White wines have many different varietals and blends but there are three in particular a novice wine drinker should look out for. Firstly the one that claims to be king of the white grapes, Chardonnay. Chardonnay has probably found it's way into almost every single wine drinker's glass at some time or another because it is planted almost every where wine grapes can be grown, does well in different climates and has a history going back 2000 years in France.
   Chardonnay gives the wine maker an open playing field onto which many flavors and textures can be imparted. It can be crisp, light and acidic from one winery and creamy, toasty, and full-bodied from another winery across the street.
   If you start off with a selection from California for about $12, you will possibly run into citrus fruit flavors, hints of melon, vanilla, some toasty character and some creaminess. California has over 1200 wineries producing wine, and probably 95% of those make a Chardonnay, so there are a ton of choices on the market and many different styles made.
   Next of the white wines is Sauvignon. Sauvignon Blanc has some nice flavors to offer. With hints of fig, herbs, grass and some tartness, Sauvignon Blanc comes across very crisp, dry and light in body. Fume Blanc is a name put on many bottles of Sauvignon Blanc, and had applied to Sauvignon Blancs made with more oaky and smoky qualities, but is often just used instead of Sauvignon Blanc to get in on the catchy name. Remember that Fume Blanc is Sauvignon Blanc.
   This wine should always be drunk upon release and does not improve with age. World wine producing regions like Australia, New Zealand and South America are producing very nice Sauvignon Blancs and the price is usually very appealing. The regions of Bordeaux and the Loire Valley in France are the originators of this quality grape and they produce tart, very crisp, sometimes earthy wines made from Sauvignon Blanc. Fresh seafood can always benefit with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc next to it on the table.
   Moving on from tart and crisp leads to Riesling. Riesling is an easy wine to enjoy and drink on its own. The fruitiness and balance of acids makes this German native very popular, and it is planted in many other areas around the world. Rieslings out of Germany come in many degrees of sweetness and can be complex and elegant with an easy drinking fruit forward quality.
   California offers a fairly large selection of Rieslings and they too are delicate, very fragrant, fruity, dry to semi-dry wines. This grape thrives in a cool climate and should generally have a very acceptable price tag on them. Some German late harvest Rieslings can come with a huge price tag, and that is not a wine for the beginner to start off with. The Alsace region of France is masterful at producing some of the best Rieslings in the world.