How does the public learn about wine? While the most obvious answer would seem to be the wine media, what readers tend to forget is that wine publications make larger profits by selling, along with advertising, more copies.

Because of this, they have a tendency to report about the fashionable and trendy, and perhaps sensationalize a bit to stir up headlines.

But how much are readers truly learning about the world of wine?

A main trend in the upper echelon of wine is what is being referred to as "fruit bombs," and it seems high scores and accolades are based upon bigness, opulence, richness, oak seasoning and loudness.

There is nothing wrong with these characteristics. In fact, I have many friends who enjoy these attributes in wine, and we carry many wines of this genre in our restaurants.

I would like to point out, however, that fruit bombs represent just one style of wine.

Those who travel to the Mediterranean Basin know that the kinds of wines commonly enjoyed at cafes and neighborhood bistros are typically not big, loud or opulent. Instead, they are of a style meant to be served with food.

Since these wines are generally underappreciated in the United States, I suggest we create an additional way of rating wines, based on the attributes of cafe-style wines: deliciousness, lightness, food friendliness and "gulpability," meaning being easy to drink.

If we expect our food to be delicious, shouldn’t our wines be delicious as well? Likewise, if we expect our food to be lighter and fresher, shouldn’t our wines be the same?

As for gulpable, my criteria are un-oaky, un-alcoholic and un-bitter, with no hard edges so it just slides down the palate.

What follows are three cafe-style wines I highly recommend to show off what I mean.

» Domaine Bregeon Muscadet de Sevre et Maine (about $17 a bottle): When I was growing up in the wine industry, Muscadet was considered one of the quintessential cafe-style white wines because of its amazing lightness, crispness and food friendliness.

I have since learned that wines this remarkably light and tasty don’t arbitrarily happen. Grapes are organically farmed in fossilized oyster shell-dominated soils in the cool Nantais region of France. The often brutally cold winds coming off the nearby Atlantic Ocean help create the magic of this wine.

In the old days, Muscadet was readily served with raw oysters on the half shell. Today, standout producers such as Bregeon grow and craft wines that work well with an array of lighter seafood, pasta and vegetable dishes.

» Domaine Fontsainte Corbieres Gris de Gris (about $18): The French refer to red wines as noir and white wines as blanc. What’s in between? Gray … or gris, as the French say. This "gray" wine’s deliciousness and amazing food friendliness are the reasons it is so popular in progressive Mediterranean restaurants, especially in California. A standout in its category, it is a terrific bargain at this price.

» Monte Antico (about $16): "Country"-styled sangiovese-based Tuscan reds like this one work well with Mediterranean-inspired food using such ingredients as roasted red bell peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, fennel and tomato sauce. A tip: Refrigerate for eight to 10 minutes before serving.

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Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants chain.