I need help with wine choices please

[OceanFantasys]

Hi everyone. I was wondering if you can give me some advice on wine. I am not much of a drinker but decided I want to try a wine package on my next cruise. I know I don't like anything dry or sour tasting. I think I would prefer more of a fruity wine but not a real cheap one. I will say that I have tried white zin but didn't like it too much.. Do I need to stick with a red or white wine? I know everyone has different tastes but am hoping someone can give me some brand names to try. Thanks everyone.:)

[grannynurse]

If you don't like dry wine stay away from the HAL "house" wines. The Navigator package may work for you. HAL has a piesporter Reisling (white) that's very good, and a Vouvray. Red wine is usually not sweet. Concord grape wines are sweet.

Speak to the sommelier and ask for the natural sugar content. Any above 3% will not be too dry. 5% is very sweet. The white varietal wines like Gevurtztraminer and Reisling should suit you. The oak barrel chardonnays would be too dry. Sauvignon blanc would be another good choice..

Hope this helps.

GN

[sondrad]

Tough question, since taste for wine is so subjective. Here's my 2-cents worth, though. If you're not much of a wine drinker and don't care for dry wines, you would probably enjoy the whites a bit more then the reds. DH and I usually recommend Riesling to our friends that aren't big wine drinkers. It's a light, fruity, not overly dry wine.

 

Wikepedia describes it "Unlike Chardonnay, most Riesling do not undergo malolactic fermentation. This helps preserve the tart, acidic characteristic of the wine that gives Riesling its “thirst-quenching” quality."

 

As for brands, I'm not sure that I can help you with that. DH and I tend to drink Rieslings from the Finger Lakes in NY, so maybe someone else could help with that. Here's a place where you can search by ratings http://forbes.wineexpress.com/search.aspx

 

Happy drinking.

[peaches from georgia]

Discuss your tastes with the sommelier when you order. He can give you the best advice and knows what he has available that would suit you best. You are going to get confused getting recommendations from a lot of different people who are advising based on their own preferences and what you get will depend on what the ship has in your price range anyway. Enjoy.

[OceanFantasys]

Thank you everyone. :)

[Spender Nui]

As others have said, wine taste is subjective.

 

For me reisling is too sweet as is white zinfandel.

 

I'd suggest you consider a Beaujolais for red and perhaps a light chardonnay for white.

 

You might consider the wine tasting when you sail.

 

Not easy ... but I hope you enjoy whatever you choose.

[prescottbob]

Ahoy!

 

I think if your unfamiliar with the various wines (reds, whites, dry, sweet, etc.) then a wine tasting in your local community would be a consideration. Whether it be through a special wine tasting night at a local restraunt, community service club or a get together with friends (that each bring a favorite wine) would be in order prior to your cruise. Liquor stores and wine specialty shops are often good resources for information on planned wine tastings in your area.

 

In so far as labels, there are thousands of wineries out there. Once you know what sort of wine you enjoy explore your store(s) and try brands you've never heard of and calibrate your taste buds accordingly.

HAL packages, in my opinion, have a variety of wines which I think you would enjoy. However, if you enjoy, say, just a couple of white varietal sweet wines I would ask your wine steward if you would be able to substitute the reds for 'your whites' or forget the package altogether and just purchases the types of wines you enjoy. I would not buy the packages over the internet since there is no price difference and the wine steward will not get the credit for the sale. There's really not much savings using the packages other than the fact that the steward will try to try to point you to the upscale wines if you buy them individually while aboard.

 

Another option,of course, is that if you find wines that you really enjoy during your exploratory/tasting stage on shore then bring them aboard at embarkation and pay the dinning room corkage fee ($15). Generally your steward will only charge this once or twice depending on the length of your cruise (and he/she will expect a nice gratuity at the end of the trip for doing so). Further, get to know your HAL wine steward. They are quite knowledgable and wine tastings are available in the dinning room on certain sea days on most cruises. And, I might add, the Pinnacle usually features a 'pairing' dinner' (each dish with a different wine) which I highly recommend.

Best of luck and enjoy!:)

 

Bon Voyage and Good Health,

 

Bob