Extreme novice question

[Travis]

I'm an extreme novice when it comes to wine, and I have a question. What are some fairly inexpensive, common, sweet, fruity red wines that you would recommend?

[Innkeeper]

Hi Travis, and welcome to the Wine Board. Lucky you; avaialble as of this week (certainly also in Lubbock) is 2003 Nouveau Beaujolais. It is suppose to pretty good this year. Don't hoard more than you can drink by next May because that is when it will fade away. You might also look for 2001 Beaujolais Villages. That was also an excellent vintage, and the the Villages last much, much longer than the Nouveau.

[wondersofwine]

Lambrusco from Italy. Look for brands other than Reunite, but if you fail to find other producers, Reunite is usually easy to find.
Mavrodaphne is a Greek red wine with some sweetness. Most red wines are produced dry, but some, because of low tannins and lots of fruity quality, almost taste sweet. In this category you might try Beaujolais Villages or a Beaujolais Cru such as Fleurie or Brouilly. Right now is the time to sample Beaujolais Nouveau (wine just bottled and released and will only hold at its peak until about January or February. Joseph Drouin makes a nice Beaujolais Nouveau but other producers are on the market too.
You might like an Italian sparkling wine with raspberry/strawberry flavors--Banfi Rosa Regali (spelling may be slightly off). It's under $20 and a fun party wine--seems to be popular with many of the women who try it.

[Duane Meissner]

Travis,

The sweetest, most common, fruitiest, most inexpensive red wine I've ever tried is Manischewitz's Concord grape.
Beware, it's quite sweet.

DM

[Travis]

Thanks for the help. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

What about fruity and sweet white and blush wines?

[Jackie]

I think the single most popular wine among new wine drinkers for decades was -- and maybe still is -- Beringer's White Zinfandel.

White Zin is a smooth light blush wine (pinkish) that has led thousands of people to begin exploring wine. It's not expensive and is available most anywhere. Serve it chilled.

[wineguruchgo]

Travis,

If you are looking to try something white and sweet I would go to a better wine retailer and go to their German section. Yes the wines are sweet and they are going to have a lot more going on in the glass than anyone's white zinfandel.

Not that there is anything wrong with white zin, I'm just trying to get you to explore the world a little bit.

[Auburnwine]

I'll put in a very good word for the Llano Estacado Signature White.

Ah, Lubbock in the fall -- bluest skies with the cranes calling from high overhead.

Seven years on 53rd Street. I'm still cleaning the dust from my ears.

[Innkeeper]

Why is everybody frowning?

[Auburnwine]

The skanky-faced Anne Coulter icon is the default icon.

That needs fixing, because we are a cheery lot.

[This message has been edited by Auburnwine (edited 11-25-2003).]