Non-alc 101: Our favorite non-alcoholic wines
“Non-alcoholic wines are just grape juice!” Oh honey… all wine is just grape juice when you think about it. Wine just happens to be juice that sits around long enough for the yeast that sits on the grapes and in the air to do its thing, eat the sugar in the grapes and turn it into alcohol, and then sits around in barrels for a little longer. It’s just juice that does a lot of sitting, really. So, no reason to be judgey.
Jokes aside, I hear this complaint from a lot of people, mostly based on the fact that they had a non-alcoholic wine once that was, in fact, just juice, sans fermentation or aging. And while there’s nothing wrong with delicious grape juice, it does indeed lack the depth and subtle nuances that come from fermentation and aging in wooden barrels (or steel tanks, or concrete, you get the idea). For many of us, a great and complex wine is almost a must to accompany a wonderful meal, or to simply enjoy on its own.
Luckily, there’s a new generation of excellent non-alcoholic wines that did in fact go through all the fermentation and sitting around in barrels, with an extra step that removes the alcohol from the product. This is called de-alcoholized wine and generally denotes a wine that gets as close as it can be to its alcoholic counterpart. There are several methods to remove alcohol from wine, with fancy names such as vacuum distillation and reverse osmosis, but the general idea is to remove the alcohol in such a gentle manner that the wine flavors and texture stay mostly intact. No, we’re not just boiling the thing until the alcohol evaporates and destroys everything else with it.
Aside from de-alcoholized wines, there’s also wine alternatives, or “proxies”, that are similar to wines in "occasion” (serve in a nice wine glass and drink on its own or pair with food), but that aren’t really trying to taste like wines. Some of these may contain grapes, some are based on (fermented) teas to recreate the tannic mouthfeel of wine, but their flavors don’t really match any traditional wines.
In this post, I’ll list some of my favorite de-alcoholized non-alcoholic wines for all different types of wine - sparkling, white, rosé, and red. In addition, I’ll also mention some wine alternatives I really like. Keep in mind, there are so many different options out there, and this is just a list of my personal favorites, based on the (somewhat limited) number of wines I’ve tasted. You might have totally different preferences, so it’s always worth trying some other options. A good non-alcoholic bottle shop will be able to advise you based on what you’re looking for!
I’ve linked some of these to the ProofNoMore online shop* where you can get 10% off your entire order with the code THIRDPLACEBAR!
Sparkling Wines
Prima Pavé Blanc De Blancs: My favorite sparkling white - so far unbeaten. It’s on the acidic side and you can taste the funk of the fermentation. This is as close to an alcoholic sparkling wine as you can get.
Sovi Sparkling: A delicious sparkling white, maybe a tad sweeter than the Prima Pavé. I love the single-serve cans!
Surely Brut: Another excellent sparkling white wine in convenient single-serve cans! SHOP HERE and use code THIRDPLACEBAR for 10% off!
Studio Null Sparkling Verdejo: This is an excellent slightly more full-bodied sparkling white wine compared to the two others.
White Wines
Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Riesling: Hands down, one of the best non-alcoholic wines (not just whites) out there. It’s a Riesling, not overly sweet, with delicious notes of rhubarb and beeswax. A wonderful pairing for a cheese board. SHOP HERE and use code THIRDPLACEBAR for 10% off!
Studio Null Grüner Weiss: An excellent crisp and mineraly white wine with notes of citrus, made with a blend of Grüner Veltliner and Gelber Muskateller.
Rosé Wines
Noughty Rosé: This is a delightful crisp rosé with notes of strawberry and stone fruit.
Giesen Alcohol-Removed New Zealand Rosé: A popular rosé wine with hints of strawberry and white peach. This is usually one of the most affordable options! SHOP HERE and use code THIRDPLACEBAR for 10% off!
Red Wines
Lautus Savvy Red: My absolute favorite non-alcoholic red. Black berries, tannins, some oakiness, and a depth that is hard to find in non-alcoholic red wines. My friend who’s a trained sommelier and hates all non-alcoholic wines said “this is the best non-alcoholic red I’ve tried. I still don’t think they’re great, but this is the best of them.” - I’d say that’s solid praise? SHOP HERE and use code THIRDPLACEBAR for 10% off!
Noughty Rouge: A great light-bodied dry red wine, lots of red fruit. I always recommend this one to go with food.
Surely Bubbly Red: I’m obsessed with this sparkling red wine. It’s fruity but not sweet, a little boozy, and pairs so well with any kind of red sauce. We call it a pizza wine! SHOP HERE and use code THIRDPLACEBAR for 10% off!
Surely Red Blend & Allay Cabernet Sauvignon: I’ve grouped these two together because they have a similar style. They’re both based on de-alcoholized red wine, but have added ingredients for deeper flavoring, such as oak, smokey tea, vanilla, or chicory root. The Allay even has added reishi and ashwaganda, which makes it a functional wine that is supposed to aid relaxation. Both of these wines are delicious, but a little on the sweeter side, so I love using them in a sangria or mulled wine.
[October 2024 addition] Misty Cliffs Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot: Oooh this got me excited! There’s body, there’s texture, there’s something pretty good! I did a side-by-side comparison with the Lautus and I think I actually liked the Misty Cliffs better. Definitely worth checking out! You can shop for it here.
Wine Alternatives / Proxies
Unified Ferments Snow Crysanthemum: Think Kombucha, but the laid-back sophisticated cousin to its fizzy, sweet and tart store-bought cousins. The brand describes this as similar to an orange wine, and I can see why. It’s a little sweet and fruity, with bold herbal notes, which is absolutely gorgeous with a cheese pairing. While this is my clear favorite, the other Unified Ferments expressions deserve a shoutout too!
NON 1 Salted Raspberry & Chamomile and all other flavors really: This was a favorite at one of our recent wine tastings. It’s slightly carbonated and feels a little like a sparkling rosé, but with some sweet and fruity notes that are elevated into perfection by a sprinkle of salt. SHOP HERE and use code THIRDPLACEBAR for 10% off!
And that’s it! If you have any suggestions, feel free to email me or DM me on Instagram.
You can purchase most of these products at Minus Moonshine, a non-alcoholic bottle shop in Brooklyn that also delivers nationwide. Check out their online store here!
And finally: Join our Dry January events in New York City! Whether you’re sober curious or just taking a night off from drinking, we welcome everyone who wants to socialize without alcohol. See our event listings for details!
*Note: Some of these links are affiliate links.