Wine without the kick

 What’s the Deal with Non-Alcoholic Wine and Is It Any Good? 

In a world brimming with nonalcoholic beverage options, from mocktails to distilled NA spirits, and even vermouth substitutes, the emergence of non-alcoholic wine might raise an eyebrow for wine enthusiasts. Some may wonder, "What's the point? If you're not going to drink actual wine, why not just have a soda?" I confess to having entertained this thought myself when questioned about the absence of NA wines on our restaurant's by-the-glass list.

However, in a time marked by rising substance abuse rates, increased cases of depression, suicide, and growing feelings of loneliness perpetuated by factors like remote work and social media, many are reconsidering their alcohol consumption habits. It's becoming clear that frequent alcohol consumption often exacerbates these issues. Consequently, many people are opting to reduce or eliminate their alcohol intake.

I'm not here to dictate how you should live your life, but I'd like to propose that enjoying wine doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing affair. Achieving a healthy relationship with wine is possible, and non-alcoholic wine can be a valuable tool for those moments when you want to cut back without sacrificing the satisfying experience of sipping wine from an elegant glass.

Now, let's delve into what non-alcoholic (NA) wine is, where it comes from, and some of my favorite NA wine recommendations.

Non-Alcoholic vs. Dealcoholized Wine

You've probably seen both of these terms on bottles, and they refer to distinct production processes resulting in different wine styles. It's important to note that both non-alcoholic and dealcoholized wines can legally contain up to 0.5% ABV, so if you require a drink with absolutely no alcohol, then soda might actually be the better choice..

Dealcoholized Wine

These wines, my preferred choice for their style, start their journey like any other wine. Grapes are picked, pressed, and fermented into a fully dry wine. The magic happens when the alcohol is carefully removed using methods like reverse osmosis, vacuum distillation, or a spinning cone centrifuge. These processes retain the grape's essence, showcasing its varietal character, polyphenolic blueprint and regional influences. Unless explicitly marked as such, these dealcoholized wines are fully dry (meaning no residual grape sugar), and have no added flavors, teas, or sweeteners. They even maintain their tannin structure, so fans of full-bodied, grippy red wines can still indulge.

Eins Zwei Zero makes a lineup of dealcoholized wines that offer excellent representations of grapes like Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in both still and sparkling varietals. Their sparkling rose is the perfect cork to pop at the next baby shower you’re attending! Wander + Found also makes a great lineup of still and sparkling options in similar styles of light, bright and refreshing. For those of you with more of a New World palate, Gruvi Wines makes a spicy blend out of California red grapes that hits the spot for full bodied, jammy and tannic.

 Non-Alcoholic Wine

This category can be a bit more perplexing, as it includes various production methods. ‘Non-alcoholic wine’ isn't a regulated term, which allows wide interpretation. The most common styles involve halting fermentation early or preventing it entirely. There are also wine "proxies" made from herbal blends of teas and spices that mimic wine flavors but don't contain grape juice.

In the former category, where fermentation is stopped below 0.5% ABV, these wines tend to be sweeter, since the grape juice was never converted to alcohol. They sort of resemble, well, grape juice  - with subtle fermentation notes. I honestly haven’t tried any of these that I like enough to recommend. But there are several intriguing wine "proxies" worth exploring. Although they don't replicate traditional wine, they offer unique flavors and can be fun to pair with food.

Proxies is probably a brand you’ve seen and their recipes have gotten pretty tasty! Again, they’re not going to taste like a Pinot Noir but, in the instance of their Red Clay Cuvee, there is a base of Pinot Noir verjus, ginger, blackberry and cherry juice, a whole swath of herbal teas, cinnamon, burdock and added tannin to give it some grip. I like their Red Ember as an approximation of New World Cabernet, and their Shuru as a play on orange Pet Nat (made with Riesling verjus, pear, sencha and shiso). For the adventurous, NON is another brand on the rise using creative combinations such as sour cherries, cold brew coffee, garam masala and pink peppercorn.

You can find these brands online or at your local markets, with many specialty shops now offering an excellent selection of NA options.

So there you have it—a glimpse into the world of NA wine. While I may not make them a regular part of my wine routine, I'm making space in my home for these options. It's a thoughtful gesture for guests who choose sobriety without missing out on the pleasure of wine and the social bond it forges.

Join me next week for our final discussion on making healthy choices with wine, where we'll explore the mystical realms of biodynamic farming. Until then, stay warm and sip well.

Cheers,
Kelsey