Moxie Vino

What is the best sweet wine?

The best sweet wine for most people is Stella Rosa Moscato (about $13) for a white, Stella Rosa Black (about $13) for a red, and Riunite Lambrusco (about $7) if you want something fizzy and cheap.

Liking sweet wine is not a phase you have to grow out of. Plenty of great wines are sweet on purpose. The best ones balance their sugar with a fresh, zingy edge so they taste juicy instead of syrupy. Serve all of these cold, because chilling keeps the sweetness bright.

Sweet whites

  • 1. Stella Rosa Moscato

    about $13

    MoscatoGood buy

    Peach, apricot and a light fizz, with low alcohol. The bottle that turns "I don't like wine" into "okay, maybe I do."

  • 2. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

    about $9

    Riesling

    The regular (not Dry) version is gently sweet with a crisp green-apple zing. Fantastic with spicy Thai or Indian takeout.

  • 3. Barefoot Moscato

    about $7

    MoscatoGood buy

    Sweet, simple, honeyed and very cheap. Better over ice or in a punch than as a dinner wine.

Sweet reds

  • 4. Stella Rosa Black

    about $13

    Red blendGood buy

    Blackberry and raspberry, lightly sparkling, served cold. Like a grown-up berry soda with a kick.

  • 5. Riunite Lambrusco

    about $7

    LambruscoIt's fine

    Fizzy, cherry-sweet and refreshingly unserious. Try it with pizza and you will get why Italians drink Lambrusco with salty food.

  • 6. Banfi Rosa Regale

    about $22

    Brachetto

    Sparkling, ruby-red and tastes like fresh raspberries and roses. The fancy-feeling sweet red for Valentine's Day or chocolate dessert.

Sweet pink and dessert

  • 7. Sutter Home White Zinfandel

    about $6

    ZinfandelIt's fine

    Strawberry-candy pink and unashamed about it. The original sweet rosé, and still the cheapest way into the style.

  • 8. Graham's Six Grapes Reserve Port

    about $23

    Port blend

    Rich, dark and sweet, with more alcohol than table wine, so pour small. Perfect with brownies or blue cheese.

Good to know

Look for these words: Moscato, Lambrusco, Riesling, "semi-sweet"
They usually signal sweetness. Words like "Dry" or "Brut" on the label usually mean the opposite.
Low alcohol often means sweeter
When winemakers stop fermentation early, sugar stays in the wine and alcohol stays low. A bottle around 5 to 9% alcohol is almost always sweet.
Serve it colder than you think
Straight from the fridge is right for sweet whites and fizzy reds. Warm sweet wine tastes heavy and sticky.

More lists

Last checked 2026-10-04. Selection and prices vary by store and state.