A review of some of my favorite non-alcoholic sparkling wines
For me, the holidays have always been synonymous with indulgent meals and celebrations, almost always accompanied by cocktail hour, maybe a glass of red with your roast, and of course, festive sparkling wine. One of my biggest weaknesses is a beautiful glass of champagne, and while I may still indulge in a nice glass over the holidays, I'm just as excited to enjoy some delicious non-alcoholic sparkling wines that don't leave me with a raging headache the next day.
If you're trying to drink a little less over the holidays, a delicious non-alcoholic wine is a helpful way to stay on track. Out of all the non-alcoholic sparkling white wines I've tried in 2023, these are the closest to the real deal for me. All four are available at The Zero Proof, and you can use code SoberishMom for 10% (affiliate link).
But before that... let me be perfectly honest. Are these the perfect dupes to "real" sparkling wines? No. That does not exist, as far as I can tell. When you remove alcohol from wine it inevitably affects the body and flavor. However, what I love about sparkling wines is that carbonation can often hide what's missing in body and complexity, and make your glass taste a little more realistic. So when you try nonalcoholic wines know that you really can't compare apples to apples, and I suggest going in with an open mind and slightly lowered... actually, let's say altered... expectations.
But first... why is non-alcoholic wine so damn expensive?
When I started experimenting with non-alcoholic wines I was outraged at how expensive they were. I wondered if it was really worth it to pony up on a bottle without the buzz. But now I will happily pay whatever they ask to be able to enjoy a nice glass of non-alcoholic wine and keep me on track drinking less. I figure what I spend avoiding booze, I gain back tenfold in health benefits. I also realized that for me, it wasn't just about the buzz, it was also about the ritual. I love having something tasty in my glass during happy hour, or at a party where everyone around me is drinking. Having a replacement for the alcohol has really helped me on my mindful drinking journey.
The similarity in price is because the production costs remain the same, if not more, for quality alcohol-removed wines. Vintners use the same initial winemaking production process as they do with regular wine. However, then production involves one additional element: the removal of the alcohol, which is done with very expensive technology. So you're talking about all the costs of grapes, making wine, labor, and also marketing a new, alcohol-free product. That's a lot for a winery to take on.
These bottles are all under $25 a pop, which was normally what I'd spend on a decent bottle. I was never popping Veuve on a weekly basis, so this price is easier for me to swallow. A quality non-alcoholic wine that tastes equivalent to its alcoholic counterpart must use quality ingredients and sophisticated winemaking techniques. And since I'm looking for something that tastes (almost) as good as the real stuff, the cheapskate in me has to take a back seat on this one.
Oddbird Blanc de Blancs
Personal rating: 7.5/10
Price: $25
Found at The Zero Proof
Oddbird is one of my favorite non-alcoholic wine producers because of the craft that goes into every bottle. Their winemaking process includes sourcing high-quality grapes and letting the wine mature for up to 12 months before the dealcoholization process begins. The Blanc de Blancs is made from Chardonnay & Colombard grapes, giving notes of green apple and a balanced acidity with a hint of lemon. It's off-dry with about 6g of sugar per glass, has a mild sweetness and a crisp, refreshing finish.
Noughty AF Sparkling Chardonnay
Personal rating: 7/10
Price: $22
Found at The Zero Proof
Several people recommended this one to me and I also love Noughty's AF Syrah, so I was excited to try another bottle from this winemaker. With 2.9g of sugar per 100ml, it’s much dryer than many non-alcoholic bottles I've tried. Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes out of Spain, the flavor is lovely with delicate notes of apples and citrus and a slight minerality. A really nice mouthfeel with fizzy, cava-like bubbles. A top recommendation and crowd-pleaser.
Joyus Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine
Personal rating: 7/10
Price: $25
Found at Joyus.com
Joyus is produced in Seattle, WA and was the first non-alcoholic winery in the area, and one of the only woman-owned non-alcoholic wineries in the U.S. I love supporting a female-founded and led company, let alone right in my backyard! This one is lovely with delicious notes of apricot and a hint of tropical fruit, like a whisper of pineapple. There’s a nice tart acidity balanced with a soft sweetness, so it's not overly sweet. It comes in at about 5g of sugar per glass and I would happily drink this one any night.
Giesen Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine
Personal rating: 7/10
Price: $20
A nice, bright and citrusy bottle of non-alcoholilc sparkling wine. It's off-dry and refreshing at only 20 calories per glass. It's also the most affordable of all four bottles coming in at $20. It has a citrusy bite on the finish that almost emulates the real deal.
Happy clean drinking! Use code SoberishMom for 10% off at The Zero Proof, where you can find most of my favorite wines. *Please note that this is an affiliate link, which means at zero cost to you I will make a couple bucks if you use my code at checkout, which helps me keep the account running. Affiliate programs do not impact my reviews and recommendations.
Watch me review these wines on my Instagram and as always, leave me a comment with your favorite alcohol-free drinks, I'd love to hear from you.
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