the world.

Aroma, flavor, and texture: Similar to merlot, only bigger, deeper, more intense, and powerful. Watch out, though, for poorly made, cheap cabernet sauvignon, which can be dank and weedy.

Cost: Moderate ($15) to expensive ($75); plan to spend at least $25 for a very good bottle.

Try it with: Grilled steak (cabernet and grilled steak are considered a classic American pairing) and roast beef.

ZINFANDEL

Personality: Thick and jammy, like blackberries simmering.

Origin: Croatia, though virtually all of the top zinfandels are now grown in northern California.

Aroma, flavor, and texture: Like a big boysenberry pie with vanilla ice cream - full bodied, mouth filling, and flannel soft.

Cost: $12 to $30.

Try it with: Meat loaf, barbecued ribs, burgers, bean and vegetable casseroles, or pot roast. Open a bottle with Chipotle Barbecue Burgers with Slaw.

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Jennifer de Jong is a long time wine drinker, enjoyer of wine, and non-wine-snob. She is the founder of Vino Vixenz. A snob-free zone to learn wine tasting.