The best way to get acquainted with wine is to compare it. But, also remember what you liked in the wines you've tried. Ian recommends going to wine tastings. Those are so much fun. You can tell immediately what wines you like by comparing them, and then there are things you like that you can relay to someone who knows wine, and they can get you other brands/types that should reflect the same qualities. I usually ask what wine the person liked the last time they had some.

I remember having wine with a friend that he got from Berkeley Bowl. It was from Chile. It was around $4 a bottle. I loved it. It, as a thing, complemented the lunch we were having, and his company, as a near and dear friend, was complemented by the glass of wine.

So many wines, again the wine as a thing, complement food, and they aren't necessarily what you would drink without food, but those that work with the dish can edify a meal and turn it into a cathartic event.

And there are those wines that stand on their own.