That’s too bad. They’re missing out on a lot of great wine. Plus, it makes them less-than-ideal dining partners for those of us who love whites as much as we love reds. But all is not lost. I’ve spent 12 years convincing my husband that there are worthy whites out there and, in the process, have discovered a few categories of wines that will please even the most avowed red chauvinist:

1. White Rhône wines. I know, I’m on a bit of a Rhône kick these days (OK, always) but there’s good reason. These wines, made from varieties like Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne, are full-bodied, robust, and go well with rich dishes like lobster. If you’re on a lobster roll budget, go with a white Côtes-du-Rhône. If you’re feeling more lobster thermidor, try a Condrieu.

2. Madeira. The wine of our Founding Fathers: intense, nutty, historic, and with searing acidity that’ll put hair on the chest of even the manliest of men. (OK, so Madeira is more brown than white.)

3. Chablis. These Chardonnay-based wines from northern Burgundy are taut, dry and austere — Gran Torion-era Clint Eastwood in a bottle. They’re great with shellfish and seafood.

4. Pinot Gris. Versions from Oregon or Alsace, in eastern France, pack a lot of punch. These are full-bodied, high-alcohol wines with a unique smoky, almost roasted quality that goes well with poultry cooked outdoors: think grilled chicken or fried turkey.

5. Champagne. I’ve found that even the most passionate white wine haters will make an exception for Champagne. And if they do resist, offer them a Blanc de Noirs, as it’s made solely from red grapes, Pinot Noir Pinot Meunier.  And if that doesn’t convince him, well, it’s probably a lost cause.

Actually, that’s kind of the point. Acidity makes you salivate, and saliva helps you digest food. That’s one of the many reasons why wine accompanies food so nicely. (It’s also one of the reasons why drinking Italian reds, which often tend to be high in acidity, makes me really, really hungry.) Acidity also imparts a freshness to wine that keeps it lively, and keeps the alcohol and/or sugar from becoming too cloying.

If you’re a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, you know what I’m talking about. That zesty, resfreshing quality makes it nice to sip on its own, and even nicer to drink along with goat cheese, grilled fish or shrimp cocktail (among other things). But acidity also plays a role in red wines, too. Red Loire wines, made primarily from the Cabernet Franc grape, as well as Pinot Noir and Sangiovese (Italy’s most planted red grape and the basis for Chianti) are all known for their ample acidity. These are all grapes that tend toward the more acidic. But the climate the grape is grown in plays a big role, too. So for example, a Pinot Noir from Sonoma’s warm Russian River Valley (I’m partial to Dutton-Goldfield, myself) is generally going to have less acidity than a red Burgundy (also made from Pinot Noir) where the weather is cooler and the sun is more elusive. A lot of wine insiders pride themselves on enjoying wines with elevated acidity. (Full disclosure: I’d put myself in that category.) Part of the appeal is that these wines do go really well with food. And when you’re tasting dozens of wines a day, your palate gravitates towards livelier, lighter wines, rather than syrupy 15% alcohol monsters with little acidity that sit heavily in the mouth.

As with everything, balance is all. Too little acidity and the wine feels dull and heavy. Too much, and you feel like the enamel on your teeth is dissolving. But just the right amount brings everything into focus — think of how a squeeze of  lime brightens up a plate of fish tacos and makes the whole thing work.