Why hello fruit of the vine

As I get older, my taste in spirits continues to change.
When I was in my 20s, I wanted to spend time with comrade vodka. Man oh man, did I like vodka. At the bar, there were generally two drinks I ordered: Vodka Collins or a Colorado Bulldog (this one was short lived and was a phase my friends and I went through).
When I was broke, it was beer. But I always managed to find a little green to have my favorite clear spirit.
But I have some not-so-good experiences with comrade vodka. And as I have aged, I have seen the comrade less -- on special occasions like a night out with the girls.
I have, however, turned to the fruit of the vine.
When I was younger, I didn't care for the taste of wine. It was bitter, too strong, too dry...I just didn't like it. Until my mother-in-law introduced me to an inexpensive sweet wine -- Lambrusco. I loved it!
It was my first step to enjoying wine. Since then I have branched out to other sweet and dry wines. I am a sucker for a good Riesling, pinot grigio and pinot gris.
There are even a few chardonnays out there that I like.
Recently, I have decided to drink more red wines. A number of studies suggest that red wines -- in moderation -- may be good for you.
Reds are hard for me. My first real wine was Lambrusco, which is a sweet red. It made me associate red wine with sweet wine. Well, that isn't the case; there are some very dry reds out there.
So as I look for a choice red wine, I have to look for something that gives me balance between sweet and dry.
Two Oregon wines are fitting the bill..
I started with Bridgview's merlot. This is a medium bodied wine that has a dry finish. the bottle label talks about blueberry and black cherry flavors. I don't remember the blueberry tones, but I do remember the subtle cherry flavors. It is a nice wine and not an expensive wine. I believe a bottle at the grocery store was about $10 to $11.
But I wanted to try something that had a fuller body. I thought I would break open the Caprice Vineyard's Cabernet Sauvignon. I had sampled this wine at the vineyard and I enjoyed it. But I have found that a sample isn't always the same as glass.
So I was a little worried that it might not be as good as the sample. I was wrong.
When I uncorked it, I fully expected it to be heavier and drier. But it wasn't. It was light and refreshing. It wasn't sweet or dry. The label talks about the touch of plum, and I think there is more than a touch. I think this what gives this wine a nice balance and keeps it from being a sweet or dry wine in my book. But I am no expert.
These are the two I am enjoying now...which reminds me, I need to restock!
If you read this, and have a wine suggestion for me. Let me know, I want to sample as much as I can.