"whats the difference between shiraz, cabernet, sherry, merlot and all the other kinds of wine?"

In most of the cases you mentioned (and really, most wines in general), it’s the variety of grape used that’s different.  Some common wine grapes (in no particular order):


Some common adjectives used to describe the wines you listed (except Sherry, which I’ll get to in a minute):

• Cabernet - bold, tannic, oaky, strong
• Shiraz (or syrah) - spicy, dark
• Merlot - lush, less acidic, herbal, moderate

I didn’t list very many descriptive words since they don’t necessarily mean a whole lot until you’re actually drinking the wine and can taste what everyone’s talking about.  (Also, the actual flavor of the wine can differ hugely from winery to winery - or even from year to year - so it's not really possible to say that, say, a pinot noir always tastes like cherries.)  Oakiness refers to the flavor of the oak aging casks that flavors the more well-aged wines, and tannins impart a sharp, bitter flavor.  "Dryness" refers to how sour the wine is - all three of these are dry, or sour, wines.  Semi-dry wines are slightly sweet (one generally only sees this in whites like Rieslings or Gewurtzraminers), and sweet wines are generally relegated to the $1.99 bin (anyone remember Boone’s Farm?) or the dessert wine shelf.

Sometimes you’ll run across a type of wine that signifies the region in which the grape was grown rather than the type of grape.  Bordeaux, Burgundy and Chianti are examples.  Although there’s usually a common theme with these wines as to the type or types of grape used, they’re not always the same.  There are regulations that say that a wine can’t be labeled as a Bordeaux, etc., unless it’s actually grown/produced in that particular region of the world.  These regional wines can actually contain a blend of wine from different grapes, but just like being produced in one region, there are usually regulations about which grapes and what concentrations can be used. 

Fortified wines (like sherry, port, vermouth and marsala) are wines that are fortified with another liquor (usually brandy).  They tend to be thicker and more alcoholic, and because many of them are sweeter, they’re often served after dinner rather than before or during (hence the name "dessert wines").  And because the flavors are more concentrated, they’re often used in recipes to make sauces or glazes.

If you’re asking this question because you’re thinking of getting a bottle or two and you’re not sure what kind to get, I’d recommend a pinot noir for a red wine or a riesling for a white.  Both can be inexpensive without always sacrificing quality, and both are very easy to drink - wines that are too anything (too dry, too bold, too tannic, too astringent...) will have people hating them, and in my experience, these two varietals are nice, "middle-of-the-road" wines that everyone seems to like.  La Crema has had some spectacular (and cheap) Pinot Noirs in the past, and I’ve had very good luck with both J. Lohr and Chateau Ste. Michelle for riesling.  I’ll admit it’s been a while since I’ve bought a bottle of wine, but it seems to me I could expect to pay around $20 for the La Crema pinot noir and about $12 to $15 for either of the rieslings.

If you want to read more about the characteristics of the different varietals, I’d recommend this website - it’s got a lot of information on each type of wine.

White wine glasses (like the top one) are usually taller and narrower since whites are served slightly chilled and the smaller surface area keeps them cooler. Red wine glasses (like the ones on the bottom) are broader to give the wine more surface area to allow the air to penetrate and release the flavors.

Sherry is very different from the others.  Sherry is a combination of wine and brandy, which is much higher in alcohol than wine.  It's usually sipped, more like a brandy, rather than as a complement to food, though it can also make a nice complement to salty snacks (especially cheeses).

For wines, there are two broad categories: red and white.  The key difference is that red wines are allowed to stay in contact with the skins after being crushed; white wines are strained immediately.  There's a big difference in flavor: the grape skins are full of tannins that make your tongue pucker a bit (or a lot, if there's too much), as well as a lot of other flavors. 

(There are also rose wines, which are pink and can either be a blend or can be from a short rest with the skins.  But reds and whites are much more popular, so I'll leave roses out of it.)
The skins give red wines have bigger, bolder flavors, which is why they're usually served with strongly-flavored foods.  White wines have softer flavors, and are usually served with milder foods like fish or chicken.  Those are only general rules, though, and you can serve any wine you like.

Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot are three different kinds of grapes, usually used for making red wines, though a winemaker can choose to make white wines from the same grapes.  There are many other kinds of red wine grapes, like Zinfandel and Pinot Noir, and hundreds of less-well-known varieties.  (I grow Marechal Foch and Chambourcin, for example, because they grow well where I am.) 

