I am looking to try wine and I don't want a dry wine. Any Good types of wine?

Answer 1

A dry wine has had most or all of its natural sugars converted to alcohol during the fermentation process, producing a wine relatively strong in alcohol, but with very little sweetness.

Examples of dry wines include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah [like Shiraz], and Pinot Noir.

A sweet wine is just what it sounds like. Unlike a dry wine, a sweet wine still has considerable amounts of natural sugar following fermentation. Because less sugars have been converted to alcohol, sweet wines may have less overall alcohol than their dry counterparts.

So, it sounds like you are looking for a sweeter wine if you don't want dry -- and it all depends on how sweet you want to go. When I first started drinking wine [about 15 years ago], I tended to like only white wines and somewhat to very sweet. Here's what I found and like(d):

Riesling/Zeller Schwarze Katz/Pies Porter -- All German, all white, all somewhat to very sweet. I drank them all in my early stages of wine drinking [when I loved the sweet stuff]. A decent Riesling [that my friend LOVES] is in a blue bottle and called Relax. There's a Zeller Schwarze Katz that comes in a bottle shaped like a cat. Another friend loves it. Both friends are sweet white wine drinkers and don't like the "dry stuff."

Gewurztraminer --If you've ever smelled a lychee, you'll probably recognize a wine made from Gewurztraminer. Most Gewurtztraminers are dry, but so heady in aromas and texture, that they can seem sweet to one's senses. To me, these are closer to the "super sweet" end of the spectrum, but that's because I prefer the less sweet wines these days. Give any a try and see if you like. I haven't found one particular winery to make a better one than the others -- maybe start with Fetzer.

Moscato/Moscato d'Asti -- No one will ever accuse Italy's Moscato d'Asti of being sophisticated. Fair enough, however, for this is not a wine meant to be sipped, reflected and discussed. On the contrary, this frizzante (lightly sparkling) wine is meant to be consumed, almost as well chilled as you would Champagne, in large mouthfulls. What the heck, this is a wine so simple that if it strikes your fancy do as the Italians do and add ice cubes to the glass. Don't have any winery to recommend for this one.

Sokol Blosser NV Evolution -- Classic blend of 9 white grapes, each pressed separately, adding its own character. This is a good wine and sweet. I don't think you'll find it to be "dry." A little pricer than some, but give it a try. I'm no longer a big fan of sweet white wine, but I really liked this one.

Vouvray -- The world's ultimate Chenin Blancs come from the Loire Valley of France, specifically from the district of Vouvray. These wines are known as Vouvrays, and compared with American Chenin Blancs, they are entirely different animals. Might not be as sweet as you want [especially if you find you really like the Rieslings and Gewurztraminers], but give it a try in the future.

Viognier -- The intensity of the fruit may be detected by tastebuds as sweet, although most Viogniers are dry. Not the best partner for a light meal, the wines from this grape are nice on their own or with heavier sauces or rich shellfish. Sorry, I don't have a winery to recommend. I've had good luck with picking whatever is on the shelf [and usually go for the one with the coolest label or artwork!].

Pinot Gris -- NOT to be confused with Pinot Grigio. Same grape, but it's from France, so you get some differences. Both are flavorful, but Pinot Gris typically provides more body and rounder fruits while Pinot Grigio gives lighter-bodied, citrus fruits. Not super sweet but not dry and one of my absolute favorite whites, so I recommend it to everyone. My sister-in-law likes the sweeter whites, and she really likes Pinot Gris. Cline makes a good one that is actually a blend of Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. It's not the easiest wine to find but worth the search. I have yet to find a bad Pinot Gris, so just pick up any in your price range and give it a try. Many good ones are from Oregon.

Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel [it's a red, not a white Zinfandel which is total crap, so never waste your money on it] -- there are several varieties that get progressively more expensive. Start with the $9 bottle and see how you like it. However, I prefer one "level" up -- the Sonoma Heritage. It's just slightly more expensive [$12-14/bottle] but worth it, I think.

Personally, I would NOT recommend anything pink -- like White Merlot or White Zinfandel. Yeah, they are sweet, but you might as well drink a wine cooler or some nasty Blackberry Merlot. Better yet, make some Sangria!

Answer 2

Well, any of the flavoured wines aren't 'good' typically. The added flavouring hides the quality of the base wine. And traditional Roses are quite dry. It's only the US version of Roses and Blushes that are sweet (White Zin, White Merlot, etc).

The thing is that even within varietals, you can have variance and different degrees of dryness. A Raymond Napa Merlot may be dry, but the Raymond Rutherford Merlot isn't.

Typically safe are Zinfandels and Syrahs. Cycles Gladiator Syrah is a good entry level Syrah - under $10 a bottle. Goose Ridge 2002 Syrah is a better wine, around $25, and definately not dry. It's jammy and fruity and very very drinkable.

A nice pinot noir is also an option. Domaine Drouhin Laurene, and most of the Archery Summits are not dry.

If you want white, Maryhill Viognier is a sweet wine, but not syrupy sweet. It's one of my summer wines this year. Duck Pond Pinot Gris is also an option. Just a nice summery light wine.

Going to wine tastings at local wine shops may be your best option. Keep a journal of what you like and don't like and if you like it, buy it! : )

Good luck to you!

Answer 3

A very good wine , it's a sweet wine, Red Raspberry from Brietenbach, and also frost fire, which is a white grape wine, which tastes like picking it right off the vine. A beautifull taste!!!
Also Roadhouse Red, which is a Red grape wine, All sweet wine, and made by Brietenbach. Also the Roadhouse Red is very good for you. Enjoy !!! ;-)

Answer 4

If you're just starting out try a white merlot. They not dry but still have the basic wine taste. Good for starters.

Answer 5

There are so many good kinds out there. Chablis is light and fruity, you might want to start there. Go to a good wine store if you have one around, or a wine tasting occasion is also good, to give you ideas of what you might like.

Answer 6

Beringer White Zinfandel

Answer 7

red get yourself a nice 2003 Beaujolais, these are usually light summery reds but this vintage was much fuller in body, lush fruit, clean but not dry. Also reasonable, 7-12$.
Whites I get a vouvoaray or a Chenin blanc. these varietals tend to have a sweeter fruit to them like peaches or apricots.heavier viscosity and maybe a little residual sugar. You should be able to get that done for under $14 for a middle tier producer.

Answer 8

It depends which country your in. Here in Australia I went to a winery and they had a really nice sweet fruity red wine. I am not usually a wine drinker, but it was absolutely devine. Go to your local winery in your country and ask to taste the wines and then you can pick one yourself.

Answer 9

Fetzer's Gewürztraminer. This is a sparkling white wine, slightly sweet. You may be able to find it at Safeway/Domonick's for between $10 and $15 a bottle.

Answer 10

Lambrusco