What is your favorite wine?

Question

I prefer blush wines, although most restaurants only serve white zinfandel as far as blush goes. Are there any close options for me? I like to drink cold crisp wines as opposed to warm, olivey ones.

Answer 1

If you prefer blush wines, then you probably prefer sweeter wines. 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 whites [and some pinks! I used to love White Zinfandel] and somewhat sweet. One option is to go for one of the wines with added fruit flavor like Arbor Mist's Blackberry Merlot. But you probably won't find that in a restaurant and may feel foolish ordering it!

Here's what I found and like(d), and you can find many/all in any restaurant with a decent wine list:

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 sweeter white wine drinkers.

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. A little pricer than some, but give it a try. I'm no longer a big fan of sweet white wine, but I really like this one. May be tough to find in a restaurant.

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!] or on the wine list.

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 one of my absolute favorite whites, so I recommend it to everyone. My sister-in-law likes the sweeter whites and blushes, 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.

Dessert Wines -- Dessert wines are those wines which are typically served with dessert, although they are also drunk on their own, i.e. not accompanying food. They are often sweet wines such as Eiswein [ice wine], Sauternes, Tokaji Aszú, Beerenauslese, Bermet, Trockenbeerenauslese and Commandaria or fortified wines such as sherry and port. I have little to no experience with these beyond Ice Wine and Port.

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. A good friend only liked whites, but we got her quickly "hooked" on this wine.

Personally, I would NOT recommend Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc [which I call Sauvignon BLECK]. I have tried many of both at various wine tastings in an attempt to find just ONE that I liked. So far, I can't stand either variety.

Answer 2

White Zinfandel

Answer 3

Favorite wine? that's sacrilige! My favorite is wine, well and a few other beverages...

There are some great roses available - most of the french roses are nice and crisp and dryer - not the syrup of white Zin. Tablas Creek from pasa Robles makes a nice one, and a few others are starting to play with them as American pallets start to open up. One place you can also try is Kermit Lynch - independent importer that gets some really nice but lesser known (and less expensive) french wines. If you are in a ship friendly state, try pulling up Premier Cru - they are an excellent and usually the cheapest importer.

and congratulations on moving past white zin!!

and two buck chuck? please. G1et some welch's grape juice and add a little vodka. Its Mad Dog or Boones farm in a regular wine bottle...

Answer 4

When Francis Coppola's (Godfather director) daughter, Sophia, got married he prroduced wine for the wedding. It became very famous and it is called SOPHIA , it is a sparkling rose. Try it when you have a special event.
Also try an Italian drink called ASTI MARTIN, it is not a blush but you will enjoy the crispness and sweetness to it, it cost about $8 per bottle. Also Sutter home have wine on a cooler, try those too and you will be pleansantly surprise. Cheers

Answer 5

Go to a liquor store and look at some labels and talk to the store owner if he has the time. Try some wines at home and look for them on a menu. A small wine tasting at home might be fun for your friends. You just need glasses and maybe some cheese and crackers. You don't have to spend a lot on wine either, a good bottle is as little as 6 to 8 bucks. Have some friends bring some over and have fun.

Answer 6

Ooohh, I love this question! I think what you are saying is that you like your wine sweet. If that is correct, then your best bet is to go with a Riesling or a Gewurztraminer. I never liked wine unless it was somewhat sweet and zins were the only way to go for me. But once I tried Ries and Gewurz I stepped onto another level of wine-drinking all together. Now it's my favorite poison. Definitely check them out...you won't be disappointed!

Answer 7

If you are looking for something that is a bit sweeter go for a Riesling. It has a more of a fruit essence and is easier on the pallet. A savanon blanc has a bit more of a crispness to it. It is a bit more acidic than a Riesling but pares up with main entrees better.

Answer 8

Charles Shaw, AKA "Two Buck Chuck". It's pretty good considering the price, and it's won lots of awards at California wine tasting events. Charles Shaw comes in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz.

Charles Shaw wines are sold exclusively at Trader Joe's stores, and the price varies from $1.99 to $3.39, depending on location. The wine is available at over 150 Trader Joe's stores across the country, but not available in all locations due to state and local laws regulating the sale of wine. Here's a list of Trader Joe's locations where it can be purchased:

Arizona (all stores)
California (all stores)
Illinois (all stores)
Indiana (all stores)
Massachusetts (Brookline, Cambridge and Framingham locations only)
Michigan (all stores) Nevada (all stores)
New Jersey (Westfield location only)
Ohio (all stores)
Oregon (all stores)
Virginia (all stores)
Washington State (all stores)

Answer 9

you should check out your surrounding area to see if there's any vineyards that offer wine tasting. that's a great way to sample to see what's out there and what you prefer best. just go to google and type in "vineyards, wine tasting, & your city/state. sangria is a fresh, crisp wine that you might enjoy and it's fun to make. personally, i think pinot grigio and cabernet sauvigon are the best white wines.

Answer 10

Eccodomani Merlot and White