Wine 101

[Octoberbaby]

I am not sure if this is where I should post this. I have a WINE question for all of the wine experts. I am going to Food & Wine in October. I LOVE Italian Moscato wine. As a matter of fact that is all I have EVER drink as far as wine goes since I love it so much. What other wines are similar that you think I would like based on my love for Moscato. I am not a fan of Zinfandel....I have tried that. I also tried a blueberry type wine at the Flower and Garden this past April that was very good. Thanks a lot for any recommendations!

 

[cobright]

So you like sweet fruity wines then?

Similar to moscato is a muscat.

Rieslings and many 'ice wines' will have that type of sweetness.

If you want something a bit less desserty, maybe try a gewurztraminer or ask for something styled after a beaujolais.

After that, a French nouveau.

It's a lot like Starbucks coffee really in that after the first one the rest get a lot easier to drink.

 

[Octoberbaby]

Thank you so much! Yes, I like the sweetness that the Moscato has. I will definitely try those that you mentioned.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I find moscato to be toooooooo sweet. But, you can get some Rieslings and Gewurtztraminer's that are quite sweet.

 

[dimndgal1]

So you like sweet fruity wines then?

Similar to moscato is a muscat.

Rieslings and many 'ice wines' will have that type of sweetness.

If you want something a bit less desserty, maybe try a gewurztraminer or ask for something styled after a beaujolais.

After that, a French nouveau.

It's a lot like Starbucks coffee really in that after the first one the rest get a lot easier to drink.

Just want to second everything cobright posted!

I love a good, fruity wine and absolutely love muscato, gewurztraminer, and ice wines. DH is a wine 'snob' (he says aficionado, I say 'picky' ), and we have found that a good bottle of gewurztraminer is a great compromise for someone who loves sweet and a second who loves bold.

 

[GaBelle]

You could also try Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauvignon is a bit drier, but I love the crispness.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Oh, in France...there's a wine called Vouvray Sauvignon and it is super good. Pretty sweet.

 

[sleepydog25]

Some Rieslings actually aren't sweet, so you might try asking your server should you try one (and that's good advice all the time). For a sure bet in a sweeter Riesling, see if you can find a Late Harvest Riesling. The later nature of the harvest allows the grape to build up more sugar. Although ice wines are indeed sweet, they normally will cost a bundle given the miniscule amount of juice derived from each grape and the cost to process the wine differently. . .and the fact that as a niche wine, vintners know they can charge more. As others have said, don't be afraid to try new wines--sometimes, even a drier wine will be delicious with the right food. Slainte!

 

[jillgunter]

A good way to know if it's a sweet wine is to look at the alcohol content. Most moscatos from Italy are around 5%. A semi sweet is around 8 or 9%, dry is usually 12 to 13%. You would like a dessert wine, some Reislings are sweet. But some are dry, so look at the alcohol %.

Only wine I know that does not follow this rule is NC Muscadine wine. It's super sweet and really high alcohol content. If you are ever in NC, try it. It's a pretty sweet wine.

Wines you don't want: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio(sometimes you can find one that is not as dry), Sauvignon Blanc.

Maybe: a Rose', sometimes they are sweeter. Also there are a lot of blends out there, you may like a blend. I found a great way to figure out what you like is to go to wineries and do tastings.

 

[cobright]

For something a little less fruity but still quite sweet, the Sauternes wines are a very fine sweet white from the Bordoux region.

For desert wines I usually end up with a moscato because that's what my wife enjoys, but to be honest I don't really care for the apricot flavors nor the light effervescence the moscatos often have.

A Beaujolais-Villages on the other hand is my go-to for easy drinking wine.

 

[Joan S.]

Hi, A wine that comes to mind is Rosa Regale in Italy. It is pretty sweet for a rose. I believe you can get it by the glass in the Italy wine shop. Enjoy!! Joan

 

[disneynanacat]

Love the taste of most wine but it gives me a headache. :'(

 

[Octoberbaby]

These are great responses and advice! Thanks everyone!

