White Zin lover

[Southern Gal]

I love white zinfandel but am ready to branch out into something else. I really like sweet wine and the last two merlots I tried were bad. Can someone give me some advice as to what to try??

[Innkeeper]

Hi Southern, and welcome to the Wine Board. You are among a growing line of folks who have jumped right in at the merlot level, and I can't understand it. It is like going from peanut butter to oysters. It must be because it is so popular. Why is it so popular? It would take four paragraphs to explain, but believe me, it is for all the wrong reasons.

OK, with that out of my system, here's the same advice we've been passing out to the others. It is 2001 Beaujolais Nouveau season, at least to the end of the month. It is the easiest red wine to start with. Starting in February don't drink it. It is made to be drunk fast after release in November, and fades fast. Starting next month, look for 2000 Beaujolais (plain ole) or Beauolais Village. In Sam's today the 2000 Village was a dollar less than the 2001 Nouveau, which was ridiculous. I bought a lot of Village.

[Southern Gal]

Thank you so much Mr. Innkeeper. Remember, you gotta learn somewhere and I think I'm in the right place.

[Tom 1960]

Actually I like to get my wife to try other varieties besides the white zin. I also have gone the merlot route without success. I however got her to try the Riesling and she enjoyed that. I'll give the Beaujolais a shot also using Innkeepers suggestions.

[Southern Gal]

Ok, Mr. Innkeeper. Went to the local liquor store. Told the man I wanted some Beauolais Village. I explained that I like White Zin. He said, if you like white zin, the Beauolais Village is going to be too dry. Well, I then asked what kind of red wine wasn't too dry. He said there is no such animal. He directed me to a white desert wine (don't remember the name). I never thought I would get a wine too sweet but honey this was it. I couldn't drink it. Should I still try the Beauolais Village or what????????????

[winoweenie]

IK must be on sabattical so I'll sub....You asked..He answered...You got a dessert wine. Try The BV! You mite like it. WW

[Southern Gal]

Thank you Mr.WW. Will do so....don't need to be misled by others. Thanks again.

[bakadue]

Hey southern gal, check where I'm from. I am about where you are so maybe I can give you some "peer" rather than "expert" advice. My girlfriend and I find Reisling to be a very sweet, easy drinking wine. It is a light, white wine with a vivid fruitiness. Be careful, however, I have had a couple of bottles that where not too good, (Blue Nun, and one from the finger lakes that was no good) but more often than not I've been satisfied.

[Southern Gal]

Thank you Mr. bakadue. I'm from Tupelo...... really close. What are brand names that you have tried and liked.

[yclim]

I recently tried a bottle of riesling, The Bishop of Riesling '00. I find it nice. It was kindof hard at the beginning to cross to something sweet as I have always drank reds.

But I enjoyed it [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

By the way, this is just a personal opinion from a newbie as well.

[Tom 1960]

Southern Gal, I'm trying to remember the name of the Riesling I got my wife to try and I believe it was Columbia Winery. Not to be confused with Columbia Crest another winery. She really enjoyed it and I have to admit I enjoyed it also.

[bakadue]

Hey Southern Gal, yes Tupelo is very close. Too bad there are no wineries in the north Mississippi area. I have trouble remembering the ones we liked best. One was a German Riesling that came in a red bottle. I will have the name for you tommorrow. I do remember that "Hoch" was one of the one's we did not enjoy. I will get the name of the one we really liked, because we still have a bottle at my girlfriends house, I will check the name tommorrow.

[dananne]

I, too, would suggest the BV if you're looking to try a red, but if you decide the riesling route, I've had good luck with Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling -- it runs about $10, and it's hard to miss with the unusual label. I'm a big Bonny Doon fan, and could rattle off several other non-riesling suggestions, including the Ca del Solo Malvasia Bianca. Also, I've enjoyed some nice rieslings from Hogue, a Wash. winery, but these tend to lean to the sweet side -- perhaps not a good choice for food pairing, but good as an aperitif or dessert wine. If you go German for your choice, the labels can be a bit indecipherable, but look for the words Kabinett, Spatlese, and Auslese. These are technically guides to ripeness, though can be thought of as guides to sweetness from lower to greater. Trocken means dry, so it should be a bit cleaner and crisp if you're looking for something that isn't so sweet that it becomes cloying. Others on this board are going to have much more in the way of expertise on this topic, but I wanted to just chip in a bit as another relative newcomer to wine.

[grits]

I agree... I started out with light white wine and grew into red with a Beaujolais Nouveau.. now into Merlot, Cab, Syrah, etc... Once you find a red you like, you will have a hard time going back to white except for serving with certain kinds of food, like some Asian food goes good with a Bonny Doon Reisling.