Non wine drinker wanting to try wine

[EThonehome]

you may find that if beer gives you heartburn or indigestion, wine will do so far more. that was my experience, especially with white varieties.

the only drink that would not give me heartburn was a good whiskey.

if you are set on wines ... stick to the sweeter or middle of the road reds. The US seems to have some decent reds.

If you can get it, try a South african pinotage ... very unique varietal that only seems to grow well here ... look for the Kanonkop estate, they do export and are excellent producers of it

I have found that I personally have experienced this at times as well, but this is a personal thing and doesn't apply to everyone equally.And, expanding on what I wrote above, I would also recommend red wine to start as well just as our friend has here.

I would probably tell you to shy away from Pinotage to begin though, but that's just my opinion. Pinotage is a great wine... after you have developed a taste for wine and it's characteristics. Pinotage to an inexperienced wine taster could be kind of dirty/earthy tasting and smell kind of chemically. This ISN'T a bad thing! These can be desirable characteristics of wine, but for a newbie wine drinking it's probably not a good introduction. Just my opinion though.

A good introduction to red wine would be one of the many Beaujolais offerings; a region in France known for it's light, fruity, easy drinking red wines.

 

[ouch]

 

[life2short1971]

Try a White Zinfandel. It won't make you pucker and goes with anything.

 

[Luc]

If you are looking for something that's very sweet, dessert wines are the one...

Muscat or Port/Porto... However, I wouldn't drink them with a meal, they are really for dessert.

Riseling is usually sweet. Alsac (France) has sweeter wines too.

If you want red wine, not exactly sweet but fruity, I would go with a Beaujolais as those are very light, young and often fruity. Perfect for lunch time. Something like Gamay (grapes) would be similar.

 

[AL3X]

When I started learning about wines, I picked a varietal (I started with merlot, then pinot noir) and I tasted a lot of bottles within the 10-20 dollar range. Then try a nice one once in a while and keep getting to know more varietals until you know what you like. You will slowly be able to refine what you desire.

Now I work in a restaurant with a huge wine selection and I'm allowed to taste any open bottle for free. It's great haha.

 

[BigJ]

I was at the doctors a few weeks ago complaining of chest pain and we eventually nailed it down to beer giving me heart burn! (So much for making my own beer now )

Anyway I'm looking for something other to drink than beer and would like to try wine as it seems that everyone drinks it, or that it's the in thing right now. I've tried wine before and didn't like most of them as they were too bitter and dry. Made my mouth pucker and I don't like that from something I'm trying to enjoy. I do however like the sweeter ones a bit more.

I have no idea about the names or varieties of wine or anything. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Keep an open mind. Try some reds, whites, desert wines, rose (great in summer), and fortified wines. Then consider revisiting as your tastes will change! PrIce is not the same as performance!

Also suggest you try some sparklers (tons of variety and very food friendly).