People drink nonalcoholic wines for various reasons. My own was pregnancy-related; I needed something other than soda during my nine month gestation. This guide provides nonalcoholic options to those looking for sobriety, designated drivers or hosts offering nonalcoholic options to guests to help avoid hangovers.mules arizona en nubuck kaki birkenstock France gilet merinos uniqlo France pull laine italien France pull en laine de marque France conversecuir France converse junior cuir France vente birkenstock carrefour France vente birkenstock carrefour France converse star player cuir France vente birkenstock carrefour France pull laine yak France converse star player cuir France pull en laine de marque France mules arizona en nubuck kaki birkenstock France mules arizona en nubuck kaki birkenstock France
After tasting more than 80 wines, we selected eight that provide an enjoyable sipping experience that can mark milestones or just help relax and unwind (we also provide nonalcoholic alternatives if that is your preference).
Nonalcoholic wines offer an intriguing shopping process. Between their confusing terminology and labeling ambiguities, finding one to suit your tastes can be intimidatingly daunting – this guide hopes to demystify terms like “de-alcoholized wine” and “wine alternative”, along with alcohol content (yes there may still be alcohol present) and characteristics you should keep an eye out for when searching for nonalcoholic wines. If we missed your favorites please share in the comments section.
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Kitchen’s research conducted an investigation on nonalcoholic wine alternatives as possible alternatives for traditional wines. For more details of this investigation and related material from Kitchen, click here for accessing more from them.
What characteristics make an outstanding nonalcoholic wine?
Here are our favorite nonalcoholic sparkling white wines.
Here are our picks among nonalcoholic white wines.
Our favorite nonalcoholic sparkling rose.
Here is our selection of nonalcoholic red wines: our best choices.
Are There No Alcohol at Competition? – Are competition organizers providing an alcohol-free environment for competition purposes?
How We Analyzed Sources.
Who This Guide Is for
This guide was developed for anyone who would like something special in their glass but who doesn’t drink alcohol. Furthermore, hosts may find this resource useful when searching for suitable drinks to provide alcohol-avoiding guests at their event. Our recommendations include non-alcoholic wines (designed to mimic traditional wine’s look and taste while forgoing its buzz), texture-driven wines that blend flavor and texture and wine alternatives that combine texture with taste into exciting drinks designed to be sipped slowly over a meal or experience.
Note of Caution: In order to protect both safety and transparency, companies offering nonalcoholic wines with 0.5% alcohol content typically advise consulting your physician prior to consuming any trace amounts of alcohol. In order to provide complete transparency of each selection’s ingredients, alcohol content, production process and more – this guide lists them all.
Nonalcoholic wines versus wine alternatives
This category covers two beverages, nonalcoholic wines and wine alternatives. Nonalcoholic wines begin life as regular wines before their alcohol content is removed, while wine alternatives use other ingredients to emulate its experience and replicate its taste.
Nonalcoholic wines undergo one of several processes to bring their alcohol content down to 0.5% or below 0.0% (see more below). These beverages resemble what would be found in traditional bottles more closely; their flavors and textures depend heavily upon grape varietals used, methods of fermentation employed and dealcoholization processes employed by each winemaker.
Dealcoholizing wine robs it of character and nuance in the process, according to Foods journal’s 2021 review of de-alcoholization methods. Any method may lead to changes in color as well as losses of volatile aroma compounds that contribute to sensory quality and consumer acceptance; more than just alcohol may be lost as components are taken away that add enjoyment while drinking your beverage – potentially impacting how you enjoy sipping on it and potentially prompting additional sugar or additives to be added back as compensation.
Wine enthusiasts who venture into nonalcoholic wines may initially be intimidated by their lack of complexity; however, as Eric Asimov from The New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov notes: “Good wine is made naturally by fermenting grapes grown locally with minimal technological intervention… Although de-alcoholization involves complex processes… But this shouldn’t deter people from trying nonalcoholic wines; we have still found enjoyable de-alcoholized options.”
Wine alternatives aim to imitate the experience of drinking wine by using ingredients other than grapes – such as kombucha, tea or vinegar – which don’t undergo de-alcoholization (but still contain trace amounts of alcohol). While these wines don’t belong in the same family tree as traditional wines do, their techniques aim to recreate an experience similar to wine consumption; this guide features both types of products.
