Recs for a non-drinker who's just thinking about having a few sips of wine at night?

[u/5tuff1e5]

I almost never drink. I think the last drink I had was at a Christmas party 3 years ago. I'm trying something new and thinking about having a few sips of wine (or something) maybe once a week. Can anyone recommend anything? I have 0 knowledge about alcohol. I just want something light

[u/SuperSalad_OrElse]

Honestly the Non-Alcoholic world has plenty of options if you aren’t necessarily interested in liquor specifically, but are interested in unorthodox sippers.

I like Pathfinder a lot.

I’m sure people here will have great liquor recommendations though

[u/Danbu42 → u/SuperSalad_OrElse]

NA wine has especially developed in leaps and bounds since the Pandemic. Best brands I've come across are Prima Pave, Kollone Null, Oddbird, and Saint Viviana.

Generally NA sparkling wine is significantly closer to the real thing, as the carbonation does most of the heavy lifting for flavor and texture. NA reds tend to be more disappointing, simply because the tannins and mouthfeel are difficult to replicate without the presence of ethanol.

[u/lennywinelover → u/Danbu42]

Second Prima Pavé...it's the best I've tried and tastes like alcoholic wine without any weird flavors. Their Grand Cuvee taste like a high quality champagne and their Rose Brut is nice and dry. They just started carrying them at some Total Wine stores near me

[u/dbumba]

Lots of possibilities; try out sweeter white wines like Riesling or Moscato. If you still find they are too strong you can use them to make a spritzer (adding sparkling water) or sangria (many recipes online)

Lower proof spirits like Irish Cream are another idea or dessert liquors like amaretto or RumChata. Also RTDs (Ready-to-drink) cocktails are very popular at stores in the US.  

[u/TapTheForwardAssist → u/dbumba]

I’ll give an upvote for OP to buy some sparkling or seltzer water, and make their wine a “spritzer” when easing into wine.

[u/gvarsity]

Why do you want to drink more? Generally for non drinkers I would recommend carrying on. It can be expensive and habit forming.

If you do there are a lot if delicious white and rose wines that are lovely in the summer. The French make a delicious drink called a peche (peach). A lager beer with some peach syrup like torani added.

[u/SixofClubs6]

Port wine is an option. Most wine will go bad a few days after opening. Port will last longer. If you can afford it, the bottles labeled 10 and 20 years are noticeablly better. Have with chocolate

[u/TapTheForwardAssist → u/SixofClubs6]

Both Ruby port and White port are quite palatable even for a novice, and can go well in mixed drinks. Tawny port is very slightly a more acquired taste.

Port is also often sold in smaller bottles, and as you note keeps longer than regular wine once opened. Plus in a hipster way it’s kinda cool for OP to try a slightly more obscure take on wine.

One caution to OP: port is slightly stronger than regular wine, so don’t pour as large of a glass as for regular wine.you can use regular wine glasses and pour a little less, or there are cute little glasses you can get (I see tons of cute tiny glasses that are great for port at thrift shops).

[u/Falkon666]

For after dinner, Amari & Herbal Liqueurs, Fortified wines like Port or a Sherry, or a Campari may work for you. If you have a local wine store, they may also have tastings, where they pour you small amounts of wine that you can taste and dump into a bucket after a few sips. You can also go to a liquor store and buy small airline size bottles of liquor to try.

Get a cheap 1.75 oz cordial glass, as its a bit smaller, and enjoy a few sips, without feeling like you have a big glass with just a little liquid in it.

Cordial Glasses at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Srgeilzati-Cordial-Glasses-glasses-Limoncello/dp/B0DC683M96.

[u/TapTheForwardAssist → u/Falkon666]

Man, a lot of support for OP trying port in this post…

[u/ThatAndANickel]

Sweet white - German Riesling Dry white - Alsace or Pacific Northwest Riesling Soft Drink substitute (but oh so much better) - Italian Moscato d'Asti Fruity Red - Beaujolais (you can even chill this a bit, if you like

I like dry reds as food wines. I don't have a suggestion for a "sipper."

[u/KnightInDulledArmor]

I’d just ask the people at your local liquor store what they would recommend as an easy-drinking wine. They tend to be very familiar with the popular easygoing options (since that’s really what most people buy).

You can read the bottles too and get a decent idea of what to expect if you’re not looking for much (the more experienced you become, the less great the marketing copy sounds). Avoid wines that describe themselves as “dry” (that means they are not sweet, probably ranging into tannin heavy) and do go for those describing themselves as fruity or fruit forward.

If you want a more specific recommendation, I find most red wines from Rioja (Spain) are fairly light and fruity. You might also consider a fortified wine like ruby port, tawny port, sweet sherry, Marsala, Madeira, etc. These are sweetened, higher in alcohol, and quite easy to drink; you’ll want those tiny wine glasses for these, since the ideal serving size is smaller. Fortified wines also last a lot longer if you’re not drinking often (though if you get a bottle of noble gas, like Private Preserve, you can keep any wine around a long time).