Is the best non-alcoholic wine we tasted even... wine?
No. But! we did find a few that are worth spending your money on.
Over the last few months, together with wine show judge, rabble rouser and wine thinker, Robert Joseph and a separate panel of California wine professionals and enthusiast collectors, we set out to find great DRINKS that would appeal to a wine lover’s palate. Something with interesting flavor and texture, that could happily sit on wine lists, retail store shelves, or in a home fridge.
We evaluated a range of best-selling NA wine offerings, plus some wine-adjacent products that are either packaged like wine, positioned like wine or a grape-based product. We used the standard assessment criteria for wine — color, nose and palate, and applied the Five-Star rating system to the 45 SKUs which ranged in price from $5 to $50.
We also added three questions:
1. Is it WINE?
2. Who (did we believe) this product is designed for?
3. Would we pay to drink it again?
Our 5 Top Takeaways:
1. Sparkling wines and unoaked white grape varieties remain the clear quality leaders.
2. Most back labels showed calories per serving and sugar levels.
3. Serving sizes, calories and sugar measurements are inconsistent across the category.
4. Shelf-life varies across the category so drink it young and fresh.
5. Spoiler alert - 4 of the Top 10 ranked were wine proxies or tea.
Here were our highlights…
Tea for Two:
The clear winners of the tasting in first and second place were sparkling teas from Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company. Yes, sparkling tea.
In fact, tea was the base ingredient in more than these two. Which makes sense, considering tea's ability to impart aroma, texture and tannin. We tasted two of the four products that the Copenhagen Tea Company produce. Their packaging cues read like bottle-fermented sparkling wine. According to their website, they also produce two low-alcohol teas at 5%, which we are curious to taste.
Riesling Wins Again:
Our top-ranked grape varietal for NA wine is, no surprise, Riesling.
As a variety it lends itself well to vibrant aromas, refreshing flavor profiles and can carry a little sweetness - a key attribute in navigating the challenges of palate structure and flavor in NA winemaking. Dr No, Leitz and Giesen made the Top 10 — all traditional wine producers who have delved into the NA category and are doing it well.
Sparkling Standouts:
Thompson and Scott's Noughty sparkling are worth a shoutout, and with the Rose at 0.0% tap a lucrative market of absolute ZERO alcohol - which not all NA products do, with many coming in at "less than 0.5%".
Savory Proxies:
The two terrific surprises in the Top 10 were For Bitter or Worse "Eva's Spritz" and Proxies "Blanc Slate". Both grape-based products show complex flavor profiles and mouthfeel that would appease anyone looking for more intrigue in their glass than simple ripe fruit flavors may offer. Both had very low sugar levels relative to the category.
Which raises the topic we don't like to talk about. SUGAR. Let it be said that if you choose to, or need to watch your sugar intake, the NA drinks are a buyer-beware category. More detail on this subject in a follow-up piece.
By the end of the tasting, the white tablecloth was stained, spittoons were full, and we were left with overwhelming sugar headaches. As one panel member quipped, "I'm totally sober, and this is the weirdest party I've ever been to at your house."
Distribution for these products is still scant, but Boisson have a growing national chain of stores, some sites sell direct, or you can trust Adrienne and Jake at Dry Goods Beverage Company for their online store selection. Tell them we sent you!
Watch This Space:
The zero-alcohol space is changing and improving almost daily, as technology, skills and general understanding of the challenges improves. As we write this, French Bloom — makers of one of our top 10 here — with backing from the Taittinger family, have launched a zero-alc sparkling Chardonnay that will sell for over $100. There are also rumors that LVMH is working on a super-premium effort of its own that could hit the streets this year.
We’ll keep you posted.
Here are our Top 10 Recommendations:
FIVE STARS
1. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company - Lyserød Sparkling Rosé $40
Origin: Kobenhavn, Denmark
Silver needle / oolong / hibiscus
Alcohol: 0.0%, Calories 80 /liter, Sugar 20g /liter
A sophisticated drink. palate is bone dry, and lifted with floral, plum skin, red currant, jasmine, fresh tea, finishes bone dry and refreshing. Would drink again.
2. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company - Blå Sparkling White $40
Origin: Kobenhavn, Denmark
Jasmine, white tea, darjeeling
Alcohol level 0.0%, Calories 200 /liter, Sugar 50 gm / liter
A well-integrated, harmonious tea that highlights the distinct characters of each tea, and the harmony of the blend. Like wine! Palate is medium sweet showing yellow fruits, chamomile, saffron spice, and jasmine. The finish is off dry with a firm tannin finish. Definitely a fine-dining offering.
3. Dr Lo Riesling Alcohol removed Riesling $22
Origin: Mosel, Germany
Alcohol level - less than 0.5%, Calories 80 per 355ml, Sugar 15g per 355ml
It's Riesling! Bright lemon sherbet, and curd aromas with sweet crunchy pear and stone fruit flavors, and complexity. Palate finishes dry and refreshing - a safe bet from a reliable producer.
4.5 STARS
4. Prima Pave Rose Brut $25
Origin: Lavis, IT
Alcohol: 0.0%, Calories: 19 per 100ml, Sugar: 3.2g per 100ml
Bright, lifted red fruits crushed rose petals, and green strawberry fruits, the carbonation is assertive and bright. Rhubarb and red fruit flavors make this sparkling a great Rose sparkling for wedding toasts, and celebrations.
5. For Bitter or Worse Eva's Non-Alcoholic Spritz $27
Origin: Oregon, USA
Alcohol: less than 0.5%, Calories 25 per 120ml, Sugar: 5g / 120ml
A drink for people who love savory flavors and tannin. Complex aromas of orange peel, cold tea, mandarin peel on nose, the palate is crémant in style, with creamy licorice root, quinine, rhubarb, citrus peel, bitter on the finish. A sophisticated drink for people who love tannin in their drink.
6. Proxies non-alcoholic wine alternative "Drink Blanc Slate" $25
Origin: Canada
Alcohol 0, Calories : 60 per 250ml, Sugar: 10g per 250ml
A great glass of intrigue. bright green notes of fennel, basil and chamomile on the nose with cold chrysanthemum golden tea notes palate has good acidity and complexity. A quality proxy that will appeal to an adventurous drinker.
7. Leitz Eins Zweit Zero Riesling alcohol-free $18
Origin: Mosel, Germany
Alcohol less than 0.5% Calories : 20 per 118ml, Sugar: 4.5g per 118ml
Drinks drier than sugar indicates: bright and classic Riesling characters of citrus, lemon lime soda, tangerine and some floral lift. Palate is bright and refreshing. Perfect for any Riesling lover.
8. Giesen dealcoholized NZ Riesling $16
Source: New Zealand
Alcohol 0%, calories: 80 per 360ml, sugar 22g per 360ml
Off dry with bright lemon curd aromas and white floral. Good off dry Riesling style some fresh Riesling characters - a terrific brunch wine with fresh fruits and light dishes.
9. Thomson and Scott Noughty DA sparkling rose $22
Source: Spain
Alcohol 0%, calories 18 per 100ml, sugar 4g per 100ml
Off dry style with strawberry, raspberry, summer compote fruit. Palate is lifted with red summer fruits, raspberry and strawberry, with good creaminess on palate and finishes clean. Good aperitif sparkling.
10. French bloom organic French bubbly $44
Alcohol 0% calories 19 per 100ml, Sugar 4.2g/100ml
Sweeter style with yellow delicious apple, cold tea, bruised pears and orchard fruits. Perfect for someone with a sweeter tooth and a good dessert sparkling, or pair with salty charcuterie offerings.