Nonalcoholic wine goes by many names. According to Food and Drug Administration guidelines, however, it should not be confused with alcohol-free wines; thus the terms “nonalcoholic” and “alcohol-free” should not be seen as interchangeable terms. “De-alcoholized” wines involve de-alcoholization processes while “nonalcoholic” wines contain 0.5% or less alcohol content while phrases like “zero alcohol” or “alcohol-free” refer only to bottles with zero percent or no alcohol content (for more details see below).
Dealcoholized wines refer to wines in which alcohol has been extracted; wine alternatives refer to nonalcoholic wines that did not go through these processes and may lack components typically found in bottles of wine.
What characteristics distinguish an exceptional nonalcoholic wine?
No two palates or expectations differ when it comes to tasting wine; yet when reading reviews of nonalcoholic wines on bevMo and Total Wine we found many negative comments, citing thin or overly sweet flavors as major issues. But good nonalcoholic wines do exist too – Asimov noted that many serious wine makers had taken strides toward creating something delicious yet nonalcoholic! In order to find your ideal bottle of nonalcoholic wine or alternative, it is necessary to navigate ingredients, alcohol content, flavor profiles as well as styles; our experts offered guidance as to what we expect when searching nonalcoholic wines on those sites such as bevMo and Total Wine reviews.
Just as with regular wines, an ideal nonalcoholic wine should boast complex yet balanced flavor profiles. While still red wines may struggle following de-alcoholization, whites, roses and sparkling wines generally performed better; white versions particularly did better when maintaining their complexity easier while red still wines suffered due to de-alcoholization; Jillian Barkley from Soft Spirits Los Angeles said “it is difficult to recreate that experience with body, tannins, flavor.” White versions may alleviate some of this pain associated with complexity loss while roses add texture which flat still wines cannot offer.
Wine alternatives provide an equivalent wine-like experience using ingredients other than grapes. We conducted extensive tests with various alternatives, most with various degrees of sparkle made of either kombucha or tea and often fermented before being consumed. Successful wine alternatives can replicate the sensation of tannins on the palate and mouth pucker associated with regular wine, offering waves of flavorful waves that require slow sipping to fully appreciate their potential. These bottles may include ingredients as diverse as beets, coffee and mushrooms – it’s wise to select those made with bases you enjoy first. Fans of kombucha might find those featuring its base appealing; vinegar drinkers should keep an eye out for signs that vinegar has made an appearance on the label. Asimov recommends selecting nonalcoholic drinks that have been “crafted beautifully from ingredients that won’t undergo fermentation processes that produce alcohol”.
Alcoholized wines make an obvious substitution for regular wines; therefore, food that pairs well with one should also go well with its nonalcoholic equivalent. But that doesn’t mean alternative beverages don’t offer unique flavours; even those made from strong bases such as tea, kombucha and vinegar still create surprising food pairings. We have provided recommendations of bottles you may enjoy pairing them with as well as suggested dishes to pair them with for maximum success.
Here are our favorite nonalcoholic sparkling white wines.
Alcohol-free Sparkling Chardonnay is our go-to selection.
An attractive sparkling white decoy.
Our testers chose this sparkling white due to its fruity, tart and crisp character reminiscent of champagne or cava. It makes an ideal complement for rich foods like pizza and other items with high levels of acidic acids such as cheese.
Amazon currently sells this item for $26 USD; our testers were absolutely amazed at how authentic and flavorful Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Chardonnay tasted when compared with real sparkling white wines. One panelist recommended giving this wine to those seeking something like prosecco that’s dry and crisp; another noted its close resemblance to wine itself – small bubbles brought back memories of champagne (known as cava in Spain), bright, lightweight fizz, subtle apple aroma, lovely straw hue etc… My pregnant palate instantly brought fond recollections of California vineyard visits.
What to Pair It With: Our panelists were particularly pleased to see how the Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Chardonnay enhanced creamy cheeses while picking up herbaceous notes of rosemary almond. Try pairing this wine with rich dishes such as cream sauces or fried chicken for an enjoyable experience.
Ingredients include alcohol-free organic chardonnay, organic sugar, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide as a preservative.
Unified Ferments Qi Dan is an enjoyable de-alcoholized wine option for pet-nat enthusiasts searching for something different and fruity with floral and tannic notes, made from Qi Dan oolong tea as its basis. Perfect as a companion drink.
