Starter Wines - A Bit Off Topic

[yearbook50]

My fiance knows how much I enjoy wines, however since I grew up tasting my parents wines I developed a pallet for wines quite early and drink more full body wines that normally a beginner wouldn't like.

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendation for wines that are good for someone who is trying to start drinking wines. Not dry or overly sweet like many dessert wines.

Currently, I only have a Pinotage at the moment, which is dry and thats the reason he didn't enjoy it. Considering the wines I enjoy are dry, I'm at a loss.

He's doing this because he wants to be able to enjoy a bottle of wine and chocolate covered strawberries while we overlook the Seven Seas Lagoon after our wedding.

So what do you recommend?

 

[Illuminations_Rocks]

I'm fairly new to wines, myself, and I had a Pinot Noir from Kendall Jackson that was pretty decent. It was oak aged but not terribly oaky like a lot of wines that I just don't have the palate for yet. A bit fruity but not very much so, and not very dry. Give it a try if you can find it, here in CA I can get it in the grocery store, back in PA where liquor laws are much tighter they even carried it (at the Wine & Spirits Shoppe, of course, the only place you can get wine in the state except a vintner's store- and it's a nicely limited selection). Pretty cheap about $20 a bottle.

 

[webray]

How about a bottle of the Fairy Tale Cuvee (champagne) with those chocolate strawberries after the wedding.

As far as wines..Give him a test run.

Try Virgins Chardonnay and Shiraz...both are outstanding for a $10 bottle of wine. I find them at my local grocery store. Pop century also had the small bottles in the food court last time we were there.

There is an Italian Pino Grigio called Pink..disney carries it in the Italy Pavilion at EPCOT. Excellent for enjoying with or without food.

Also...Kings Estate Pinot Gris from Oregon served at quite a few of the disney restaurants is the best Pinot we have ever had.

Also..Conundrum (spelling) white table wine..if fantastic.

All that I have listed except the fair tale can be found at your local liqour/grocery store or wine shop. So give them a test before you go...so you know he will enjoy them. The fairy tale can be bought in pretty much every resort gift shop and downtown disney.

Enjoy!

 

[gabriellewatson]

My fiance knows how much I enjoy wines, however since I grew up tasting my parents wines I developed a pallet for wines quite early and drink more full body wines that normally a beginner wouldn't like.

I was wondering if anyone has any recommendation for wines that are good for someone who is trying to start drinking wines. Not dry or overly sweet like many dessert wines.

Currently, I only have a Pinotage at the moment, which is dry and thats the reason he didn't enjoy it. Considering the wines I enjoy are dry, I'm at a loss.

He's doing this because he wants to be able to enjoy a bottle of wine and chocolate covered strawberries while we overlook the Seven Seas Lagoon after our wedding.

So what do you recommend?

Reisling by RELAX

Reislings are generally a sweet wine. RELAX is a very sweet brand, but it tastes wonderful with Chocolate.

I would recommend he try White Zifandel by Beringer. It is a light red wine. It's much sweeter than your pinots, merlots, shiraz and cabernets.

Champagne and chocolate is yummy as well. I personally don't like champagne, so I can't give you any ideas for what brand to try.

Maybe you two should go for a wine tasting. That would be your best bet; then you both can figure out which wines you like, dislike and might find something that you both agree on

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Try contacting Israel Perez, the Maitre'D at V&A. He is a Sommelier and one step away from being classified a "Master Sommelier". You can contact him at israel.perez@disney.com or try calling him directly (of course he works evenings) through the Disney main switchboard at 407-824-2222.

He can probably give you good advice, as well as let you know what is available at your resort.

 

[msteddom]

I would start him off with reislings or pinot grigios. I'm not sure how either of those would taste with chocolate covered strawberries though.


Melissa

 

[Need An E Ticket]

I would suggest a gewurtztraminer (sp). It shouldn't be as sweet as a Riesling but definitely not dry. There are some nice Pacific Northwest wineries that are good that produce it.

Or as a previous poster suggested, a nice champagne is nice, you just have to find one that is not too dry.

Good Luck!

 

[BriarRosie]

How about a bottle of the Fairy Tale Cuvee (champagne) with those chocolate strawberries after the wedding.


Also..Conundrum (spelling) white table wine..if fantastic.

