I’ve never been a wine fan (unless you count vermouth as a wine). But I’m willing to experiment if you can help me. Some background:
I don’t like reds at all, but can tolerate wine.
My favorite drinks are Canadian whiskey, vodka, and hard ciders.
I have a real sweet tooth.
So what is the best wine for me to try? Are there any reds that I could try? Is it worth investigating stuff like rose wines, ports, or sherries?
Dessert wine (including red ones)? Sweet sherry, port, fortified wine, Vin Santo, etc.? Californian wines with a high alcohol content? Sweet Champagne?
You like vermouth but not wine? That surprises me.
Ok, try some fino or manzanilla sherries. Tio Pepe and Lustau are fairly easy to find but I would suggest trying La Garoccha if you can find it. I think the oxidative nature of those might be enjoyable for you.
Rose wines, particularly from the Provence region of France might me something you like.
There is a sweet sparkling style of red wine from Italy called Brachetto you may enjoy. Not easy to locate but a store with an extensive selection of Italian wines in a major metro area should be able to help you out.
I would recommend white port rather than a tawny port. Niepoortshould be the easiest to locate.
If you go with a red port maybe one in the ruby category would be up your alley.
I’m not going to suggest a sweet Champagne. Maybe a quality Moscato from a producer such as Vietti, Vajra or even Saracco. Avoid crap like Barefoot or other mass produced wines.
Still whites worth trying may be Cotes du Rhone Blanc from Guigal or Famille Perrin. Not expensive and juicy orchard (peach) flavors though they are dry wines.
I hope this helps. Wine is amazing and there are so many styles and grape varieties I have a hard time believing you wouldn’t find a type you enjoy.
Manischewitz then.
I’ve noticed that a lot of wines these days have a scale from 1 to 10 on the label, with the sweetness of the wine indicated. So take a look for that when you go shopping.
I’m not a big wino, but when I do partake, I like a medium-sorta-sweetish wine. Two types that work for me are Gewürztraminer and Johannesburg Riesling (note, not just any Riesling).
And possibly not just any Johannesburg Riesling either. Try Concannon or Wente Bros if you can find them – these come from Livermore, Ca., which is a little drier and warmer than some other areas. This affects the water / sugar ratio in the grapes, making them a bit sweeter than similar wines from, say, Napa Valley. Or so I’m told by people who (might) know a bit more about wines than me.
I have no idea what’s commonly available where you are, though I’m guessing we’re in different countries so this may be of minimal relevance…but some Portuguese reds may be worth a go, if you want to try red. The rich roundness of a Douro can be almost syrupy.
I’d recommend Sauternes , Tokaji, Beerenauslese, or Noble Late Harvest. Or Constantia if you can get it.
My favorite wines are Beaujolais, and they might be “sweet” if by that you mean “nothing that overpowers whatever sweet taste it does have”. While they are neither dry nor sweet, Beaujolais are light-bodied and fruity without a lot of tannins or heaviness and are not aged in oak barrels that would further enhance these flavors.
For a starter on these, I’d recommend Beaujolais-Villages which are consistent and cheap. The famous Beaujolais Nouveau are cheap and often excellent but vary from year to year. Cru Beaujolais, with various sub-appelations like Brouilly and Morgon that are all slightly different but still produce from the same Gamay grape, are usually even more fruity than the already-fruity Beaujolais, but can get more expensive (although still almost always less than $40) and also vary from year by year.
Rosa Regale is a Brachetto commonly available most places. For a mid-sweet red, I really like German Dornfelders. The brand I’m drinking with red meat meals is Vlackenburg at less than $15 a 750ml bottle, and others may be drier or more diabeetus-inducing. You might have to call a couple places to find one, but they’re inexpensive and if you like purple grape juice, you should enjoy one, if not alone, then with a red wine appropriate meal.
As Snegoid mentions, for whites, Rieslings and Gerwurztraminers will be the next step drier than moscatoes. They have a great taste, usually without much oak or tannin.
I recommend a German white wine of the type called “liebfraumilch”. It isn’t sticky-sweet but it’s in your sweetness zone as you’ve described it.
What are you looking for in wine? Are you looking for something to drink along with a meal? Are you looking for something to sip during appetizers? Are you looking to pair with a sweet dessert? Do you want a crisp glass of chilled wine to sip at the pool?
If we knew more about what you plan to do with the wine it might focus the answers you get.
I’m not an expert, but my wife got me into wine awhile back. If you haven’t yet, you might download the Vivino app on your phone…it allows you to take a pic of the label of a bottle, which brings up user reviews. On the cheap, for something bright and refreshing, Trader Joe has these. Trader Joe's Has Bottled Bellinis For Summer Parties - Simplemost
Yeah, this.
I think you should drink a lot of white table wines with your dinner, then move up to reds, which are better.
Personally, I drink table reds from France, Italy, and Spain when I cook French, Italian, Spanish, or Greek food. Table whites if the main course is fish.
If dinner is Asian, North Europe, British, or New World, I drink beer.
I’m primarily interested in a pre-dinner drink, because that’s the primary time I drink. More often than not I drink water with the actual dinner.
You might try Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Tawny Port. Not too sweet, but fruity, runs about $30-$40/bottle. Port is usually a dessert wine, but would go well with appetizers like almonds and Stilton cheese.
If pre-dinner I’m going to again suggest a fino sherry or white port.
Son, you’ve got your subject and predicate in the wrong goddam order.
Me? Uncultured slob … in the summer I cut to the chase and get a premix sangria like Yago or Beso del Sol and have it on the rocks. I jokingly call premix sangrias the soda pop of the wine world - I detest tannic corky dry wine, and make no pretense about liking my wine sweet and on ice.
Honestly, drink what you like and don’t try to be cultured … if you want sweet, go for sangria. Find a flavor profile to your taste and enjoy [it also has the benefit of being cheaper than 'name’wines]
I would also suggest you try wine with a meal as well. There are plenty of resources to help pair things up but start easy with something like fish and a nice German Reisling or an Italian Orvieto. Treat it like you would a new scotch, try the wine before the food and with,it is similar to adding water to a scotch to open up flavour profiles. It works the same way. Another thing that works really well is a charcuterie platter with a nice Rose, otherwise known as adult Lunchables with juice box if you aren’t feeling fancy. 
Another great pairing is prosecco with fish and chips. It’s awesome!
Look for the flavours in the nose, the way it feels in your mouth, and the flavours after you swallow. Don’t rely on what the label says either, trust your own sense of taste.
As others noted, if you prefer sweet use the labelling at the store as a guide to find some varieties that run into the higher numbers. Have fun with it!