Wine Recommendations

[Greenthorn]

So, my daughter and I would like to start a new routine of drinking a glass of red wine every night. We're doing this for health reason, to promote sleep and relaxation, and simply as a new mommy/daughter thing to do together. The problem is we are both pretty clueless about wine in general, and we certainly are not looking to spend a lot of money.


Can you all recommend some options? We both do not like super sweet anything. It has to be an easy to find wine, and cheap. We don't have a Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Costco, or stores like that super close. Alcohol can only be bought in very specific store types in my neck of the woods.

[Azy]

I don't really know a ton about wine, but a little bit.  I prefer sweet myself.  Most types of red wine are semi dry or dry.  Some wineries do make sweet reds, and sometimes it will tell you on the bottle.  Kosher wines are usually on the sweeter side.  White Zinfandel (pink in color) can also be good.   Really it's a try different types and see what you like kind of thing.  If you have any wineries nearby that have tasting rooms where you can sample, that's a good way to go. 

You don't have to really spend a lot either.  It's an industry secret that's been spilled that many of the more expensive brands, you're paying the higher price for the brand and the advertising.  Most of the brands I like are in the $15-20 range per bottle.  Store employees can also be really helpful in helping you pick something out.  My local liquor store actually made a sweet/dessert wine section, which makes it easier for me to find what I want. 

[Captain Maltese]

Within red wine you have four parameters to consider, price excluded.

The first is percentage of alcohol. Normal beer, for comparison, is 4.7% in most of Europe. Red wine is rarely below 9% and rarely over 14%. After two glasses most people will feel the difference notably. Don't ever dilute red wine, it is an affront to the taste, but having some food or snacks while drinking reduces the effect of the alcohol. Also drinking water on the side is the normal, not the exception. All officially sold wine has this information on the bottle.

The second is the grape. Much of the taste and juice derives from the speficic grape, and grape and grape can be like apple and orange. My favorite by FAR is Cabernet Sauvignon, which is one of the darker fruits. Other comparable grapes are pinot noir, merlot and shiraz. Wines based on these grapes tend to have more tannin in them, which means the stems the grapes grown on, creating a grittier and thicker product that can remind you of leather and forest berries. Dark grape wine goes very well with heavy meat meals. But many like a lighter grape with much less tannin and fruitier taste; they are usually on the lower side of the alcohol range and go well with light meat, fruit and bleaker cheeses. If you are in doubt, just look at the wine color in the bottle.

The third is the country. Wine is made in many countries now, where winter temperatures allow. The 'old country' meaning western Europe makes excellent wine with all the well known grapes. Of course. But eastern Europe also make a lot of wine, as do USA and many latin American countries that have imported European grapes with great success. You'd think there would be little difference and maybe it isn't any more, in an international industry that relies on high level science. Personally I find that Greece and Hungary make great dark grape wines, and anything from Chile is very compatible.

The fourth is the brand, and I am going to decree heresy here. I don't care. The name on the bottle is about as important to me as the name on my jacket, cell phone, TV, dishwasher, ground meat, bananas.... whatever. I can't tell them apart and I don't have the science background to know the difference. That doesn't mean it is useless. Once you have found a brand that matches your most favored taste, it makes your next visit to the store a lot faster. That said, experimenting can be a lot of fun.

[Greenthorn]

Captain, that's actually pretty helpful, so thank you for taking the time to type that all out! I'm going to loos for the cheapest of all the ones you mentioned, try them, and once we find the one we prefer, start from there. Sounds like a good plan, I suppose 

[Elandra]

I am not a huge wine drinker, however when I do drink it is always red wine and usually a Zinfandel. I abhor sweet wines. I, like the Captain, do enjoy a Cabernet, but sometimes I find them to be too tannic (that feeling when something sticks to your tongue) and hence the Zinfandel.

[Greenthorn]

I am not a huge wine drinker, however when I do drink it is always red wine and usually a Zinfandel. I abhor sweet wines. I, like the Captain, do enjoy a Cabernet, but sometimes I find them to be too tannic (that feeling when something sticks to your tongue) and hence the Zinfandel.

Tannic is that like dryish feeling on your tongue? If so, that definitely turned me off from wines originally, that and the super sweet kind that I can only handle a sip of before tossing it. The kiddo and I are going to buy a bottle Friday or this weekend. I'll come back for more advice after the tasting phase haha

[Captain Maltese]

I can't know if the brand is available to you, but Gato Negro Cabernet Sauvignon is sort of a popular starter red wine. Not as tanny and dark as some CS ones, not as sweet as some of the lighter grapes. It is one of the lowest priced ones here. Not low quality but less distinct taste than some. It is okay, I buy it some times. And, of course, who can resist a black cat?

[Greenthorn]

I can't know if the brand is available to you, but Gato Negro Cabernet Sauvignon is sort of a popular starter red wine. Not as tanny and dark as some CS ones, not as sweet as some of the lighter grapes. It is one of the lowest priced ones here. Not low quality but less distinct taste than some. It is okay, I buy it some times. And, of course, who can resist a black cat?

Google says it's available in the north part of the state (too far), but I'll check in the actual stores here. I know we have "Barefoot" brand in that price range

[Captain Maltese]

Google says it's available in the north part of the state (too far), but I'll check in the actual stores here. I know we have "Barefoot" brand in that price range

I don't know that brand at all, not a lot of American wine gets imported here, but their grape selection looks straightforward to me (I went to their website). Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are the dark ones. Sangria and Moscato are likely to be sweet. I had to hunt to find their alcohol volume, it is in small writing on the front tag. CS is 13%, the Sangria is 9.

[Azy]

Barefoot is one of the brands I like.  I like their Moscato because I do like the sweeter wines.  I've tasted their Pinot Grigio, and while it was too dry for my taste, the quality was good. 

[Greenthorn]

Barefoot is one of the brands I like.  I like their Moscato because I do like the sweeter wines.  I've tasted their Pinot Grigio, and while it was too dry for my taste, the quality was good.

How sweet is the Moscato? 1-10, 1 being not sweet, 10 being like eating straight sugar.

[Azy]

How sweet is the Moscato? 1-10, 1 being not sweet, 10 being like eating straight sugar.

If I remember right I would say maybe 6.  Sutter Home White Zinfandel is like a 5, it's a semi-sweet.  That's one of my favorites though.  Wines like Arbor Mist are the super sweet ones.  Kosher wines are pretty sweet.  But if it has a cork it shouldn't be sugary sweet, at least not in my experience.       

[Greenthorn]

If I remember right I would say maybe 6.  Sutter Home White Zinfandel is like a 5, it's a semi-sweet.  That's one of my favorites though.  Wines like Arbor Mist are the super sweet ones.  Kosher wines are pretty sweet.  But if it has a cork it shouldn't be sugary sweet, at least not in my experience.     

Thanks! All of you are actually being very helpful, in-depth knowledge or not!

[Greenthorn]

Alright so, the spawn and I went wine shopping and bought three wines... nice, cheap ones! The first was an afterthought one... Snoop Dogg's wine, Cali Rose. We actually have his cookbook (I recommend it!) so we thought it would be fun to try one of his branded wines. It's actually pretty nice!

Once we get through the bottle, I'll come and comment on the next one. I believe we got a merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon