The Alcohol-Free Wine Experience
Red, White & Rosè, Dry to Sweet, Still to Sparkling, & Alternative!
The moment people ask me about non-alcoholic wine, the first things I do is explain the difference between alcohol-removed wine and alternative wine.
There’s a difference? Yes.
If you are newer to the alcohol-free beverage scene, I think it’s important to make sure you understand the different categories available to you. There are botanical alternative spirits that are NOT trying to mimic a traditional spirit and there are one-for-one replacements to traditional gins, tequilas, whiskeys, rums, and more. There are functional products with adaptogens and botanical ingredients used to benefit your mind, body, and emotions. There are beers, ready-to-drink cocktails, and not only is there alcohol-removed wine but alternative wine!
Let’s Dig In | Alcohol-Removed Wine
Alcohol-removed wine is exactly what it says it is. Traditionally made wine (Yes! Not FAKE wine!) that has removed the alcohol. But, how?
Well, there are actually a few different ways that wine-makers have been able to extract the alcohol from their naturally grown, harvested, and fermented wines.
Vacuum Distillation
It’s a lot like how it sounds. Beautifully made Chardonnays, Merlots, Cabernets and more are put through a powerful vacuum where they are very gently heated and boiled at temperatures between 70 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The vacuum works to suction the boiling liquid without letting it get too hot because if the wines were cooked too heavily they would lose those delicious flavors and aromas that are so important to us.
Reverse Osmosis
Also called Filtration, Reverse Osmosis uses high pressure to force wine through filters that create two separate solutions. A mixer of water and alcohol and a very concentrated wine. The water and alcohol mixer is heated to burn off the alcohol and then reintegrated back into the concentrated wine. This uses a lot of water and isn’t super eco-friendly.
Spinning Cone Columns:
Spinning Cone technology seems to be the most popular and effective choice when creating full-bodied and rich alcohol-removed wines. Within the process, the traditionally made wine runs through a column with a series of different cones both fixed and spinning that carefully separate all of the wine’s components.
They do this sometimes several times to fully separate out the alcohol from the wines essential flavors and aromas. It is the centrifugal force that spreads the wine’s essential aromas into what they call an “aroma strip” which is extracted carefully from the alcoholic liquid. The rest of the wine is fed through again at a slightly higher temperature until the alcohol has been burned off. Integrated all back together again at the end to create an alcohol-removed wine that retains all of its original flavor!
The ending result is a hopefully true to flavor wines that give you all the heart-healthy antioxidants of traditional wine without the calories, sugar, or the hang-over.
BUT Does it Really Taste Like Wine?
It IS wine. Just because the alcohol has been extracted doesn’t mean that it’s magically no longer wine. So, yes, it does taste like wine. You do need to be aware, however, that without the ethanol, the burn is gone. You cannot expect it to still retain the bite of alcohol, but there are ways to help replace it.
Four fun options to try:
Try an alcohol-free bitter! All the Bitter New Orleans bitters is a great way to add a little extra ‘something-something’ to your na wine. I like adding their other bitters as well! The vinegar and spices really help.
Bubbles! When going alcohol-free or alcohol-removed, even if you aren’t usually a fan of bubbly wines, give it a shot. It can really give you that pucker that you’re looking for.
Make a sangria! Add some fruits, juices and even some sparkling water to make things fun.
Try adding a non-alcoholic spirit such as Roots Divino, either Blanco or Rosso. The Pathfinder is another great option. These spicier spirits add back some of the bite that’s missing.
Another Tip: LET IT BREATHE. With the alcohol gone, you need to give the wine more time to aerate. If you have an aerator, send it through.
The Benefits!
Alcohol-removed wine is typically about 20 calories a glass compared to 120 normally. It is also ultra low in sugar and much better for your health. Without the alcohol, the heart-healthy antioxidants (polyphenols) that are naturally in wine have a straight shot into your blood stream and into your heart.
You can enjoy the benefits of lowered blood pressure, lowered risks of certain cancers and heart disease, lowered low-density cholesterol, and more! Plus,(and this is my favorite part) I no massive headache the next day.
My Favorite Alcohol-Removed Wines
Red, White, Rosé and Sparkling:
Prima Pavè is my favorite every time when taking something to celebrate. Straight from Italy with love, this is the perfect gift for a baby shower, graduation, or any special occasion. I particularly love taking it with me on picnics. Both the Sparkling Rose Brut and the Sparkling Blanc de Blanc are brilliantly flavorful with a dry finish. They are expertly blended from elegant Italian grape varietals to create award-winning flavors that have never disappointed me or a single person I have shared them with.
A Quick Note: Many alcohol-removed wines still carry a very small trace of alcohol left over from the extraction process (less than 0.5%) but are classified as alcohol-free and are completely safe for pregnancy, etc. However, Prima Pavè is one of the few brands that have been able to completely removed the alcohol all the way down to ZERO percent.
Starla Red Blend - A bold California blend of Ruby Cabernet and Barbera grapes, the Starla Red Blend is brimming with sweet dark cherry, blackberry, bergamot, and French lavender aromatics. It has a surprisingly dry finish because of some added black pepper! Only 5 calories a glass and zero sugar. They also carry two other lovely wines - both a Sauvignon Blanc and a Sparkling Rosé.
