I need to a good wine......

[Moe]

I have a very important dinner that I am making for a lady friend of mine. I will be preparing my homemade Lasagna. The lasagna has Italian sweet sausage, and pepperoni. I will aslo have garlic bread and salad. I am looking for a red wine that is not too dry and also a little sweet if possible. If you don't think this is a good choice to go with my lasagna please suggest something else that will work well with my dinner it will greatly appreciated.

[Innkeeper]

Welcome to the Wine Board, Moe. Methinks you should go for a Barbera d'Asti or d'Alba. One in the $12-15 range would serve you better than a more expensive one.

[winoweenie]

Moe, Again welcome to the board. IK`s recommendation works, but being a Cali-phile I love Zinfandels with Italian, especially when sweet sausage is a part. The Cline California is a neat food wine for under 10 bucks, and for a little more the Green & Red is a smooth fruit-bomb that is delicato. Have fun and score ( The Wine You Ole Lecher IK ). winoweenie

[chittychattykathy]

Most likely if the Lady friend is not a big wine drinker she will enjoy the Zinfandel more then the Barbera d'Alba, more fruit-forward. & Make sure and have a bottle of sparkling wine for after the meal, [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img] some Paul Cheneau or such will work nicely.

[barnesy]

I am new to the wine world in general, as is my new wife. But we toured some Oregon vineyards during our honeymoon, and she really enjoyed a Marechal Foch. It is a solid red wine with that sweet edge. She usually can't stand reds and she liked it enough to buy two bottles of it. I doubt you will be able to find an Oregon wine out on the east coast but if you do, Serendipity Vineyard's "Black Beauty" Marechal Foch is very smooth and enjoyable. Both people running the wine testing commented on how it was very good with italian foods.

Barnesy

[This message has been edited by barnesy (edited 08-09-2000).]

[Thomas]

Barnesy, I know a few things when it comes to wine, but I had no knowledge that Marechal Foch was produced in an Oregon winery. Thanks for that tidbit; my Eastern wine producer-friends will love it.

Marechal Foch is a French-American hybrid grape that is mainly grown in cool regions where so-called European red grapes have trouble surviving.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 08-10-2000).]

[barnesy]

Foodie,

From what the people running the wine tastings said, there are maybe 15 vineyards in or less in Oregon that grown the Marechal Foch. This ammounts to about 10% of the wineries there. 3 of the nine I visited had this type. They were all "Willamette Valley" appelations which is warm to hot during the day and cool at night. It turned out to be one of my favorite varieties of the trip. I also found a late harvest Marechal Foch that is absolutely fabulous.

Barnesy

[chittychattykathy]

Serendipity Cellars Winery (another Oregon) makes a Marechal Foch Port.