What is a good dry white wine that is a little drier than Chardonnay?!
Answers: Something in the $10 price range. Also, can you recommend a semi-dry red?
For white, I would suggest Pinot Gris. Pinot Gris tends to be drier than most white wines. There are plenty of cheaper Pinot Gris out there, and some are very cheap. To name a few, Beringer, Santa Maria, Santa Margarita, etc, all produces reasonable and relatively inexpensive Pinot gris.
As for other white, Sauvignon blanc is floral and can be lightly sweet; Riesling is also very sweet and not very dry. You may also want to dry different brands of Chardonnay - some Chardonnay are creamy but others can be oaky and acidic.
As for red wine, I would suggest Zinfandel or Pinot Noir for semi-dry wine. Zinfandel and Pinot Noir are both fruity wine, with Zinfandel being much more concentrated and Pinot Noir tend to be lighter. For Zinfandel, I would consider Rosenblum ($10-30), Ridge ($25-35), Frank Family Zinfandel ($35), or Elyse ($30). For Pinot Noir, I would go to Californian or Oregon Pinot, such as Siduri ($25-50), Hartfort Court ($35-50), Wilamette ($25).
Cheer!
For whites - Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio
For reds - Rosemount Shiraz or Merlot.
Reisling is a little drier than chardonnay and is about 11 or 12 dollars :)
Sauterne and Chablis are the best dry whtie wines - great for cooking also
White - Pinot Grigio
Red - Cabernet or Pinot Noir- never Merlot - it is a mixing grape - nasty taste.