Sweet wines

[sanjay_111]

I have just gotten into wines and seem to prefer them sweet rather than dry.. Can someone name some sweet NON-dessert wines which will go well with spicy Indian food.

[Bucko]

Try German Riesling at the Spatlese level -- delicately sweet and great food wine.

[Duane Meissner]

Spatlese level?... enlighten me.

DM

[wondersofwine]

Spatlese means from grapes picked later in the harvest (therefore likely to be riper and sweeter and may impart residual sugar to the wine). Spatlese would appear on the label. Kabinett is a possible indication of a dryer wine. Auslese means specially selected grapes and may have more residual sugar than the spatlese wines. Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauselese refer to grapes that have been hit by a beneficial fungus (?) (botrytis) that concentrates the sugar and leads to luscious, expensive dessert wines. I may not have the latter part scientifically accurate but that's the gist of it. Eiswein (not available in every vintage) is from grapes that were partly frozen and a concentrated sweet grape juice is left in the portion of the grape not turned to ice crystals. Can be very luscious and sweet.

[sanjay_111]

Thanks for the bit of discussion around the topic of sweet wines folks. I was discussing sweet vs white wine with some people and it came out that taking anything sweet is equated with "lowbrow" taste and anything less sweet or bitter is equated to "highbrow" taste.

To tell the truth, even I have noticed that people who are more sophisticated go for less sweetness in whatever they take. Coffee is an example. I have seen that more sophisticated people take less or no cream and sugar in the coffee.

What do wine lovers think about this. Because I like the wine sweet, I was told I really do not have good taste !

[Innkeeper]

People who know a little about wine tend to think that any wine that is not dry is lowbrow. I know a little about wine, but know better.

[Lil Ryan]

Sanjay -- You may want to try a Gewurztraminer. It's sweet (well... at least fruity) and should go with spicy exotic (at least to Western standards) foods.

As for that "lowbrow" comment -- just drink whatever you like.

[Bucko]

No one should be made fun of for the wines that they drink, o/w we would spend all of our time laughing at WW! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

[barnesy]

100 years ago German Sweet wines used to sell for a lot more than the Bordeauxs and Burgundies did. Tastes have changed, but a quality wine is a quality wine whether it be red, white, sweet, dry, or bubbly or any combination in between. When most people call something lowbrow, its a simple way of making themselves feel superior without any real basis for that feeling.

Drink what you like and always, ALWAYS try new things. You may find a wine that bridges you to the ones you didn't like and then you will like more kinds of wine.

Barnesy

[Thomas]

Sanjay, someone posted here that Gewurztraminer is sweet--that is not true. The fact is: some Gewurztraminers are sweet and some are dry. Once again I want to make clear that no wine is inherently dry or sweet. A combination of grapegrowing winemaking and preference determines whether any wine of any color is produced dry, semi-dry or sweet.

As to the subject of sophisticated tastes: sugar is a simple taste, Lack of sugar usually takes more work for the tongue and the brain, If that is a form of sophistication, so be it. But you should drink what you like and do not worry about being called names--if the name-calling persists, change your friends not your wine.

[wondersofwine]

Loved Foodie's last comment about changing your friends, not the wine! Producers of Sauterne wines in France or Riesling Auslese or Beerenauslese wines in Germany would be shocked to hear that their wines are lowbrow. Barnesy has the right idea too about trying new things. I started out with a fondness for sweet German wines and common Lambrusco from Italy. I still like the sweet German wines and a very occasional Lambrusco, but I also now appreciate red and white burgundies, zinfandels and a variety of wines on the drier side. I'm doing a little exploration of less familiar Italian and Australian wines now, found a wine from Cyprus I like (on the sweet side), and will continue to expand my wine horizons. Also, you might try Beaujolais wines, they have a fruity quality you might like without being sugary.

[This message has been edited by wondersofwine (edited 09-20-2001).]

[Bucko]

I like that comment too -- I'll probably shamelessly steal it sometime for an article comment.

[sanjay_111]

Thanks so much, folks ! Thanks for the encouragement. I also believe that people who pretend their taste to be superior are just faking it. Of course, one must drink what one likes.

I really like having found out this site. Will be a regular here now...

[Bucko]

Welcome aboard!

[Thomas]

Ok Sanjay, don't go off the deep end: some of us really do have superior tastes; just ask winoweenie; he'll tell ya!

Hey, Bucko, ever hear of the concept of royalties--mmmm maybe I should copyright that comment!!!!!

[Bucko]

I've heard of royal pain in the b.. oh, wait, I digress..... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

[winoweenie]

Hi there Sanjay and welcome to the merry lil' band know affectionatley as the "Leather-Tongue Group ". Hopefully as the ole' sayin' goes , You, perhaps like the blind-hog, mite find a pecan 'mongst all this gibberish. WW