Women's Day
Credit, Ni'Kesia Pannell
The Best Non-Alcoholic Wines to Try Right Now
Women's Day - Credit, Ni'Kesia Pannell
If you're sober-curious, these are the best brands to buy according to wine experts.
From Dry January to pregnancy to religious beliefs and beyond, there are plenty of reasons to seek out a non-alcoholic drink — and if you enjoy the taste of wine but want to skip the booze, dealcoholized wine is a great option. "Just because you're not drinking for whatever reason doesn't mean you can't enjoy a meal with a delicious beverage pairing," says Ricardo Zarate, the sommelier and director of operations at Valentina, a restaurant in San Diego, California.
The non-alcoholic (NA) wine trend has taken off in recent years, delivering a way for people to reduce their alcohol intake while still enjoying the taste of wine's unique flavors and qualities. "The category has changed so much over the past five years, much like the non-alcoholic beer and non-alcoholic spirits categories have," says cocktail expert Paul Zahn. "NA wines are a great choice when you don't want to drink but do want to have a fancy wine glass with something tasty in it."
We did the research and spoke to experts to find the best-tasting non-alcoholic wines, so that you can find the perfect option to fit your preferences, including NA reds, whites, rosés, and bubblies. Whatever your reason for wanting to cut down on alcohol, these picks are a great place to start.
1- Ariel Alcohol-Removed Cabernet Sauvignon Wine
A best-seller on Amazon, Ariel's Cabernet Sauvignon is an oak-aged NA wine that is rich in flavor. Its aromas of black currants, cherry, blueberries, and chocolate, making it the ideal pairing for foods like chili, pizza, carne asada, and more.
2- French Bloom Le Blanc Alcohol-Free Sparkling Wine
Anointed the world's best alchol-free sparkling wine at the 2022 World Sparkling Wine Awards, this beverage is made from Chardonnay grapes sourced in the South of France. Each smooth, refreshing sip is filled with the flavor of fruit and hints of spice; it's best paired with seafood.
3- Surely Non-Alcoholic Pinot Noir
Available in multiple varieties, Zarate recommends that anyone looking to start drinking non-alcoholic wines check out the Surely brand. Made from premium Californian vineyard grapes, Surely's pinot noir is fruity, balanced, and rich and pairs perfectly with beef, cheese, chicken, and lamb.
4- Sovi Non-Alcoholic Reserve Red
Founded by a former sommelier, this woman-owned non-alcoholic wine brand is crafted with sustainably grown grapes from California vineyards and is just 12 calories per five-ounce serving. Using traditional winemaking methods, Sovi fans say the flavor, texture, and balance matches what you'd find in a traditional glass of wine, but with just traces of alcohol content.
5- Freixenet Alcohol-Free Sparkling Rosé
If you're looking for something bubbly to celebrate with, try a bottle from the world's leading Cava producer. Perfect on its own or in a refreshing mocktail, this dealcoholized Spanish sparkling wine is fruit-forward. Available in two options, the sparkling rosé features notes of wild berries and tropical fruit, while the sparkling white is a mix of tropical and citrus flavors.
6- Gruvi Non-Alcoholic Bubbly Rose
You'll want to sip rose all day with this gluten- and alcohol-free fruity sip. Delivering notes of tart, green apple and fresh strawberry, this light-pink pour is only 60 calories per single-serving bottle.
7- Stella Rosa Naturals Non-Alcoholic Black
If you know anything about the Stella Rosa brand, you know it's popular for a reason. And just like its alcoholic options, the brand's wine alternatives are generating a lot of buzz, too.
"Stella Rosa Naturals are the perfect swap out for your favorite bottle of sparkling wine," says Zahn. "Stella Rosa offers a wide variety of flavors — like peach and rosè — so you can sip them or mix them up in an alcohol-free spritz. They’re made in Italy and all-natural, so I love them as an elevated NA wine option."
8- Three Spirit Spark Blurred Vines
Looking for a non-alcoholic wine that can put a little pep in your step? Three Spirit's Spark collection may be exactly what you're looking for.
"This wine includes a touch of natural caffeine via green tea and theanine," explains Zahn. "It also contains biotin, which is reportedly beneficial to hair and nail growth — and you won’t wake up with a pounding headache from a hangover!"
9- Fre Non-Alcoholic Chardonnay
Crisp and tart, this non-alcoholic white wine is harvested from California vineyard grapes and has notes of tropical fruits.
10- Thomson & Scott Noughty Sparkling Chardonnay
Low in sugar, this organic sparkling Chardonnay offers up just 14 calories per glass, delivering the perfect way to celebrate sans hangover.
11- TÖST All-Natural Alcohol-Free Sparkling Beverage
Available in two alcohol-free flavors, TÖST is a sparkling alternative that you may just find yourself wanting to drink everyday. Made with agave for a touch of sweetness, each bottle — depending on which variety you choose — contains just 10 or 11 grams of sugar and 40 or 45 calories.
12- Pierre Chavin Perle Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rose Wine
Made with a Chardonnay grape blend in France, this beverage is perfect for any special occasion you have coming up. Light pink in color with a rose petal-like aroma, the perfectly balanced flavors deliver a sweet freshness that's hard to forget.
13- Jøyus Sparkling Wine
Perfectly balanced, this sparkling wine will leave you feeling refreshed with just one sip. Featuring floral and pear aromas and notes of green apples and ripe melon, this low-sugar drink delivers only 30 calories per serving.
14- Princess Alternativa Bianco Dry Dealcoholized Non-Alcoholic White Wine
Produced in Italy through traditional winemaking methods, this dry white wine delivers a rich floral aromas and hints of cut-grass and honey.
15- Leitz x Boisson Blanc Non-Alcoholic Wine
A crisp white blend with notes of honey, gooseberries, lime, and citrus along with aromatic herbs, it'll make you feel like you're drinking the real thing.
Is non-alcoholic wine really alcohol-free?
Most "dealcoholized" and "alcohol-removed" wines will still have traces of alcohol. The FDA only allows the use of these terms for products with no more than 0.5% alcohol content. According to the FDA's rules, the phrase "alcohol-free" can only be used on beverages that offer 0% ABV.
Take note that unlike dealcoholized wines, which start out as standard, alcoholic wines and then go through a process that removes the alcohol, "wine alternatives" are made from a blend of ingredients, like tea or kombucha, meant to mimic the taste of wine.
Is non-alcoholic wine healthy?
For those avoiding alcohol for health reasons, NA wine can be an excellent option. Some people can't metabolize alcohol or have dietary restrictions that prevent them from consuming alcohol, due to certain medications or health restrictions. In those cases, alcohol-free wine is certainly a more suitable choice than booze. It's also typically lower in calories than "regular" wine.
If you have a condition in which you're supposed to avoid even trace amounts of alcohol, you should check in with your doctor first before drinking any NA wine or wine alternative.
Does non-alcoholic wine taste like real wine?
Some non-alcoholic wines can come close to approximating the flavor and texture of wine, but those are hard to come by. There's still a distinction between texture and balance of non-alcoholic and alcoholic wines.
How long is non-alcoholic wine good for?
Unlike its alcohol based counterpart, non-alcoholic wines have a much shorter shelf life when opened. The time frame only is usually only one to two years. Once opened, however, the experts we spoke with recommend consuming non-alcoholic wine within four or five days.
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