Spirited Away may have sold out; for the same cost ($30), Unified Ferments should be visited instead.
Why We Liked It: Classifying Unified Ferments Qi Dan can be challenging, so we greatly appreciated its ease of use. Our panelists were reminded of natural wines when tasting this soup with its cloudy appearance and funky aroma – particularly orange wine and petillant naturel (French for “natural sparkling”) bubblies which typically undergo partial or complete fermentation without adding additional sugars to them. Our research showed a unique flavor profile more characteristic of sparkling white wine or kombucha than any traditional glass of red. Kombucha’s base, made up of trace amounts of alcohol and caffeine, featured Qi Dan oolong tea known for its distinct floral notes that quickly won over tasters. There was also an unexpected tannic quality present which none of the other sparkling bottles possessed; one panelist described this drink as having lovely clean taste with refreshing tea flavor notes that she particularly enjoyed.
What to Pair It With: Our tasters discovered that the Qi Dan’s tannins paired well with richer foods such as nuts and cheese. Furthermore, due to its distinctive oolong tea flavor, one panelist suggested pairing this bottle with Chinese cuisine.
Ingredients needed for this recipe include sparkling water, sugar, kombucha starter culture and Qi Dan tea leaves.
Alcohol Content: less than 0.5%.
Type of Wine Alternative (Fermented)
Here are our five recommended nonalcoholic white wines.
Check Out Our Selection for Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Riesling
Crisp and Fruity White
A crisp and fruity white with subtle sparkling characteristics reminiscent of green apples and dried pears that pairs wonderfully with hard cheeses and cured meats.
Why We Liked It: For $18, the Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Riesling is an ideal medium-bodied white wine that balances fresh fruit flavors without discernible sweetness, making it the ideal pairing with cheese and meat dishes (although one panelist did note an off-note plastic aroma/flavor that quickly dissipated upon tasting her sip). At first pour, this lively German dealcoholized wine had an initial burst of carbonation which quickly dissipated with just one sip; orchard fruits like green apples and dried pears were present with flavors reminiscent of nuts typically found in cheese and meat dishes (although one panelist noticed an off-note plastic aroma/flavor which dissipated after just one sip). At first pour, however, an initial burst of carbonation appeared but dissipated after taking just one sip; we found orchard fruit such as green apples and dried pears in addition to nuts-flavored notes present within cheese dishes such as cheese dishes when consumed alongside these dish served alongside these dishes (although one panelist noticed an off-note plastic aroma/flavor that soon dissipated after just one sip).
If you prefer lighter-bodied wines that aren’t too sweet, consider the Surely Sauvignon Blanc. Our panel found it lacking in complexity compared to Leitz Riesling; pairing poorly with foods. But nonetheless it provides an easily drinkable white option.
What We Recommended Pairing it With: To maximize enjoyment of this bottle, it was best enjoyed when combined with cheese (especially Gruyere) and cured meat, dried fruit (such as raisins) as well as bold flavors such as Thai curry for maximum enjoyment. Leitz suggests pairing their riesling with bold flavors for optimal experience.
Ingredients include de-alcoholized wine, rectified concentrate grape must, and sucrose.
Alcohol content of de-alcoholized wine should be 0.0%; we have chosen Proxies Blanc Slate due to its distinct tartiness.
This white wine alternative presented floral and fruity notes balanced by bitterness, tannins and an intense vinegary flavor – qualities which may prove challenging for some but pair nicely with briny olives and salty meats.
Why We Love it: Proxies’ Blanc Slate wine alternative provides one of the most authentic wine experiences we’ve come across, from its floral aroma through tart notes of apricot, kiwi and white grape to grapefruit vinegar’s bitter undercurrent and finally its white tea blend tannic finish; additionally it comes equipped with that signature Proxi tang and salty kick that ensures every sip delivers.
Before selectinging the Blanc Slate, it is advisable to assess if a beverage featuring vinegar-forward properties (such as kombucha ) fits with your palette. If this is the case, explore other Proxies as well.
What We Suggested as Companions: Blanc Slate can best be enjoyed when enjoyed alongside briny olives, salty meats and nuts for maximum enjoyment; cheese or fruit do not pair well. Proxies also recommends enjoying this bottle alongside Thai takeout such as satays and peanut-topped noodles dishes to optimize enjoyment.
