There are numerous sweet wines that are significantly better than white zinfandel. Here are a few wines to consider before you reach for that bottle (or box) of white zin.
Riesling
There are two complementary types of Riesling that would be a good substitute for White Zin: Californian and German Riesling.
1. Californian Riesling
Most Californian Riesling will be a good substitute for White Zinfandel. It may lack the complexity of German Riesling but provides a decent alternative to white zin.
2. German Riesling
You want a wine with either Spatlese or Auslese on the label. German wine comes in 6 different levels of sweetness: Kabinett, Spatlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein, and Trockenbeerenauslese.
Also look for wines from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
**Caution: If you like sweet wines stay away from German Riesling with the word “Trocken” on the bottle, or Riesling from the Alsace region of France. Be careful buying Australian Riesling as well.