 

[Octoberbaby]

A good way to know if it's a sweet wine is to look at the alcohol content. Most moscatos from Italy are around 5%. A semi sweet is around 8 or 9%, dry is usually 12 to 13%. You would like a dessert wine, some Reislings are sweet. But some are dry, so look at the alcohol %.

Only wine I know that does not follow this rule is NC Muscadine wine. It's super sweet and really high alcohol content. If you are ever in NC, try it. It's a pretty sweet wine.

Wines you don't want: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio(sometimes you can find one that is not as dry), Sauvignon Blanc.

Maybe: a Rose', sometimes they are sweeter. Also there are a lot of blends out there, you may like a blend. I found a great way to figure out what you like is to go to wineries and do tastings.

I have ALWAYS wanted to try Muscadine wine. I am not too far away from NC! I will have to get my hubby to take me so I can try that!

 

[ilovevacation]

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[ilovevacation]

Some Rieslings actually aren't sweet, so you might try asking your server should you try one (and that's good advice all the time). For a sure bet in a sweeter Riesling, see if you can find a Late Harvest Riesling.

I totally agree. Most places you taste will list if it a dry or sweet riesling. I love dry whites!

 

[jillgunter]

I have ALWAYS wanted to try Muscadine wine. I am not too far away from NC! I will have to get my hubby to take me so I can try that!

NC has 200 plus wineries now. There are a lot in central and eastern NC that have pretty much all muscadine. If you are ever near Duplin, they do free tastings!

 

[sleepydog25]

Hi, A wine that comes to mind is Rosa Regale in Italy. It is pretty sweet for a rose. I believe you can get it by the glass in the Italy wine shop. Enjoy!! Joan

Excellent suggestion! It's lightly sweet, effervescent, and available by the glass as mentioned.

 

[jennylyn_b]

Love the taste of most wine but it gives me a headache. :'(

It's the sulfites that give you a headache. Most wine that is made in France etc doesn't have sulfites until it has to be imported to the US. It's a law but I don't remember the reasoning behind it. Anyway, if you ever travel to Europe give it a try over there and you may not have the headaches lol

 

[sleepydog25]

It's the sulfites that give you a headache. Most wine that is made in France etc doesn't have sulfites until it has to be imported to the US. It's a law but I don't remember the reasoning behind it. Anyway, if you ever travel to Europe give it a try over there and you may not have the headaches lol

I might gently disagree with you regarding sulfites. All wine has some sulfites given that it is a natural by-product of the type of fermentation used in wine-making. Generally speaking, all winemakers use additional sulfites (including those in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the U.S.) to help with the preservation of a product that can go bad quickly even when sealed in a bottle. Indeed, the European Union standards for sulfites are virtually the same as those for the U.S. and other winemakers worldwide.

Much higher levels of sulfites are found in such things as dried fruit and instant potatoes, so unless someone has found themselves allergic to such things, sulfites are likely not the cause of any headaches. Further, most sweet white wine has more sulfites than drier ones, and in some cases, they have more than even a red wine. As for the sulfites themselves, while it is true that some people have an allergic reaction or sensitivity to sulfites, the baseline is somewhere around 1% of the total population at best, and in those cases, the results are much like an allergic reaction such as rashes and swelling.

The more likely culprits are either tannins (the element of most red hearty red wines that give you that pucker sensation) or histamines--both of which naturally occur in wines, especially reds. For both of those elements, there are those who don't tolerate either (or both) well. In truth, no one is totally sure just what causes red wine headaches as no thorough study has been done to this point.

If someone wishes to drink red wines but avoid the headaches, I might suggest less tannic reds such as Lambrusco, Gamay, Garnacha (aka Grenache), or Pinot Noir. Even then, depending on the winemaker's process, you still might feel the bite of the tannins, especially in the last two wines. Thankfully, I get no such headaches--I just am one from time to time.