Which wines would you recommend that are on the sweet side?

Question

I have recently started having a glass of wine with dinner or right after dinner, and I definitely have a preference for sweet wines. The problem is being able to tell what is what at the wine store. One of the local vineyards here in New York has a scale on the back of their labels indicating the degree of dryness or sweetness, which I find very helpful. Unfortunately, they seem to be the exception and not the rule. It's impractical for me to do a wine tasting and I don't want to have to guess, spending money on a bottle only to get home and find that I don't like the taste. I'm basically looking for sweet wines in the $20 or less range. -And NO, I don't want to drink wine coolers!

Answer 1

Rieslings, Zinfandel (especially old vine Zins), and Gewurtraminers are typically sweet.

Dessert wines such as Muscat and Port are really sweet.

Some suggestions: (These can be purchased at a local wine shop or online at http://www.cheers2wine.com/wine-picks.html)

Pewsey Vale 2006 Riesling White Wine from Barossa Valley, Australia. The 2006 Pewsey Vale Riesling is a rich and intensely flavored wine. Pale straw in color with green hues it has intense classic fruit aromas of limes and lemons, with a hint of overlaying dried.... ($15.29)

Columbia Winery 2006 Gewurztraminer Pale straw yellow color. Hints of allspice and pink grapefruit accent the sweet fruit palate. Crisp finish with a good balance of acidity. Versatile with food, especially with spicy ($9.99)

Leasingham 2004 Magnus Riesling - White WinePale yellow in colour with green hues and brilliant clarity, the Leasingham Magnus Riesling has intense floral aromas of jasmine and citrus blossom with fresh pineapple and spice. The palate has refreshing lemon and lime characters with fleshy fruit sweetness and mouthwatering acidity. The finish is fresh and lively with good persistence. ($10.49)

Renwood 2004 Old Vine Zinfandel - Red WineThe 2004 Old Vine Zinfandel is medium ruby in color. The bouquet consists of brown sugar, caramel, sage, eucalyptus, and bursting with dark berry fruit. The flavor is a sumptuous blend of warm blackberries on the entry, with a hint of dried fruit, finishing with sweet fleshy tannins.($19.49)

Answer 2

Lambrusco is a nice sweet red wine. If you go into a wine store and explain to them you don't know a lot about wine, they should know better than to show you anything above $25 because it usually takes an experienced palette to tell the difference. Ask the people there. Honestly, thats the best advice I can give you. Any store specializing in wine should hire people very good at picking wine for those who don't know a lot about it. If you know of a wine you like, tell them that and it will give them some sort of bearing.

Answer 3

Most of your blush (pink to orange) wines are very good and almost always sweet. White Zinfandel is an all- time favorite.

A German white wine we especially like at our house is Blue Nun. It is a white wine and best served chilled. You will love it.

You said you don't like wine coolers so I almost don't want to suggest married wines. However, they do sell wines that have been married with juice. These wines taste much like juice yet still have alcohol. These aren't looked down on as much as a wine cooler, but at the same time you wouldn't want to offer to someone who is serious about wine.

Answer 4

Reisling
Auslese
Spautlese
Port
Muscat
Sauternes
Ice Wine

Answer 5

Depends on the level of sweetness you are looking for. Rieslings are typically sweet, however you can buy ones that are sweeter than others. Like Johannesburg Rieslings are sweeter than regular rieslings. Auslese Rieslings are sweeter as well. Plum wines are sweet. Ports and Ice wine are really really sweet, and tend to be more expensive. I love Moscato d' Asti s they are almost like drinking kool-aid and they are a little bubbly too! Good luck and happing drinking!

Answer 6

The blush wines are usually sweeter then the dark red wines. You can also look for berry wines, like a huckleberry wine or blackberry wine. I like Sangria, has a fruity flavor, and on the sweet side.

Answer 7

I kind of detest sweet wines, personally. I like my wine to taste like the barrel it was kept in, lol.

I'd recommend a nice Concord. My dad has tastes like yours and he really likes those.

Answer 8

Rieslings and gewurztraminers, both mainly German made, are the sweetest of the wines.

I suggest tryng Starling Castle riesling. It is very flavorful and it's overpoweringly sweet. I believe a 750ml bottle is $8.99 at the liquor store where I work.

Answer 9

I recommend Mario&Rossi Asti, its not overbearingly sweet but its not too dry or bitter in its taste, Its somewhere in the sparkling/white wine family.

Answer 10

Muscat wines are really good and some of them are as low as 4%