Need wine lover's help

[Mom21]

I've never been very big into wine. I'm a beer gal myself I've been dating a bit and some of the guys prefer wine. One in particular likes sweeter wines, not dry or even semi-dry. So give me some ideas of wine I can get and have a decent supply for a date to choose from. I often cook for my man. I usually have either seafood or steak or some of both. I can't afford to spend much, but don't want to seem cheap either. I don't like dry at all.

Does this seem like a good deal:

http://www.wsjwine.com/discovery_club_offer.aspx

One thing my friend taught me was to have a shiraz and mix it with sparkling apple cider. Yummy! I actually liked it, and I don't like reds. I'd also like some dessert wines/champagnes for chocolate covered strawberries or fondue that I make sometimes for dinner parties.

 

[rwdavis2]

Inexpensive Australian ports, tokays, or mucats are sweet and good quality. Sweet wines don't complement meat or fish. They go best with desserts.
Bob

 

[Mom21]

Thanks Bob. I'll look for some of those.

So no one else has any ideas? I thought we had more drunks on this board

Just kidding, but I would like some more ideas without having to buy a bottle and end up throwing most of it away.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Try going to a wine store. They have experience and will work within your budget.Good luck with dating. It sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[NikitaZee]

Rieslings are a delicious wine - sweet - that you can serve with dinner. Fetzer makes a good one, as well as Mondavi - they are around $12 a bottle.

 

[rwdavis2]

Thanks Bob. I'll look for some of those.

So no one else has any ideas? I thought we had more drunks on this board

Just kidding, but I would like some more ideas without having to buy a bottle and end up throwing most of it away.

Many dessert wines come in half bottles which cuts down on waste. The sweet Riesling idea is excellent. They go well with many Asian foods. Spicey food as well.

 

[crz4mm2]

If you want sweet, get a moscato.
There are many different brands, some with asti. Yummy.

 

[MushyMushy]

I'm a big lover of sweet wine and have yet to find any name brand that I enjoy. My husband and I look for local wineries or wine stores that carry local wines and go for a tasting. I'm so hooked on blueberry wines and honey meads.

That could also be a fun date idea.

 

[BelleWDW]

Skip the wine club
Go to Walmart or your local grocery or liquor store or wine shop-or even World market if you have one.


We buy wines in the $15 a bottle range-but a decent wine can be bought in the $10 range for Red wine

Get 2 reds- a Pinot Noir (light) and a cabernet Savignon -get both california wines

Get 2 white wines- A reisling and a Chardonnay=-white wine tends to be cheaper($8 range)

A serious wine drinker does not mix it with juices and usually prefers the red wines.

 

[iggbees]

one of my favorite sweet wines (dessert kind) is quady. they have one that's a little more expensive than another, but the less expensive one is actually my favorite. http://www.quadywinery.com/electra.html

it's very sweet though, but i love it just as a dessert in itself. it's delicious. the red essentia is also very good.

i also enjoy reislings, but in that case, i generally just go to the store and pick something in my price range and see if it's good.

 

[booger73]

Rieslings are usually sweet(er) but can be dry, so be careful - german rieslings are the best - I will usually get a Dr. Thanisch. The Relax riesling (germany) is also good,

I second the call for the Moscato (as far as fun/good/sweet/easy to drink) - The best are usually the Moscato D'asti - Italian

If you really want sweet, ask for any "Ice" wine (these are grapes who are usually allowed to harvest late, sometimes in the winter time - they're 'iced' over, but they become concentrated sweet because of the timing).. they are very sweet though, so be careful

 

[jsmith]

We buy wines in the $15 a bottle range-but a decent wine can be bought in the $10 range for Red wine

Get 2 reds- a Pinot Noir (light) and a cabernet Savignon -get both california wines

Get 2 white wines- A reisling and a Chardonnay=-white wine tends to be cheaper($8 range)

A serious wine drinker does not mix it with juices and usually prefers the red wines

while that is excellent advice-none of those are sweet wines-reisilings run from dry to semi sweet- Pinot and cabernet are great reds not sweet AT all- would -in additon to these keep a sweet red on hand-they are excellent with spicy food and barbeque and a semi sweet red can be good with steak as well-unforunately most of the good sweet reds i am familiar with are boutique reds from local wineries in texas or colorado-you might want to educate your self on the wines produced in your area and see what you can find. In a pinch a red lambursco-or even a white one-should fill the need for a sweeter wine to go with food-please look at brands other than Rinute-there are some very good ones out there but its hard to make a recommendation with out knowing where you are located.
I would skip the wine club-while it will give you a nice selection-its more fun to learn about and choose your own cellar.

