When I wrote a column last year critiquing the wines served at a Vassar College wine tasting in the school's newspaper, it was met with great controversy. At the time I attended the event, I was underage, and the organizer of the tasting was upset by my rather negative responses to the Hudson Valley wines I tasted. Discouraged by an angry letter and a notice of my behavior to campus security, I decided to wait until I was 21 before I wrote about wine again.

Well ... you've guessed it. I just turned legal to drink this past Friday and would like to take the opportunity this week to write about some of my favorite wines for the college student. Because I have so much to share on this subject, I've decided to make this a two-week special, starting with white wine in this issue and moving on to red varieties next week. So get your corkscrew, a couple of glasses and let's begin!

Chardonnay: Chardonnay is the most popular wine in America today. The style familiar to most Americans is the rich, oaky style bearing flavors of vanilla, butter and tropical fruit with just a touch of sweetness. This, however, is only one style of Chardonnay. Somewhat of a "chameleon" grape, Chardonnay alters its identity depending upon where it's grown and how it's treated. Old world varieties such as Chablis and other white Burgundies are aged in steel and have a cleaner, pear-like flavor, while those of California and Australia tend to be heavier in oak and more tropical in flavor.

If you like the oaky, tropical style, your cheapest bet is the ever-popular Yellowtail Chardonnay ($6) from Australia; this wine is loaded with personality and flavor for a low cost. It's a sure-fire success at parties. If you really like oak, you may enjoy a wine like Forest Glen ($7). However, I find this wine to taste more like barrel wood than Chardonnay should. Overall, I prefer the cleaner, apple and pear flavors of Edna Valley Paragon ($10), which I feel is the best deal California has to offer.

Sauvignon Blanc: Though less popular than Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc is a grape capable of producing amazing wines. These wines either can be highly herbaceous and vegetal (Sancerre) or full of citrus and gooseberry flavors (New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc). Although it may sound like a mismatch, Sancerre and goat cheese are a celestial pairing-the sharp acidity of the wine holds up beautifully against the strong flavors of the cheese. Ten years ago, wine writers often claimed that New Zealand produced the best Sauvignon Blancs outside France. Today, this small nation's Sauvignon Blanc has surpassed that of France in quality. Kim Crawford ($12) offers a great introduction to this wine at a nice price. Laden with gooseberry, citrus and a hint of kiwi, this wine is hard to resist and goes especially well with seafood. Stateside, the best bet for inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc is Pepi ($10), which features a convenient screw cap.

Riesling: Riesling, one of my favorite white wines, is often overlooked. For some reason, many people confuse good Riesling with cheap bottles of Blue Nun and disregard this special wine. Riesling tends to be light, fruity and highly aromatic. More often than not, Riesling reminds me of summer peaches and often has a clear, mineral quality to it. I personally like both varieties. For an inexpensive taste of German Riesling, try Dr. L ($10), a budget wine produced by the famous winemaker Dr. Loosen. A wonderful French Riesling is produced by Pierre Sparr ($11), which has a dramatic, crisp acidity that is anything but sweet. The United States also produces Riesling, particularly in cooler areas. Chateau Ste. Michelle ($7) from Washington is a favorite bargain that is loaded with fruit flavor. New York's Finger Lakes region also is home to some choice Riesling. Dr. Konstantin Frank ($12) is a great buy.

That's all the information I can fit in this edition of the Flaming Chef, but check back next week to discover my favorite red wines!