Wine Suggestions, Anyone?
 

Would the wine connoisseurs among us care to share their favorite red wines? I just started drinking wine over Christmas and would like some good "beginner" wine suggestions. Something not too sweet but not too dry and not too heavy. I know that's not too terribly straightforward but I'm not really sure exactly what I want since I'm just starting out. I plan on celebrating a succesfull 2 weeks of P1 on Monday night. Your input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Edit: Don't worry, my celebrating will only include one glass as per the rules! ;)

for red, i like cabernet sauvignon (fruity and bold) and pinot noir (a little more understated)

a nice white for celebrating is Santa Margherita pinot grigio. a little pricey but worth it. A nice pinot grigio for a little less is Cavit. Very tasty.

OK now you're speaking my language!! I was soooo thrilled, possibly too thrilled, with my day 15 glass yesterday. I'm prejudiced of course but I say nothing quite like CA Central Coast. My fave inexpensive one is Coppola's Red which I get at CostCo for $8 or so. That was my celebration wine yesterday and will be for three or four more days although if it wasn't for the Beach I could kill half a bottle easy without even trying...

For really REALLY celebrating my fave is from the Hitching Post (the winery featured in the movie Sideways) which I would never even get because it's $35 a bottle but somebody gave some to my hub for Christmas, GREAT AND WORTH IT....maybe I'll get some to celebrate after I'm done with Phase 2! That will be a looooong time off however...

I love pinot grigio but for some reason I always get a headache after I drink it! Maybe it just is so light that it's easy to drink to much of it? I should try some with my 1-glass-only phase 1 rule and see...I think a lot of times I do a bunch of half glasses so I don't even realize how much I drink especially if there's lots of other people/multiple bottles opened etc.

We are onlys upposed to drink red wines right? I drink white though!!!

No, well in the good fats and carbs guide it says "wine, red or white" "allowed."

He recommends red over white because of the heart benefits.

I really love Lambrusco. That's probably my favorite, but a close second is Yellow Tail Merlot. It's the creme de la creme of the cheap wines, and it's quite tasty. Not really dry or anything, and a little sweet. I love wine.

we like the Pinot Grigio too. Mostly we buy Ecco Domani, not too cheap not too much and a good taste but we've trying others too.

I haven't liked red in the past but I'd love to "teach" myself too. So I'm interested in hearing good red choices too.

I really like Wild Horse Cabernet but for everyday table type wine I buy Delicato Cabernet (their Chardonnay is good too). Delicato can be purchased either by bottle or in the box. I know that some people "poo-poo" boxed wine but I think it is a great wine for the price.

Nilla, my bf's sister served boxed blush at Christmas dinner (cause we couldn't find the corkscrew) and I actually drank a full glass. It was great. That's what made me start experimenting with wine. At first I had to "water down" real red wine with Arbor Mist, which my Mom and bf teased me mercilessly about. But who cares what anyone else thinks, if you like it, drink it.

Thanks, ladies. I'm going to write down the names you said. Are the names before the wine names the brand names? Just wondering so I get a good one. I think I'm going to try a Pinot Grigio this time. Someone said it's lighter than the cabernet sauviognon, right? I tried a Chianti but I could only drink a few sips before it got too much for me. Also what is an average price for wine? $8 or $10? Somewhere around there?

Weezle- I am a big fan of Yellowtail as well. It is such a good price, but tasty at the same time. Me loves the grape too!!

Pear- I am pretty cheap, so I usually spend about $7 for a bottle. Both the Yellowtail Cabernet and Merlot are good.

I would recommend picking up some cab, zinfandel, and pinot noir and setting them aside - by the time they are ready to drink, you'll likely be ready to drink them! Ideally, reds should be stored in a cool, dry, dark place (like a cellar); store them on their sides, not upright. They usually are at their best when they are at least 5-6 years old.

For lighter reds, try a grenache (one of the very, very few reds not served at room temp - serve lightly chilled, not cold, though, just cool). Blends are sometimes a little lighter, too.

Cabernet Sauvignon (and its cousin Merlot) is a good starter wine. It goes with a lot of foods, isn't too strong, and is easy to find. Zinfandel is a strong but versatile red, but it can be harder to find (my favorite zin is probably Rancho Zabaco - California and Washington both produce some good zins). Pinot Noir is also very good but strong. It's a type of burgundy. Some of the Oregon pinots are very nice, if they are available over there. I like most reds with beef or highly seasoned foods, or with strong flavored cheeses or other appetizers. I also like zin with waterfowl (goose or duck), and pinot is classic with lamb. I don't really eat game, but I imagine that any of these would be good with game. The old rules about "white wine with light meat and red wine with red meat" is really not accurate--it was based on aesthetic appeal rather than compatibility. Any strong-flavored meat (such as beef or lamb), fish (such as salmon), or poultry (such as waterfowl) or heavily seasoned foods will be good with a red wine. Ditto with any robust vegetarian dishes. In fact, I have a recipe somewhere (if you are interested) for pinot planked salmon; basically, you soak the salmon in pinot noir for several hours, then grill it on an alder or cedar plank. Yum!

(can you tell my family is really into wines? ;) )

Hope this helps!

Yellow tail is a definite standby. I like their Shiraz/Cabernet combo.

Also, if you have a Trader Joe's nearby. Charles Shaw for $2.99 can't be beat.

If you find that red wines are too much for you, throw a couple of ice cubes in or a splash of diet sprite for a wine spritzer.

Stretches the wine further!! :)

Thanks, H-ko. That was really helpful. And rotten, I think I'll have to try the spritzer idea. Then I can stretch the one glass into two! :D