If you think wine must be dry to be sophisticated, try a good bottle of Riesling. In the first Consumer Reports test of this increasingly popular white wine, practically all of the bottles were off-dry or moderately sweet. None rated excellent overall, but a dozen qualified as very good.

Those wines that Rated very good are less complex than the best chardonnays, but they are well balanced despite their often-intense fruit flavors, and they offer superb value. Half of the better Rieslings cost under $10.

With their combination of fruit notes and pleasing acidity, Rieslings can go well with spicy Asian dishes, especially those with a sweet or sweet-and-sour component; roast chicken and pork loin; grilled sausages and seafood; seafood in cream sauce; and fruit and cheese plates. They're also fine choices as an aperitif.