Filtered Water is combined with Sauvignon Blanc grapes, verjus, kiwi concentrate, white wine concentration and apricot concentrate; grapefruit vinegar (made of concentrated grapefruit juice and vinegar); fermented lemongrass, vegetable glycerin, tea blend of silver needle and white peony as well as aromatic extract blends from galangal, makrut lime habanero as well as sea salt tartaric acid and lemon powder to produce this beverage. Please be aware this product contains Sulfites as ingredients. Please be aware this product contains Sulfites as ingredients. Please be aware this product contains Sulfites as ingredients. Please be aware this product contains Sulfites as ingredients. Please be aware this product contains Sulfites as ingredients. Please be aware this product contains Sulfites as ingredients. Please be aware of its contents as ingredients.
Alcohol content of drinks: 0.5% or below.
Pet-nat enthusiasts will savor this vibrant wine alternative featuring floral and tannic notes provided by Qi Dan oolong tea as its foundation.
Spirited Away may no longer have inventory; please visit Unified Ferments instead for your purchase needs.
Why We Liked it: Categorizing Unified Ferments Qi Dan can be challenging, yet this product makes the task simpler. Our panelists were reminded of natural wines by their cloudy appearance and simple flavors; specifically orange wine and petillant naturel (French for “natural sparkling”) bubbly which typically gets bottled before fermentation is complete and contains no added sugars. Our tasting revealed something closer to a hybrid between sparkling white wine and kombucha than traditional red wines in terms of both body and flavors. Kombucha’s base, featuring trace amounts of alcohol and caffeine, was prepared using Qi Dan oolong tea. Our tasters immediately recognized its floral notes as well as unique tannic characteristics not present elsewhere among sparkling bottles we sampled. One panelist described its “lovely clean taste”, noting its refreshing nature while appreciating its pleasant tea flavor.
What We Recommended Pairing it With: Our tasters discovered that the tannins present in Qi Dan pair well with richer foods such as nuts and cheese, while its strong oolong tea aroma makes one panelist suggest pairing this bottle with Chinese cuisine.
Ingredients needed for this recipe include sparkling water, sugar, kombucha starter culture and Qi Dan tea.
Alcohol Content: Below 0.5%.
Type of wine alternative (fermented).
Here are our favorite nonalcoholic white wines.
Leitz Zero Riesling is our recommended selection.
Crisp and Fruity White
A lively white, boasting both sweetness and fruitiness, this wine had an inviting light sparkle reminiscent of fresh green apples and dried pears. We particularly enjoyed pairing it with hard cheeses or cured meats for optimal pairings.
Why We Liked It: The Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Riesling is an excellent selection if you prefer medium-bodied white wines that are fruity with just a hint of sweetness. At first, this lively German dealcoholized wine had an initial light sparkle on the tongue but quickly subsided to reveal orchard fruit notes such as green apples and dried pears from its orchard; pairing beautifully with hard cheeses and cured meats (although one panelist noted an off-note plastic flavor, although this later faded as she continued drinking it; one panelist noted an off-note plastic aroma/flavor combination before continued drinking ).
For something lighter-bodied and less sweet, the Surely Sauvignon Blanc might be a good option. Our panel found it lacking in complexity compared to Leitz Riesling; although it might not pair as well with many foods; nonetheless it provides an approachable wine experience.
What We Suggested as Pairing Solutions: We found this bottle an excellent accompaniment to cheese (particularly Gruyere), cured meat, and dried fruit; Leitz recommends serving this Riesling alongside spicy dishes like Thai curry for optimal results.
Ingredients include de-alcoholized wine, grape must, rectified concentrate grape must and sucrose.
Proxies Blanc Slate offers the ideal zero alcohol wine experience, perfect for deacholicization! Don’t be fooled by its subtle floral aroma; its zesty flavor brings zesty flair.
This alternative white wine featured floral and fruity notes balanced by bitterness and tannins to provide a memorable dinner party experience. While its vinegary character might prove challenging for some palates, when paired with salty meat this wine proved itself as a hit.
