First time wine drinker here - just tried Chardonnay and Merlot...?

Question

...and almost threw up! I thought they both tasted (and smelled) awful!! I'm sure it is an aquired taste, but is there a way to ease into it? Is there a better tasting wine I can start with?

Answer 1

I am sorry for the bad experience, but there are a lot of wonderful wines out there to try. Chardonnay tend to be very acidic and dry, while Merlot can have tannin which people are not used to. You just have to keep on trying to find the wines you might like. Here are some recommendations from me.

As for white wines, for beginners, I usually recommend Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Sauvignon Blanc tends to be fruity, slightly sweet, and crisp and easy to drink. I always enjoy drinking a glass of Sauvignon Blanc such as Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc ($18), Caymus Conundrum ($25), or Chateau St. Michelle ($15). As for Riesling, it is usually sweeter but also plenty of fruit. I recommend either Californian or German. A good one to start is Bonny Doon Pacific Riesling (either dry or sweet, $12).

As for red wine, I would recommend either Cabernet Franc or Zinfandel. Cabernet Franc is slightly sweet red wine, with quality resembling that of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot but without such bitterness. There are a few good Cabernet Franc, including Peju ($30) and Titus ($35). As for Zinfandel, that is much more reasily accesible and available, as well as cheaper. Zinfandel is the grape that also makes White Zinfandel (without the grape skin, the wine is sweeter, with grape skin, it is more complex). Red Zinfandel, or Zinfandel as we call it, is a wonderful slightly sweet wine with lots of fruit/berry, but they also tend to be higher on alcohol content. You can try Zinfandel from Chateau Montelena ($25), Frank's ($35), Rosemblum ($12-30), and Ridge ($20-35).

If you want the really sweet wine, then try dessert wine. White dessert wine such as Ice Wine (Inniskilling $65) and Sauturnes (Chateau Rieussec $50 or their second wine $18/half) are very nice to drink after dinner, while Red dessert wine, hands down, is best represented by Port - Sandeman and Dow makes some cheaper Port costing $15-20.

Good luck and keep on trying. . I hope you will find something you will like from this.

Answer 2

Chardonnay and Merlot... are both oaky wines... meaning they are both aged in oak barrels and tend to have tannins.

I'd recommend a white wine, other than Chardonnay, since reds tend to be on the strong side due to the aging in barrels.

Muscat Canneli is a nice sweet dessert wine with a fruity finish.

Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer are a few examples of good first-timer wines. Generally, if it has blanc in the name, it would be a safe bet.

Answer 3

Just as everyone is saying, you may want to wean yourself onto reds and the drier whites. There is a superb Scottish label called Cairn No Mohr (Not sure of the spelling). These are elderberry and other fruit wines. Not being insulting but a lot of older people enjoy these as they have the same problem as yourself. They prefer sweeter wines. Once they have read in the paper that red wine is good for them, they want to enjoy a glass but most are too dry for them.

Answer 4

First time drinkers prefer sweeter wines. As their taste buds get used to wine, they can enjoy dry wines, and eventually most people will prefer the dry wines. (Dry = not sweet)

Try a sweet Riesling, Gewurztraminer, or White Zinfandel. Most people will enjoy these ones. Eventually you can try white wines again, like Chardonnay, and later stronger white wines (like Sauvignon blanc) and reds.

Answer 5

One oftentimes starts with the lighter wine and strikes heavier throughout the time of the night. The chard for the 1st course or 2, the purple with the main significant course, possibly a port for desert, and a wheelchair to get you to mattress, and additionally you will sleep like a babe. by ways, i've got stared on the labels for some time yet never tried that stuff. it is confusing to take heavily something named Norma Jean or Marilyn Merlot. i'm slightly curious.

Answer 6

White wines are generally more palatable.
My peticular favorite is Gerwvertzatrminer (sp?) its a sweet white wine with undertones of peaches..etc. Its fairly inexpensive around $8 a bottle.

Answer 7

try a blush. or even there is a cheap red wine that is sweet it is called lambrusco it is found with the rest of the red wine usually but tastes better a a cooler temperature.

Answer 8

First time wine drinker you should try a sweet rose' and maybe a Riesling. They would be a lot better for your taste. :)

Answer 9

Start off with some sweeter wines

Answer 10

This could be a problem.

Try a table red and a table white for starters.

If you still spew, you may have zero tolerance for wine