Each grape has distinctive flavors, and grapes grow differently well in different regions.  Famous grapes like the Cabernet Sauvignon are grown all over France and California because they do well in those climates, and those places have particularly good winemakers.  The quality of the wine has more to do with good winemaking practice than with the particular grape: a great winemaker will choose the right grapes that grow in the region.  Often, there's an uncommon variety that grows well in one particular region, and gives that region's wines a distinctive flavor in combination with the more common Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot used in most French wines.

There are web sites that describe the flavors most commonly associated with particular grapes, but it will depend on the region, the weather, and the grape grower's practices and the fermentation style (even what kind of yeast is used).  French winemakers usually blend different grapes to make the effect they want (balancing different flavors); Americans seem to prefer one grape from one vineyard.  I'd say that the place where the wine is made is actually more important than the grapes used, because different regions have different winemaking traditions that result in different styles.

Different grapes (Chardonnay, Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc, etc) are used for making whites.  It's just a matter of what grapes the winemakers think make the best white wines.  White wines sometimes have oaky flavors added, to make up for the lack of tannins.

But reading web sites isn't going to tell you what you like.  They're useful for giving you the words to describe what you like. 

I highly recommend going to wine tastings. Most large wine stores have them, often for free.  You'll sample a few related wines (related by grape, by region, by winemaker, by flavor) and you can see what appeals to you and what doesn't. 

White wines are usually easier to learn to appreciate than reds, because they're usually sweeter (though it's entirely possible to make a very dry white; it's a matter of how much sugar is in the grapes to start with and how you let it ferment.)  Sweeter reds (like Shiraz) are good introduction to the reds. 

The Shirazes are also conveniently inexpensive.  You don't need to spend a huge sum of money to get a good wine; fine bottles can be had for under $10 at a store.  (Restaurants add huge markups to the wine, and many make almost all of their profit off the wines.  Not to complain; just recognize that you'll pay $40 in a restaurant for a bottle of wine that goes for $20 or even $10 at the store.)

Wines are usually meant to be drunk with food.  The flavor of the wine complements the food, and both the food and the wine are better for it: the wine combines with the food flavors in your mouth, and refreshes your palate so you can really taste the next bite of food, and vice versa. 

Picking the right wine for the right food can be an art form, but you don't have to work nearly that hard.  At a restaurant, you can let the waiter make a recommendation (or a professional wine-with-food expert called a "sommelier" at expensive restaurants).  Or just attend a few wine tastings and find out what appeals to you. 

Shiraz, cabernet and merlot (these are varietal wines) and all the other kinds of wine are made either from specific varieties or blends of two or more varieties of one grape. Vitis vinifera an old world grape species is by far the most used species in wine making and there are hundreds of varieties and hybrids which produce distinct characteristics used in blending or making a “varietal” (made from only one grape variety) wine.

There are also wines made from a few native American grape species Vitis labrusca from varieties such as catawba, concord etc. or Vitis rotundifolia from varieties such as muscadine and scuppernong but the majority of wine is made from the vinifera species.

Finally there are ‘wines’ made from almost anything that will ferment; dandelion, gooseberry, blueberry, strawberry, literally anything that will ferment. As a practicing wine snob I would hardly apply the term ‘wine’ to these beverages.

BTW: wine is not distilled it may be filtered or fortified but it is essentially the product of yeast acting on the natural sugars found in the fruit used as the base ingredient.

Sherry is a fortified wine; it has had brandy added to it after the fermentation process has completed. To be absolutely precise “Sherry” is only made in a small geographical area of Spain. Sherry must come from the triangular area of the province of Cádiz between Jerez, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María.

Port is another fortified wine. However it is fortified before fermentation is complete. Hence it is much sweeter than Sherry because not all of the sugars have been converted into alcohol.

I hope this helps but the subject of “Wine” is a large and complex one and really answering your question would take several lengthy books.

The best way to learn about wine is to drink as many different vintages as you can afford!

Failing that you can read about it.

May I suggest the following sites if you care to learn more about wine:

 

http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Home/

http://www.wineenthusiast.com/E/landing.asp?N=174&uid=7CC04058-8809-4BCF-8421-1E9E766FE68A

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine

The three main things that influence the color, bouquet, body and flavor (note 4 of the 5 senses -- the 5th sense, sound, is the clink of wine glasses in a toast) of a wine are:

• Grape variety and blend
• Where and how and in what weather the grapes are grown
• How it is made; the style
  

There are many grape varietals, and you have mentioned three of them (shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot), although there are many more. They each have their own characteristics, and those characteristics produce a different wine depending on where and how they are cultivated (Bordeaux vs. California vs. Australia). And within each region, the specifics of soil, orientation and microclimate (terroir) will further influence their quality.  Then you have how the wine is made, in terms of method, blending of grapes varietals, casking, aging and so much more.