Blanc Slate stands out among Proxies varieties as an approachable and complex wine alternative, tasting similarly to its counterparts in terms of aroma, tart notes from apricots, kiwis and white grapes as well as grapefruit vinegar bitterness (thanks to grapefruit vinegar) before finishing with its unique white tea blend tannic finish and unique saline kick that prepares our palettes for another sip or two.
Before choosing the Blanc Slate, we advise taking time to assess if its assertively citrusy profile and vinegar-forward drinks like Kombucha will meet your tastebuds (an easy indicator is whether or not you consider yourself a fan). If it does resonate, however, then you might also appreciate trying other Proxies variants as well.
What We Suggested Pairing It With: Blanc Slate is best enjoyed when served alongside briny olives and salty meats/nuts; its flavors were brought out more effectively when combined with such foods; cheese or fruit could not do justice to its characteristics. At Proxies Wine Bar and Lounge we suggest serving it alongside Thai takeout dishes such as satays and peanut-topped noodles.
Ingredients: Filtered Water is combined with sauvignon blanc grapes, verjus, kiwi concentrate, white wine concentrate, apricot concentrate and grapefruit vinegar in this delicious beverage. In order to give an irresistibly fresh finish and add additional flavors and aromas such as galangal, makrut lime and habanero extract blend fermenting together with sea salt, tartaric acid lemon powder sulfites is used.
Alcohol Content of Drink: less than 0.5%.
Unified Ferments Snow Chrysanthemum Wine Alternative
Available wines may include alternatives.
Sweet and floral with a savory finish, this unfiltered drink boasts an abundance of flavors with barely bubbly textures that bring them all together in harmony. Reminiscent of natural wines, it makes an excellent complement for dishes needing acidity in their recipes.
Spirited Away offers two 2-packs for $26 from Spirited Away. Why We Liked It: Unified Ferments’ Snow Chrysanthemum Wine Alternative is an all-natural wine alternative made of fermented kombucha made with honey and snow chrysanthemum flowers from Kunlun Mountains of northern China. Unfiltered drink from Unified Ferments with an attractive blush hue and subtle fizz (“tickles,” according to one taster), offering an array of complex flavors. Texture was smoother and slightly less fizzy compared to Qi Dan; both bottles originated from the same place. Snow Chrysanthemum Wine was an instantaneous hit among our tasters, delighting them with an almost savory finish that featured notes of peach, vibrant tang and honey/pollen-like flavors reminiscent of orange wine or barely bubbly pet-nat. Our tasters found this natural wine style comparable to orange wine or barely bubbly pet-nat. We highly recommend Snow Chrysanthemum bottle to those searching for unique tastes or who appreciate natural styles of pet-nat or natural wine styles! We highly recommend Snow Chrysanthemum bottle.
What We Would Pair It With: Our panelists found Snow Chrysanthemum works well when combined with cheese and nuts, while its tart bite brings out bitter notes in cure products. Ingredients used include filtered water, honey, kombucha starter culture and snow chrysanthemum flowers.
Alcohol Content: Under 0.5%.
Wine Alternative (fermented).
Our top nonalcoholic sparkling rose is always our first choice.
Our specialty lies in offering Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Rose.
Replica of an easy-to-drink rose.
This sparkling rose replacement would make an excellent addition to picnics or brunch, pairing well with cheeses and cured meats to add variety to charcuterie platters.
WHY WE LIKED IT: Available from Better Rhodes at $23, the Noughty Deal Alcoholized Sparkling Rose provided both tartness and refreshing light mouthfeel typical of bubbly rose. Panelists found it most similar to recreating this experience than others we tried; created from organic tempranillo grapes from southern Spain, its toasty aroma stood out while its dry tang proved even more popular than sweeter options (See Competition section for further discussion).
One panelist described Noughty Rose as an easy, light sparkling option perfect for picnics and brunch. When sealed properly, its bubbles remained effervescent for several days in its bottle before quickly dissipating upon pouring – unlike NON and Leitz wines which kept their fizz until consumed.
What to Pair It With: We found the Noughty Rose was the ideal pairing with creamy cheeses and cured meats.
Ingredients: An organic tempranillo wine de-alcoholized through fermentation with organic sugars and carbon dioxide is combined with sulfur dioxide as a preservative.
Alcohol Content: 0.0% Type: De-alcoholized Wine Our go-to red nonalcoholic wine.
Noughty Non-Alcoholic Rouge is our selection of non-alcoholic red.
