Relax - Riesling (@@@@@ 5 corks!)

Retails: $9.99 (Wal-Mart)

OK, so although this is pushing the "under ten" mark, this riesling deserves a ton of credit for being awesome.

My co-worker, we'll call her Pineapple (http://leimomia.com/), was asking for wine suggestions. She can't do reds so I really had to think hard about enjoyable whites for her to try---I'm not trying to be a red wine snob but unless it's fruity and refreshing, whites just don't do it for me.

Back in the day, when I just turned 21 and finally got to peruse the wine section, and not simply swallow whatever an "of age" wine drinker would give me, I started buying anything that "looked" good. Back then, I really didn't know the difference between different varietals of whites or reds so I just bought wine entirely based on how pretty the bottle was. This modus led me to purchasing my first bottle of riesling--the Relax Riesling.

Cloaked in a beautiful royal blue bottle with the word "Relax" inscribed down the side in san-serif, silver letters, this simple design caught my eye. Being fresh out of college and trying to figure out the rest of my life, this was EXACTLY what I wanted to do--relax.

After a couple hours in the fridge, I popped open the cork and sampled my very first taste of the Riesling from the pretty blue bottle while watching episodes of Sex n' the City on DVD--another guilty pleasure. Sweet, refreshing and unbelievably smooth, it was like drinking nectar. I'm pretty sure I drank the whole bottle in one sitting it was that good.

This wine is a FABULOUS "starter" wine for people who aren't necessarily wine drinkers to begin with. It has a crisp, smooth taste with a slight effervescent that makes it very drinkable. It's also a great wine to serve at a gathering or bring to the host of a party. It isn't overpowering so it goes great with just about any meal.

Final Word: If you're a newcomer to wines or just looking for something fresh tasting, this is a great purchase!