Wine: A Poor introduction

Wine is difficult.  I have tasted a wine one day, found it delicious, only to try it the following week and being disappointed.  In general it is difficult to understand.  That is it's great innate beauty.  That complicated element we try to describe to people, only to be shot down or to find out later that maybe you were wrong.
If you are buying the common wine magazines drop them like a bad habit; which they are.  I found the idea of describing a wine as having "chocolate overtones" and "vanilla" as being so out there that I am without words.  In essence "de Gustibus non est Disputandum" or you cannot argue over taste.  So ultimately all is a matter of taste and opinion.  In the end you need to like it.  But I must say that if you begin to describe something complicated as wine with "chocolate" then I suggest you read Wittgenstein, stop speaking and just begin to point at things.  Words have no meaning anymore to you.
My experience with wine is prejudiced.  I have drunk the stuff since I was a little boy.  Unfortunately most of the time watered down with mineral water.  For me most wines have to have the aroma and taste of wine.  I simply say that.  I will not go into "finish" and other terms now.  The problem is that if you do not know what wine should taste like, you have a long journey ahead.  For me wine is cultural.  To learn it in your 20's and 30's is almost impossible.  I said almost!
The first thing one should do when learning wines is to buy Italian.  Yeah, I bet you are saying what is this guy just an Italophile.  I am not.  I say that because Italian wines usually taste like wine even the crappy ones.  After a while you will be able to distinguish good from great.  There are some french wines that are excellent and perhaps even better (though I think the best in the worlds just happens to be Italian).  The problem with some french wines is they taste "Californian".  I probably blame Robert Parker, a name I only learned recently in my short life as a wine connoisseur. But the likes of Parker have affected the French wine industry.  He now dictates what will sell and what will not sell in the US, France's most important market.  Parker is the classic man who seems to know wines, but has no real culture in it.  Many french wines have lost their way due to their "marketing".
Buy Italian.  Italians do not care about that kind of marketing.  Perhaps because of ignorance, I do not know.  But I can tell you that if you buy a 10-20 dollar bottle of Italian wine you will get it after a while.  through in a california bottle every month to get to know the difference.  Yet as a mainstay do stay away from French and California until you get an idea of what wine should taste like, then explore California's fruit-forward taste or France's unique quality.  Some of you that have been raised on Kool-Aid will probably never get it, just like some beer drinkers...but try...do not give up.
In all honesty, you will find good wines anywhere.  The problem is knowing what you are looking for.  Take your time.  Keep your mouth shut.  Drink it with good food and do not make one wine "your wine"...Ever.

Buona Sera