The 5 Best Sweet Red Wines For Beginners

From notes of smoked tobacco to oak trees, red wines are full of unique flavors. While this range of tastes is compelling to some, it's daunting to others. For those, white wine is a much more approachable category with its sweet, floral-leaning flavors. Still, for those curious about red wine, there are sweet reds out there. Whether these drinks have high levels of residual sugar left over from the grapes after fermentation or strong fruity flavors that trick our tastebuds, there are plenty of options to try.

If you're still wary of the vast selection, you don't have to jump right in blind. This expansive category of drinks has something for everyone, and we're here to help narrow the pool. While each style can come in a range of flavors, from dry to sweet, we have some suggestions for approachable wines newbies can start with.

To start your journey into the vast world of red wine, consider starting with a light-bodied red such as a Dornfelder. This German red wine is very fruit-forward, with notes of sweet cranberries and ripe red cherries. While the majority of these wines are dry, the fruit notes make them taste sweet and approachable while the acidity leaves a light and crisp taste on the tongue. Some varieties are sweeter dessert wines that lean deeper into this drink's fruitiness, making them well-rounded sweet reds that can entice newcomers in this category. To start, try brands such as Dr Heidemanns or Windisch.

A Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine from the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy. This effervescent drink is sold in a range of styles from dry to sweet. For beginners, starting with the sweeter variety is best. While the flavor of a sweet Lambrusco varies depending on what grapes are used, these varieties usually come with notes of watermelon, strawberry, and raspberry. Plus, this sparkling wine goes so well with fried food and dishes from across the culinary spectrum, so it's a versatile choice to have on hand. Brands like Cleto Chiarli and Medici Ermete are good places to start, as they offer a variety of quality Lambruscos that are easy to find at stores and sold at lower price points than other names. Serve these drinks chilled for the best flavor.

A port wine is a dessert wine made in Portugal. A ruby port is a young blend, one of the freshest-tasting types of fortified wines, and one of the sweetest red wines you can drink. It has a deep red hue and is fruit-forward in flavor, so it's a great choice for some easy drinking. Another port variety, tawny, is aged in barrels and is another great choice for newbies. More pale in color than the ruby thanks to the time it spends in barrels, this variety often has notes of stone fruit, nuts, and caramel. It is enjoyed as an apéritif and is often less expensive. For those eager to try a ruby port, start with a brand like Porto Cordovero or Quinta de la Rosa. For tawny, try Quinta do Vallado or Quinta das Carvalhaus.

A Brachetto d'Acqui is a sweet, semi-sparkling wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. Similar to Lambrusco, this delightfully fizzy, light-bodied wine has notes of candied fruit, flowers, and cream. It's a low-alcohol, highly aromatic young wine that's best served chilled and that pairs best with sweet dishes such as summer fruits or decadent desserts. Because of its sweet flavors, some call this wine "lovers' wine." To start, try brands like Bartenura or Rinaldi.

Schiava is an underrated wine that's so sweet in flavor, some relate it to cotton candy. This light-bodied red comes from areas in Italy and Germany. Because it's grown in different areas, it goes by different names: You might find this wine with a label like St. Maddelena, Edelvernatsch, Kleinvernatsch, Trollinger, or Black Hamburg. While this variation in names might make this wine difficult to find, its sweet flavors and versatile pairings make the hunt worth it. To avoid a temperature mistake with red wine, serve this chilled, from brands such as Albino Armani or Beurer, and alongside some fresh summer produce.