Most of us have a level of complacency with our wine choices. I expect very few wine drinkers are true experimenters.
Getting out of your comfort zone usually means trial and error and that can be expensive. Who wants to spend fifty bucks on a wine they hate? Or even fifteen?
One way to avoid mistakes is to read up on what others say about wines. Usually those reviews are on specific wines from one vintage year so that's great if you can find that same exact wine. Of course, it's never a guarantee you'll like what the reviewers, amateur or professional, like.
Regional experimentation
Find wine regions that aren't too pricey from other places around the world. Maybe Languedoc-Roussillon in France (a lesser known and less expensive area), Spanish Cava (sparkling), or a Zinfandel from Amador. Actually, try more than one from a new region to get a better sense of what the wines are about.
There are so many wine regions in the world you'll never run out of new ones to try. It's kind of like traveling the world!
Varietal experimentation
It is probably easier to branch out into new types of wines by going to something similar to what you enjoy now.
If you are a Pinot Gris drinker perhaps try Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. Instead of Sauv Blanc maybe Gruner Veltiner (grew-ner velt-leaner) from Austria or Semillon (semi-on). If you're big into Pinot Noir, but maybe not Pinot Noir prices, give Grenache and Beaujolais a try. Malbec is very popular, but maybe you're ready for something new. Malbec is a Bordeaux varietal so one of the others like Merlot (yes, there really are some great Merlots out there), Cabernet Franc, or Petit Verdot (pet-tee vehr-doh).
Have fun!
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