Red wine-flavored beverages.
Nonalcoholic red wine was an ideal accompaniment for meats and vegetable-based dishes alike, thanks to its earthy yet subtle sweet notes which provided a balanced sip that nearly replicated what an alcoholic wine offered.
At Boisson, our panel found it challenging to locate an alcohol-free red with flavor that met their expectations at $26. After sampling various dealcoholized reds and alternatives to wine, they ultimately settled on Thomson & Scott Noughty Dealcoholized Rouge as coming closest in flavor – its deep burgundy hue perfectly complementing its fruity vanilla aromas.
The Rouge, made with South African Syrah grapes, is a medium-bodied red with soft tannins and earthy notes of sweetness; our panelists noted its flavor quickly dissipating without leaving an impactful impression on their palates. Overall it was well balanced wine; we were pleased at how close to reality this wine came; therefore we would gladly offer it to guests as an offer of hospitality.
If you’re curious to try heavier red wines, Proxies Red Clay and Red Ember offer two intense, cooked fruit-forward wines; NON7 reminded us of mulled wine; however these weren’t chosen due to a lack of balance and food-friendliness; you may find them intriguing instead.
What to Pair It With: Our experts suggest pairing the Rouge with dishes such as red meats or grilled vegetable dishes, though its pairing abilities may fall short with cheese boards.
Ingredients include de-alcoholized Syrah wine, organic sugar and sulfur dioxide as a coloring agent.
Alcohol Content: Below 0.5%.
Leitz Eins Zwei Zero Sparkling Rose (0.0% Alcohol; De-alcoholized Wine): Our tasters found this non-alcoholated sparkling rose sweet and full-bodied when compared with its lighter, dry Noughty counterpart; more than one taster described the carbonation as “cloying,” though its bubbles quickly dissipated over time. If you prefer sweeter sparkling wines, this may be just right! You can even get it in can form.
NON1 Salted Raspberry & Chamomile (0.0% Alcohol; Wine Alternative): Our panelists were pleased with this sweet rose alternative featuring raspberry aromas as well as subtle chamomile tea notes; yet its taste wasn’t particularly memorable; one panelist described it as tasting like “raspberry candy”.
NON3 Toasted Cinnamon & Yuzu (0.0% alcohol; wine alternative): Our panelists were impressed with this refreshing citrus beverage, but found it more like juice than wine alternative. Although advertised as bubbly (but our bottle wasn’t actually fizzing!), its flavors consisted primarily of yuzu, lemon and orange rind flavors – offering an enhanced lemonade experience that was easier on the palette than our top choices.
NON4 Roast Beetroot & Sansho (0.0% alcohol; wine alternative): Our panelists were thoroughly engaged by NON4, from its fragrant borscht and vinegary boquerone aroma to its unmistakably umami taste of soy sauce, beets and sansho pepper’s bite that reminded them of alcohol; to its unctuous warmth from sansho pepper’s bite that reminded them of alcohol taste – something no other bottle had done – something no other bottle had done! It was originally chosen as part of red category tests but was removed due to limited supply.
NON7 Stewed Cherry & Coffee (0.0% Alcohol; Wine Alternative): NON7 is an interesting blend of cherries, coffee and various seasonings (such as garam masala, nutmeg and pink peppercorn) but some panelists found its spicy flavors overwhelming; one described them as tasting like something from “mud and musty spice drawer”. While NON7 can provide an enjoyable seasonal alternative for sipping mulled wine experiences; for everyday sipping it’s simply not suitable.
Proxies Pink Salt (less than 0.5% alcohol; fermented wine alternative): Proxies Pink Salt is an enjoyable rose alternative, boasting fruity notes similar to Cran-Raspberry juice and Pomegranate flavor (two ingredients not listed on its ingredients list!). If you prefer more subtle alternatives, Proxies Pink Salt might be ideal; though please keep in mind it only comes in 6-packs online as opposed to Red Clay and Red Ember products which also sell online as 6-packs.
Proxies Red Clay (less than 0.5% alcohol; fermented wine alternative): This full-bodied red features notes of blueberries and cooked cherries for an enjoyable sipping experience that may or may not pair as well with food as some other Proxies bottles. Notably tart or vinegary characteristics could make or break this wine; casual sipping may suffice; pairing was less successful than Noughty Rouge.
