Wine

[colormist]

I don't know if I feel adventurous enough yet, but I was curious as to which brands of red wine that you find safe to drink? My husband has become interested in drinking wine (finally, after 15 years of drinking beer) and I wanted to try out a bottle or two.

Also, champagne? I remember trying one particular brand that actually didn't taste sweet OR make me sick. I might try to pick up a bottle, if I can find it. But I was wondering if you guys had had any success with it?

[julienc]

I've never been a big wine drinker, but I do tolerate the red Merlots and Cabernet's fairly well. Typically just one glass...anything beyond that and I get a bit queasy. I can't think of any particular brand that I like since I have it so rarely and almost never buy it. I now stay away from all whites, but I used to drink the dry savignon blanc in moderation.

As for champagne, there was this one brand that I used to love and could drink it in fairly large quantities. I just googled it - I'm pretty sure this is the brand, but the bottle looks different. It has been over 6 years, so they probably did change their marketing:

Domaine Chandon, 'Blanc De Noir Napa Valley, sparkling wine, blend

I used to live over the hill from Napa, so it was readily available in that area. Not sure if it is widely found, but I somewhat recall finding a bottle here a few years ago for New Year's.

Colormist - let me know if you try that champagne you're talking about. I do love champagne, but I got sooooo sick off of it at my graduation party from college that I haven't really touched it since. And no, not sick from the alcohol - sick from all the sugar.

[millan]

I drink red wine occationally.
I like Beaujolais Royal, Bourgogne Rouge and JP Chenet Cabernet-Syrah.

My dietician has investigated some and it seems as though French red wine in general is fermented for a longer time, so more of the sugars disappear from those than from the wines from German, Spain and Italy.

I don't know how wine from other countries compare. I have only found one wine that I *really* like (not only found ok) that's not French and that one I only had half a glass of so I'll reserve judgment until I've tasted more...

[mballerina]

Hello,

I am so glad this came up! I am very much 'into' wine and against my better judgement indulge in the wines i am not supposed to.

In terms of champagne, the only stuff you can trust to be dry enough and without added sugar is Moet, Veuve Cliquot or Lanson, you cannot even attempt any of the italian prosecco as they are super super sweet and some of the french sparkling wines are also quite sweet.

Most whites are actually a problem: the worst in degree is Sauternes, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer.....
the most reliably dry is cheap table wine, bordeaux, and such.

For reds this is a bit of a forest as it depends on producers. The sweetest reds come from Pay d'oc and are the cheapest. Usually merlots are quite on the dry to sweet side. On the other hand red meat dry is Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Temparanillo, Pure Shiraz.
Medium to light is usually Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Valpolicella, Rioja.

I usually try to stay in the mediums and the chilean, argentinian blends of merlot and cab or merlot and shiraz. They are very safe. I used to do that in Canada. Now living in switzerland these blends aren't available and so it gets a bit difficult and I get sick a lot.

If you want to go safe and dry I reccomend specifically:
Shiraz (Australia), Malbec (argetina) blends from Chile or Argentina,

Chianti (Italy), valpolicella (italy), bordeaux (france), rioja (spain). (the taste depends on producer so if it tastes bad to you or the light ones make you sick that usually indicates a crappier producer which fortifies the wine by adding sugar during the process)

For whites, i suggest good ol fashion french champagne, whites from bordeaux, pinot grigios....the general rule is the yellower it is the sweeter it is.

Good tip: if you swish you wine around the glass in that all pretentious wine snob way. You can tell how alcoholic or sugar loaded it it by the amount it coats the glass. So if your wine has only 12% rather than 13.5 or 14% and its putting a thick coat on the glass its sugar. For reds if it is 13-15% and its coating the glass, there is very little sugar and you will need a steak and a cane by the end of the bottle.

If you are willling to spend 20-40 dollars for some good red that is rewarding you for you fructose intolerance I suggest: AMARONE, BAROLO, CHATEAU-NEUF-DE-PAPE. It will cost you, but you can't have fructose, you deserve it !!!!

Warmest Regards to all of you dealing with this difficulty!

[ukbill]

;(
Wish I could drink wine.. I love the taste of a good dry Red wine.. but it gives me such a serious kicking.. more than 2 teaspoons full is too much.

Beer so long as its German Purity standards stuff or good quality micro brewery beer is fine though and pure alcohol made from the wine is good also.

Beer made from sweet corn and other odd stuff is no good. (Stella Pills etc.) after a couple of pints I start to "feel it" and have to stop drinking.

Wheat Beer is usually OK for a couple or 3 pints.. after that I'm usually ready for bed anyway .. Wheat beer is Strong stuff.. and I'm a light weight drinker as well most of the time.

[nicoleh]

does that mean I can have beer batter fish Bill?

anyone know which Australian beers are fructose ok? I've never drunk it in my life but would love to be able to use wine or beer in cooking at the moment. Though I have to keep fructose less than 20mg/day, so maybe even these driest ones are not ok?

[colormist]

I love beer batter fish so much. I don't each much fish, but half of the fish that I eat is beer-battered cod. mmmm

[ukbill]

OK beer in Australia I can report on been I as I tried a few when over.

Most are made form Maize therefore most likely something like HFCS or Corn sugar which is still +4% Fructose.

I cannot drink more than a few tin'ies before starting to "feel" the sugar of Castlemain xxxx or similar.

I have just looked at the "twenty best beers in Australia" as published in "The Australian" and can recommend the Coopers Pale ale. I did not find or test any of the others.

The Real Ales for sale in the Beach Hotel Byron Bay were all fine and I tried about 10 of them one night and other than not being able to find my way home after I was fine sugar wise.

OF course I can eat beer battered fish.. I even make my own when in the UK