Sherry is an example of a wine named for where it was produced (Jerez, Spain -- anglicized to Sherry) and a specific method of production, including the addition of brandy to fortify the wine.  Champagne is another example of this. Originally named for the Champagne region of France, a method for making the wine sparkling was developed many centuries ago and its fame has grown to inspire imitators around the world, although only sparkling wine from that specific region of France may legally be called champagne.

The differences between all of these wines  comes down to the experience of tasting it and deciding for yourself if you like it, if it excites you, and if it gives you pleasure.  There is so much to explore.

There are many types and varieties of wine. Since wine production is a global industry, wine types and names brands are determined by the type of grape and the geographical location of cultivation and vintage. Different types of grapes make different tasting wines. Color is usually determined by the amount of time the grape skins are left in the grape juice after crushing. Skin left on for a long time produces red wine, while skin left on for short duration yields white wine. Rose/Blush wines are produced by moderating between the two.

Although there are many type of wines, with varying countries of origin, the list below represents just some of the most popular wines produced in vineyards located in Napa and Sonoma California. These two remarkable locations produce some of the best known wines in the world. Shortly we will bring to you links to other wineries in California and elsewhere.



Wine/Grape Types Wine Characteristics
Cabernet Sauvignon
(Ka-ber-nay soh-vin-yoh) Best known as the "King of Red Wine" it has a deep red color, with richness of taste and flavor. Serves well with hearty foods.

Chardonnay
(Shar-doe-nay) Known as the "King of White Wine", it's color is pale to straw yellow producing an elegant white wine. Taste can vary from semi sweet to sour, heady or light. Goes best with poultry, seafood, red meat and cheeses.


Chenin Blanc
(Shen-nan-blahnk) Used as a blending grape for sparkling, dry and sweet wines, its color is usually pale to medium yellow with taste of either dry, semi-sweet with acidity, and goes well with chicken, seafood and fish.


Gewürztraminer
(ga-VERTZ-trah-MEE-ner) Know as the spice grape, it is a sweet white wine with full, fruity spicy flavors ideal with Asian foods, ham, pork and grilled sausages.


Merlot
(Mer-loh) Often used as a blending grape with the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, it has developed into a delicious wine in its own right. It's color is medium to dark ruby, with a plummy fruit flavor. It is a good match with beef, chicken and pasta dishes. Also an excellent compliment to chocolate.

Petit Sirah
(Puh-Teet-Ser-AH) Original produced to blend with others wines, it came it to it's own in the 1970's due to it's red wine color and full tannic taste. The wine goes well with beef, lamb and spicy sauces.

Pinor Noir
(Pea-no-NWAHR) Burgundy wines are most often made from the grape. Color is light to medium red, and darken as the wine ages. Dishes of pasta with red sauce, light beef and fowl would do well with this wine.


Riesling
(Reez-ling) Also known as Rhine or Johannisberg Riesling, it is pale straw to white in color with a taste of dry tartness. It is best served with seafood and most oriental dishes.

Sauvignon Blanc
(Saw-Vee-nyon-blahnk) Another popular blending grape, it's color is light to medium yellow with a tinge of green. Typically very light with a sweet to dry taste, it is a very popular picnic wine and ideal with fish, shellfish, chicken and pasta dishes. In the U.S. it is also known as "Fume Blanc".


Syrah
(Sir-ah) or
Shiraz
(Sear-az) Known either as Syrah or Shiraz, the grape creates a light, medium to heavy red color, with taste varying from peppery to fruity flavor. Hearty foods such as beef as well as spicy Indian or Mexican foods serves well with this wine.


Viognier
(V-own-yay) A recent addition to California vineyards, it is a very difficult grape to grow and therefore grown in only a few vineyards. The grape yields a medium bodied white wine, noted for it's spice, floral and citrus flavors.


Zinfandel, Red
(Zin-fun-dell) A very popular wine in the U.S., style can vary from light to full bodied, and color from deep red to dark purple. It has a spicy peppery flavor. Serves well with "American" foods such as burgers, pizza and red sauce dishes.


Zinfandel, White
(Zin-fun-dell) A newcomer to the wine industry, it is very popular with new wine drinkers because of it's sweetness and ease of taste. Although labeled as a white wine, color is pale-rose and tends to have citrus and lights flavors. The wine is delicious with light sauces and pasta, fish, pork and other light meals.