I gave up, many years ago, trying to appreciate the differences. The best red wine I ever had was in a small restaurant in Paris, and after I realized how incredibly expensive it was (dollar was good against the franc then -before Euros), I decided reds were beyond me. Then, when I started having hangovers after just a glass or two of whites, I accepted the fact that I was a top-fermented heavy ale kind of guy. Unfortunately, some of my favorite IPA's are causing some am headaches now...