Sovi Reserve Red - Sovi wines has been a Sèchey best-seller since day one. Grown, fermented and bottled in California, their Reserve collection stands head and shoulders above many of its competitors. Dry, with tasting notes of boysenberry, plum, cassis, and warm baking spices, the Sovi Reserve Red is a blend of a Cabernet Sauvignon and an aged Petite Syrah that has been aged in French and American barrels. Less than 0.5% ABV with a single gram of sugar. Don’t shy away from trying their other options as well.
Leitz Pinot Noir - Weinguit Eins Leitz is known for being one of the finest wine producers in all of Germany. Ruby red in color, his Pinot Noir recreation boasts flavors and aromatics of red currant and cherry with a near-dry finish. Leitz is a favorite of mine simply due to its wide range of dependable options. Not only do they have a red, but they also make a Chardonnay, Riesling (both sparkling and still), a Rosé, a sparkling Blanc de Blanc, and more.
Château del ISH - Sparkling wines by ISH in Copenhagen, Denmark are both wonderful. With origins in Southern Germany, the white is a blend of Pinot Blanc and Silvaner grapes, while the Rosé blends together Merlot and Pinot Noir. Only slightly sweet, I recommend them both. Their founder Morten Sørensen has put together a line of not only wines but also high-quality one-for-one replacements to tequila, gin, and spiced rum! They also have some neat canned ready-to-drink cocktails (I enjoy the Spritz best).
Lautus Savvy Red - Lautus de-alcoholised wines from South Africa include the Savvy Red, Savvy White (a Sauvignon Blanc), a Rosè, and a Sparkling white. I have found them all to be note worthy and among some of the best I have tried. For example, the Savvy Red is a blend of Shiraz, Pinotage, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Pair them with your meals and enjoy them just as well as any other traditional wine with just a fraction of the calories.
Noughty Rouge - Another South African wine, the Thomson & Scott’s Syrah was one of the first red wines that I truly was able to enjoy. Hints of ripe red fruits, crushed black pepper, dried rose petals and candied cherries with French oak tannins make a lovely wine to be paired with savory dishes like steak and tomatoey pastas. Beyond their red, they also boast a Blanc, a Sparkling Chardonnay, and both a Still and Sparkling Rosé. I recommend trying them all.
Some other brands that deserve some love:
Joyus - Jessica’s Sparkling Rosé and Sparkling White have been a regular grab for me for years now. She also carries a line of still wines including a red, white, and Rosè that have been winning awards and accolades for a reason.
Studio Null - Studio Null is always a best-seller and carries a truly elevated selection of high-end wines that are sourced from small, family-run vineyards in Europe, gracefully balanced and then released as some of the most superior alcohol-free wines on the market.
Buzzkill - This Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite of all the canned wines available and great for a quick option when heading out or staying in.
Oddbird - Oddbird is the largest producer of alcohol-free products in Scandinavia. Organic and crafted in France, their wines are matured for up to 12 months and then ‘liberated’ from their alcohol. Gotta love it.
So, What’s This About An Alternative?
The alternative is much different from traditionally made wine because it never was trying to be a traditionally made wine.
Whenever I had a customer come in grumbling over the alcohol-removed options, I always steered them into our alternative wine section where they could find something different but still very special. More often than not, the ones that couldn’t find an alcohol-removed option felt that way because they simply couldn’t stop comparing it to what they normally drank and loved.
The best way to switch things up then, was to try something that wasn’t trying to be a wine at all but rather just subbing in and being something special all on it’s own - in a wine glass.
Some of the options included in the Alternative Wine Selection are things that include ingredients like unfermented wine grapes, apple-cider vinegar bases, teas, and other flavorful blends of botanical ingredients.
Here Are Some Great Examples:
Jukes Cordialities - Jukes is simply one of the coolest products out there. Not only does it come in tiny concentrated bottles that are super easy to travel with, but it is made with high-quality apple-cider vinegar and other great ingredients to create elevated sipping for any occasion. Simply mix half a mini-bottle with still or sparkling water for a delicious wine alternative. Bonus tip: They can also be mixed with other spirits or even tonic to make great cocktails.
For Bitter For Worse - I honestly can’t say enough good things about For Bitter For Worse. It has been one of my regular go-to’s when looking for an alternative drink since I first tried their Eva’s Spritz. Bold. Flavorful. Plant-based. Incredible.
They’ve been winning tons of awards with all of their one-of-a-kind flavors like Rose City Fizz, Saskatoon, and the Smoky No. 5. Made specifically for a sophisticated adult palate, For Bitter For Worse is blended with all organic herbs and botanicals for joyfully robust and bitter flavors.
Rock Grace - Once again, I must always include the delicate and lovely rose and raspberry crystal elixir, Rock Grace. Zero calories, filled with adaptogens and the perfect addition to any self-care moment.
Kally - Something truly superb, Kally boasts an incredible selection of verjus that make meal-pairing magic. I got to taste them all and definitely found my favorites but they were all incredibly unique and crafted with high-quality organic ingredients. Hand-crafted to balance acidity with sweetness and tannins, Kally is an elevated verju that I always recommend.
Tost - Try a sparkling tea! White tea mixed with ginger, cranberry, elderflower and other lovely flavors and then pumped full of bubbles to create a delicious treat. It’s slightly sweet but has a lovely dry finish and also mixes very well with other spirits to make fun spritzes. (All of these do really…) Tost is simple, economically-friendly, and a wonderful addition to any occasion.
Thank for reading! If you are curious about any other brands or have specific questions about alcohol-free products, I’m always available @untoxicated.world. Cheers!
Xx Jessa