Red WIne Suggestions???

[Angel]

I am looking for a few suggestions for Red Wine. I honestly know nothing about Red Wine. The last time I had it I did not like the taste. I like sweet flavors, I normally drink white or zin. But I have company coming over and I know they love red. I would like to be able to enjoy a glass with them.
Is it possible to have a sweet red??.....Please help. Thanks

[Beth]

Do you know what kind of red you tried? A cabernet, the "classic" red, can be very full, dense, robust. You may have had one with more tannins, which give the wine a sharper taste. I suspect that you would like a lighter style, smooth, fruity red, not necessarily "sweeter". It would be great to find a shop with someone whose tastes you trust (they are either similar to yours, or they understand what you like).

I would suggest looking for a merlot or a shiraz. Beaujalais (sp?, but pronounced bow-zhu-lay) is lighter and younger, but can be pretty thin too. Zinfandels are usually served younger, but they can be spicier and richer. Also, some of the South American reds are very good and not too pricey.

Hope you find something you all like.

[Ralph]

Shiraz can be a bit drier, too. Pinot noirs are not usually too bad. I would recommend looking through www.winespectator.com (http://www.winespectator.com) (the magazine's site) for more information. You can also try www.wine.com (http://www.wine.com) It's a great site if you want to purchase, but even more, you can search by varietal & price (at least to give you an idea if you're shopping locally). Plus, their reviews are very common sensical & understandable, rather than you'd get from seasoned reviewers (like at Wine Spectator!). Cheers!

[Gail]

Hey, where's our new Forestville lady(LauraEllen)? Maybe she's got some ideas from the heart of our wine country.

You said you usually drink white and Zin. Did you really mean Zin or White Zin (which is very sweet?) I started out not liking red wine that much and I'm still really fussy about Zins. If you're not into red wines, don't expect just to sit around sipping it. Find something to enjoy with your food. Your key words, I think, are light and fruity. I'd suggest staying with either Beaujolais or Pinot Noir, although I recently had a really light fruity Rioja from Spain (Marqués de Cáceres) which might make a good starter. It's a bit tricky recommending wines to different parts of the country. What I have here in So Cal is completely different from up in Northern Cal, Texas or on the other side of the US. And then there is sooo much variation from winery to winery.

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-10-2000).]

[BethH]

I started my transition from white zin to red by drinking this fairly cheap red wine that comes in a kind of funky shaped bottle (maybe from Gallo). It's called Cafe Zinfandel--its a sweet red. Another good sweet red I used to enjoy is called Soleo.

Nowadays I'm purely a peppery, dry red fan. My favorites for 'real' reds are all good values (I rarely buy wine that costs over $15). Clos Du Bois Zinfandel is great and so is Echelon Pinot Noir (all reds from Echelon are super and great values!)These might be good to buy for guests so you don't have to make a large investment! Good luck!

(Of course, you could always make sangria--yum!)

ps..all these wines are available at your local grocery store!

[This message has been edited by BethH (edited 07-10-2000).]

[Michelle H]

I highly suggest Rosemont Shiraz. It has a spicy, fruity flavor. A good Red Zin is Blockhedia and anything from Rothbury Estates (especially their Charodonnay...very oaky). I will see if I can think of any other favorites as I have converted to Reds....used to only like whites. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Denise]

I really enjoy the red wines made by Rosemount, an Australian winery. They are not too tanic and a little sweeter, easy to drink! They usually cost between $7 and $10, so they are very reasonable. My favorite is their Shiraz/Cabernet blend. Give them a try!

[LauraEllen]

Hey Gail, here I am - thanks for thinking of me. I was on a deadline this morning.

Most of my recommendations have been made by others. I would say to approach what Angel is looking for, while not reaaly a sweet, red, she should try to find a fruity red wine, and young so there will be more fruit flavor. Someone mentioned a Beaujolais, which would be a good choice. Someone else mentioned Pinot Noir, which would be my first choice. Some of the best come from California's Russian River Valley, and there are also great ones coming out of Oregon. I really don't know what would be available in Texas, but the websites that were mentioned could be a good source, depending on state laws.

[LauraEllen]

Hey Gail, here I am - thanks for thinking of me. I was on a deadline this morning.

Most of my recommendations have been made by others. I would say to approach what Angel is looking for, while not reaaly a sweet, red, she should try to find a fruity red wine, and young so there will be more fruit flavor. Someone mentioned a Beaujolais, which would be a good choice. Someone else mentioned Pinot Noir, which would be my first choice. Some of the best come from California's Russian River Valley, and there are also great ones coming out of Oregon. I really don't know what would be available in Texas, but the websites that were mentioned could be a good source, depending on state laws.

[shoyski]

Angel, this probably won't help with your company this time but I would suggest finding a wine store that has tastings. One of our local stores has one Thursday evenings and Saturday afternoons. It's a fun way to try new wines with minimal cost and meet other wine enthusiasts. Just remember, you don't have to like it because the wine snob speaking to you says it's good! :-)

[Gail]

Originally posted by LauraEllen:
... Some of the best come from California's Russian River Valley...

This has nothing to do with the topic, just thought you might know. A week or so ago on the news, I heard about a fire which supposedly hit someplace where wine growers were warehousing their stock. Do you have any details? First thing we thought was, uh oh, there go the prices! Then we worried about all those wonderful little wineries-- the ones that don't ship much out of the area. We're big on Russian River wineries in this household-- just point me up River Road!

[LauraEllen]

Originally posted by Gail:
A week or so ago on the news, I heard about a fire which supposedly hit someplace where wine growers were warehousing their stock. Do you have any details?


The fire was in Napa Valley and there were a few small vintner's that lost their entire inventory, but I couldn't name any offhand. Also, some bigger wineries lost some wines, too.

River road is my way home!

[Gail]

Thanks for the info.

You've got a nice drive home. I kind of know your area (we stop at Kozlowski Farms and Tahoe when we're in the neighborhood.) Lucky lady! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[CATHIEA]

Angel: I echo the sentiment that Pinot Noir might be lighter red wine, more to your palate. You might also try a Sangiovese. Ask your local wine merchant to help you select wines that will go with your food choice. I also don't see why you couldn't serve a red and a white and let your guests choose.
CathieA

[Gail]

Oops!

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 07-10-2000).]