Early In My Journey With Reds

I shared a bottle of Beaujolais last night that was wonderful. I love Merlot, Shiraz, and a few other things--some good blends and stuff. I'm always, always looking for something new to try. I'm not a long time drinker of reds, so I'm still wary of real heavy tannins and I like things on the lighter/fruity side. I just LOVE going into wine shops and talking to the experts there to get ideas what the next step should be for me.