All that I have listed except the fair tale can be found at your local liqour/grocery store or wine shop. So give them a test before you go...so you know he will enjoy them. The fairy tale can be bought in pretty much every resort gift shop and downtown disney.

Enjoy!

I snipped down your post to add my .02 about those.

Yes, the Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee is exclusive to Disney, and that's
your basic Champagne/Sparkling Wine. But...if they want a sparkling wine
that Disney has yet I can find locally...Banfi Rosa Regale is the way to go.
That stuff rocks when paired with chocolate!



And I love Conundrum. I saw it sold at Costco for $22.99, and at a local
liquor store for $27.99. (Well, Costco's the way to go!) When it's sold by
the glass at Disney, it can be pricey. But I think it's still worth it!

 

[yearbook50]

Thanks for all the ideas.

I finally got my MA Liquor ID so I can go to the specialty wine shops in the area and get some of these for him to try. (The only place I found here that would take my out of state ID was a mostly beer store so I had to wait)

I'll let you know how it all turns out.

 

[N10CJT]

The truth about wines now is that the old rules are out. Find what you like to have with what you like. Many will tell you that sweet wines are the only way to go with sweets, but I disagree. My recommendation is to have a dry red with chocolate covered strawberries, but that is because that is what I enjoy.
Since I mostly support American wineries, try these varietals.... if, of course, you can find them down there or don't mind paying some shipping costs:
Oregon Pinot Noirs.... Pinots are overpriced because of the film Sideways, but Oregons are the best. webray suggested Kings Estate, and I concur. Cooper Mountain is also a good organic winery.
California Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons. There are a lot of fantastic ones. Recently I've had Calistogo's Zinfandels, and they are great. California Syrrahs are also good.
Long Island Merlots and Cabernet Francs. Yes, Long Island wines have come into their own, and don't shy away from Merlot because of Sideways. Bedell Cellars is my favorite (and I love their winery bulldog, he's so friendly!), but I'm also high on Paumanock, which makes a great Sauvignon Franc. Palmer is another winner, and makes an amazing Merlot Cuvee that is a steal at its price. I'm not sure if the one in Disney World serves it, but Fulton's Crab House is one of the places that carries Palmer.
For whites, my suggestion is a Reisling, though some of the west coast Sauvignon Blancs are good (and a couple Long Island Blancs as well). If you like dry and oaky you may enjoy Chardonays, it's just that I don't.
Try a Dr. Frank reisling from the Finger Lakes, or an Osprey's Dominion from the island, both are quite dry (particularly the former).
Go to California Grill, they have 60 California wines and I imagine a sommelier who could be a better help than myself (though this is guessing, I haven't been to Disney in a while and only know this from my own reseach for a November trip).
Of course there's tons of great imports as well. Germany makes tremendous reislings, and the pavilion may have some of the best brands. South Africa wines are great, as well, and are available at Jiko. New Zealand is often overshadowed by Australia (which of course has great wines, particularly Shiraz (essentially the same varietal as Syrrah)), and among other varietals has great Sauvignon Blancs. Argentina wines are currently steals, their Malbecs are fantastic and cheap. Chile as well. Canada has steals, unless you're going for their ice wines. And of course France and Italy, though my feeling is that they are almost all overpriced, and now that the EU is stepping in to reduce production, likely to be even more overpriced soon.
Good luck with your choices, you're sure to have a lot of fun! And congratulations on your impending wedding!

 

[N10CJT]

Sorry, I forgot to mention that though these are dry wines, they are generally well constructed and so flavorful, most with strong hints of something like blackberries or cherries or occassionally chocolate in the reds, or pears or apricots or apples in the whites. So I think that with some exploration, you should be able to find something that your fiance will enjoy. And who knows, maybe that will even get him into wine proper?

 

[bearzabout]

I think the perfect sparkling red would be Banfi Rosa Regale. It is always a best seller at the Food & Wine Festival because so many people like it (even non-drinkers like me). My husband (who loves pinotage) even likes it. It is a perfect compliment to chocolate.

It is available at many stores for about $20-25 a bottle and for sale in Italy at Epcot. You can try a bottle at home first.

 

[JeanfromBNA]

I think that Coppola's Claret would be great with chocolate covered strawberries. The older the vintage, the better.