Weekly wine columnists for newspapers often fall into a habitual pattern: Facing a deadline, they taste a handful of recent-release wines, write a brief introduction about the class of wine they fall into, and plop down, at the end of the column, a few "tasting notes" on the best wines they tasted.

Fine and dandy; fills the bill; another week down. Now, let's concentrate on next week's column.

But problems arise with this formula. One is that the wines listed are only the best of a short group of wines and do not represent a sampling of the vast majority of offerings in the category. So week-to-week, the wines may be good or not so good.

Moreover, if the group of wines tasted is randomly selected, chances are the group has at least one low-priced wine among the pricier wines. And rarely are you told why you should spend more for a wine that's twice the price of the listed "bargain."

That's why I avoid that sort of wine column. It leaves some readers frustrated: They don't get a serious recommendation or two for that week.

However, people interested in wine, even if only partially, can do much to discover what they like on their own. Sure, it may cost a bit more than running down to your local supermarket and grabbing the latest $3.99 special, but the rewards are worth it.

Be aware that the following suggestions are based on your having access to a knowledgeable wine merchant, not the 17-year-old stock clerk at the supermarket. That being said, here are a few things you can do to find wines that will be pleasing and not all that pricey:

1. Stage your own blind tasting. Buy two similarly priced wines of the same category (two Merlots, for example), and place them both in bags. Pour the wines without knowing which is which. Try the wines first without food and then with a meal. The wine you consume more of is the better one -- to your palate.

2. Ask a wine merchant to suggest two different wines of the same type (for example, a California Sauvignon Blanc and one from New Zealand) and in a similar price range. Try the wines side by side to see how similar and different they are.

3. Ask a good wine merchant for the two best $10 wines in the shop, one white and one red, irrespective of type or country. See if you think they are worth the money.

4. Take the advice of the wine columnist who suggests a $12 bottle of something he or she thinks is sensational. But ask the merchant for something like it and not priced radically different. And try them side-by-side.

5. Ask a merchant for an interesting, "offbeat" wine, one most people would not discover on their own. (It could be something like gruner veltliner from Austria, a garnacha from Spain, or a chenin blanc from South Africa.)

6. Try a German riesling designated as Kabinett. You may be surprised at the fruit, the freshness and the vibrant acidity to balance the sweetness. Try it with highly seasoned foods -- like Thai.

7. Buy a bottle of a dry oloroso sherry from Spain, and try it with creamed soup.

8. If a wine you've bought doesn't impress you on first taste, decant it into a pitcher or decanter and see if a half-hour or an hour improves it. You may be surprised.

The basic rule here is to buy what satisfies your palate and enjoy it.

As a speaker at a wine conference recently said, "This isn't rocket surgery."

Wine of the Week: 2005 La Vieille Ferme Blanc, Cotes du Luberon ($12) -- A stylish white wine that delivers a lovely floral aroma and soft, generous fruit on the palate. The near-sweetness of this wine is created by a number of different grape varieties, and you need not know that it's mainly Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc and Rousanne. The key point is: It's delicious and works with a wide array of foods. Often discounted. Screw-capped for freshness.

Dan Berger resides in Sonoma County. Berger publishes a weekly newsletter on wine and can be reached at danberger@VintageExperiences.com.