Ask for advice on what to buy and ask the proprietor to call you if he gets in a special wine at a good price. Whitliff said it is best to start out buying at a wine shop instead of the grocery store because the staff at the wine shop can help you avoid some expensive mistakes. They can help you choose and the price is usually about the same as at the grocery. However, the problem with the grocery store wine section is they usually stand wine upright. The corks can dry out and you don't know how long the wine has been there standing up.
Wine shops tend to take care of their wine.
After studying up a bit on wine, you may be ready to go out to dinner and select a wine to go with your meal. If the wine list still looks daunting, you might ask your waiter or the chef for suggestions. And don't be afraid to mention your wine budget. After you've done this three or four times and you have some wine in your home, you'll begin to learn. As your wine education progresses, it might be time to begin putting together your own personal wine cellar at home.