A good sweet wine?

[Jugernot]

My girlfriend and I recently noticed that alot of our friends go out sometimes to drink wine at local cafe's and such, but we don't drink the stuff. Can anyone recommend a good sweet red wine? I don't mean koolaid sweet, just something that doesn't make us pucker?

I went today and spent around $20 a bottle on two different brands of red wine. I opened one today to try it and it's definitely not sweety and is very bitter. Again, I'm not looking for something that is sweet like Koolaid, but I'd like something so we don't stick out when we go with our friends.

I'd like to stick to a price range of around $20 a bottle, though if good enough I'd be willing to spend more.

Thanks!

btw, No Cold duck, Boones, Thunderbird, etc. $4 per bottle stuff please!

 

[Shockwave]

Boones baby! 4 bucks gets ya 2 bottles!

Honestly, I dont drink wine. Stick with what ya like, you'll be happier, if not blending in.

 

[JC]

Sweet? I think Manischevitz is a sweet wine.

JC

 

[Colt45]

thunderbird.

you can probably get a week's worth for $20.

 

[Jugernot]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Boones baby! 4 bucks gets ya 2 bottles!

Honestly, I dont drink wine. Stick with what ya like, you'll be happier, if not blending in.

The only problem is that we like the wussy stuff like Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Silver, not exactly something that a fine restaurant/cafe sells.

 

[deftron]

Wine isn't really supposed to be sweet .. since wine is made by converting the sugar in grapes to alcohol

It's more of an aquired taste, like beer or liquor.

But, there is a such thing as "sweet wines", which are made by stopping the fermentation before
all the sugar is converted to alcohol by adding yeast to the wine... leaving some residual sugar.

These are usually the cheap wines you see in huge jugs or boxes.

 

[Bleep]

RIPPLE Sold in all fine resturants.

Bleep

 

[KEV1N]

Try any Sirrah

 

[frizzlefry]

for a good sweet wine... get a dessert wine. moscato

 

[jorken]

hmm... port?

 

[Moonbeam]

All the good sweet wines I know of are white. and rather expensive. They are made from disgusting looking botritus moldy grapes that are low in juice, since their sick, and high in sugar content. The wine is fantastic, but the yield is low and the proper grapes uncommon, so the price is higher. A good sautern is like nectar from heaven as far as I'm concerned. You could go to Fandango in Pacific Grove and have a nice bottle of Chateau d'Yquem 1959 for a mere $1300 with dessert.

 

[tcsenter]

My girlfriend and I recently noticed that alot of our friends go out sometimes to drink wine at local cafe's and such, but we don't drink the stuff. Can anyone recommend a good sweet red wine? I don't mean koolaid sweet, just something that doesn't make us pucker?

Totally understandible. What you're looking for isn't 'sweetness' to offset the bitterness. As a beginner, stay away from full-bodied wines which are a bit heavy on the palate and intended to compliment your dinner, such as Bordeauxs (Bordelais) like Merlots and Cabernets, at first.

Do try a nice Beaujolais or Burgundy, such as Pinot Noir, preferrably from a US winery. US Beaujolais (Gamay grape) tends to be on the fruity/berry side instead of the 'earthy' flavor of French wines.

Don't expect that any wine will immediately appeal to your taste buds. As mentioned, it is an acquired taste. Be a little patient and stay open-minded.

I cannot recommend strongly enough that you educate yourself about wine first before going on your taste adventuring. It helps to understand what you're looking at so that if you discover a wine that you really don't like at all, you won't go back to the store and pick another of the same type. You don't have to memorize the encyclopedia of wines, just learn the basics.

Even if you don't find one that you can like, you get a nice buzz for all your troubles!

On edit: If after you've experimented and still find that you don't get anything out of wine, don't worry about it. The only wines I can tolerate are White Burgundies (Chablis and Chardonnay), with food. There is no wine I really "enjoy" by itself. It's ok, but I find the entire wine thing highly over-rated. I learned about wine because I worked in a couple fine dining restaurants over the years. I've forgotten more than I remember.

Though I rarely drink, if there is an ocassion to, I'd just as soon have a beer.

 

[Cat13]

Try a white zinfandel. It has a light pinkish color and a somewhat sweeter taste. You will find many different bottles and the price can range from around $8.00 for the cheaper bottles to around $15.00 for a bottle of Beringer (which is one of the best).

 

[StevenYoo]

go for a nice merlot.

Or find a cabernet-syrah blend. those tend to be not too full bodied and kind of sweet.

I'm not very big into reds. I'm totally loving South American whites.

Chilean chardonnay is reaaally good.

Dessert and ice wines are a tad too sweet. you can't have those suckers alone.

Port is a bit too much for those not accustomed to the flavor of wine.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Just do a little reading up on wines and you won't have to worry about branding so much. Merlot is usually a big hit because it's not too sweet. You can actually drink 2-10 glasses and not have to worry about it making you sick from being so sweet. A cabernet is a little drier than a merlot. I would recommend going to a local wine store (liquor store if you can't find a specialty location) and asking the clerk to give you wine 101. They'll probably be able to hook you up with a good starter wine so you won't spit it out.... If you find some semi-sweet table wines, they'll probably be what you're looking for.

 

[djheater]

It's not unheard of for twenty-somethings to enjoy wine but one's palate IMO develops over time.

I have a cock-a-mamie theory as to why.
In a hunter-gatherer society it is difficult to obtain sugars and fats. These two things are highly necessary for growth and health in the early to reproductive years... after that they are no longer as necessary.
so what you see is young drinkers desiring sweet wines because thier palate is still young, as they age and continue drinking thier palate becomes accepting of more bitter richer flavors...

Now, I enjoy a Riesling as much as the next guy but I've learned to appreciate Bordeauxs as well... over time....

 

[Squisher]

<-----wine dummy


Try a pinot noir, they don't have a lot of tannins.

Actrually any of those mentioned can be either be dry or sweet. Two different wineries can make the same type of wine that tastes worlds apart.

There are many wine internet sites that will give you reviews and rate them including their dryness or sweetness.

 

[Nosaj]

Try this link: Australian Table Wines

 

[dmcowen674]

Sam's club sells a 5 liter box of red wine that is pretty sweet and a good value.

 

[Tangerine]

I also like Merlot. I don't go for the pucker up dry wines either.

I'm looking all over for a bottle of Canadian Ice wine, I can't find it yet, but it's supposed to be a very nice sweet dessert wine. I'd like to try it.