 

[MJMouse]

Not sure where you live, but a great date is a trip to the winery for a tasting and follow that up with a picnic. This gives you a chance to see what you like AND what he likes. Pick-up a bottle or two there. (If you're close to Northern VA... I recommend Barrel Oak (great atmosphere), Loudoun Valley (wonderful wines), or Pearmund (great wines).)

I tend to buy local wines. However, if I'm looking for an inexpensive fairly good wine at the grocery store, I find that the Barefoot brand is fairly good. They have a wide selection and I've never had a bad bottle. It's not for wine aficionados, but it's tasty. Also makes a good wine to cook with...

Really, the best thing you can do is go to a wine store (in my area, Total Wine) and tell the staff what you are looking for (price point, taste, and what you're serving). They'll point you towards a good choice.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Skip the wine club
Go to Walmart or your local grocery or liquor store or wine shop-or even World market if you have one.


We buy wines in the $15 a bottle range-but a decent wine can be bought in the $10 range for Red wine

Get 2 reds- a Pinot Noir (light) and a cabernet Savignon -get both california wines

Get 2 white wines- A reisling and a Chardonnay=-white wine tends to be cheaper($8 range)

A serious wine drinker does not mix it with juices and usually prefers the red wines.

Neither Pinot Noir nor Cabs are sweet. I love them both and I won't touch a sweet wine. Chardonnays are even too sweet for me. She also didn't say she was a serious wine drinker, and where would one get the information that serious wine drinkers usually prefer reds? Sorry, not meaning to sound snarky, but that statement kind of puzzled me.

When I started drinking wine, I liked the sweet ones. I remember that Liebfraumilch is a very sweet wine. Loved it then, don't care for it now.

My wine preference is a full bodied Zinfandel. It is dry, though.(Red, not the pink stuff.)

Actually White Zinfandel might be just the right amount of sweetness the OP would like.

 

[luvindisneyworld]

We Love Dublin wines. I was not a wine drinker I could never find anything that was sweet enough for me. We live in NC and the Duplin Winery is in NC so I dont know if you would be able to find that where you are or not. You can google it and you would be able to order some from the factory. The Hatteras and Carolina reds are very good, If you like the white wines then you have to try Brices Creek. It is very inexpensive about 8.00-10.00 a bottle.

 

[pmanko]

I love sweet wine - I'd say try to get a fruit wine, mead honey wine, or a concord grape wine - all sweet and yummy.... the sweetest wine is a wine called Ice wine -it is a sipping dessert wine and is very expensive but worth the splurge for a special occassion. enjoy...

 

[paintnolish]

As a PP suggested, Moscatos are really sweet- a good "beginners" wine. Bricco Riella is a good one in the $10 range. Technically, it does not go with red meat, but you have to go with what you like! The wine police won't arrest you!

 

[BelleWDW]

Sorry-I missed the SWEET part!

I thought the OP wanted a nice selection of various wines-as the wine club she had noted offered

Sangria is a sweet wine.

But again, a real wine pro would not go for a 'sweet wine"

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Sorry-I missed the SWEET part!

I thought the OP wanted a nice selection of various wines-as the wine club she had noted offered

Sangria is a sweet wine.

But again, a real wine pro would not go for a 'sweet wine"

OP has stated she is not a wine drinker, so I don't think she is trying to act like a pro. And why would you say pros don't like sweet wines and who would care if they did or didn't?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, well, my favorite dessert-wine-that-goes-with-chocolate-anything (but especially dark chocolate) is Rosa Regale.