Proxies Red Ember was similar to Proxies Red Clay; both offered similar flavors of cooked fruits with elderberry notes and increased acidity, along with too much overall richness for us to fully enjoy them. Furthermore, neither product seemed particularly appropriate with food pairings we were trying.
Studio Null was previously one of our recommended bottles, however both its Blanc Burgunder and Prickly Red sold out quickly as limited releases. While we have not reviewed their current offerings due to our focus on bottles that remain consistently available, any bottle that strikes your interest might be worth giving a try.
Our tasting panelists quickly took to Certainly’s non-alcoholic Sauvignon Blanc (less than 0.5% alcohol; dealcoholized wine), initially characterizing its light body as weak but quickly warming to it when its fruity notes and acidity emerged over time. One taster suggested it might make an attractive option for anyone searching for white wine but having difficulty locating our other selections.
Are there no alcohol products?
Wines labeled nonalcoholic fall into two categories: less than 0.5% alcohol by volume and zero percent alcohol content by volume. Wines that fall within these parameters typically qualify as nonalcoholic, while to comply with FDA rules they must contain zero percent of alcohol by volume.
Be assured if beverages labeled nonalcoholic contain trace amounts of alcohol; this is common across food and beverage items containing even minute traces; soda and fruit juice can contain these small traces according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Kombucha is an increasingly popular alternative to wine; according to a 2016 study conducted by Journal of Analytical Toxicology, however, other food items like bananas and bread products also contain trace amounts of alcohol. 0.5% alcohol by volume may seem inconsequential; according to Unified Ferments, you’d need to consume over five 750-mL bottles in an hour in order to equal one can of Budweiser in terms of alcohol content. But this amount must still be taken into consideration by those in recovery or who cannot consume alcohol due to medical or other considerations.
Through our research, we discovered there are dealcoholized wines and alternatives with 0.0% to 0.5% alcohol content available, so selecting either option may not guarantee zero alcohol. If this issue is important to you, be sure to carefully inspect any potential options’ labels to ascertain their percentage – Better Rhodes and Boisson often display this data alongside images of labels they carry.
How We Tested
Although nonalcoholic wine may still be relatively new, its variety has already made an impressive debut online and in retail outlets. We conducted rigorous tasting sessions for various brands before selecting and testing one as our final selections. At TIME Magazine, we consulted three experts about this product. Eric Asimov from The New York Times wine critic has written extensively on this subject; please see his piece titled Does Wine Lose its Spirit When the Alcohol Is Removed for more insights. Jillian Barkley of Soft Spirits in Los Angeles; and Aqxyl Storms from Minus Moonshine in Brooklyn New York are just two such individuals. Barkley and Storms provided guidance in our conversation about what should be considered when purchasing nonalcoholic wine, and which producers stood out due to their processes and ingredients. While they suggested certain brands they carry or have sold before, we independently evaluated all our selections before narrowing our list down according to Barkley and Storms’ advice.
Our tasting of nonalcoholic wines far exceeded these criteria:
Research found more sparkling nonalcoholic wines and alternatives than still NA wines; many companies suggested trying their sparkling options; however, to provide traditional wine drinkers with options from across categories – rose, white, red – we compiled an array of rose wines; still rose wines; white sparkling wines and still red sparkling wines for them to choose from.
Wine Alternatives or De-Alcoholized Wines: In each category, we selected multiple dealcoholized wines and alternatives in order to compare and contrast their features and benefits.
0.0% or 0.5% Alcohol by Volume: To provide our customers with variety, we selected bottles with either 0.0% or 0.5% alcohol by volume for those who prefer alcohol-free bottles.
Complex Flavors: When we asked our sources to recommend wines with exciting and intriguing flavors, they provided recommendations of wineries they thought provided the most rewarding experiences both in terms of ingredients used and process employed in producing them. Furthermore, they gave suggestions of wines featuring diverse and complex tastes in order to provide us with an enjoyable wine-adjacent experience to sample.
Pair with Food: Our team conducted blind tastings using various snacks (cheeses, dried fruit and nuts, charcuterie and olives) while exploring how each wine complemented them. We particularly appreciated bottles that demonstrated synergies or could enhance specific dishes or flavors.
Consistent Availability: Our wines represent each producer’s core offerings and we avoided seasonal or limited-run bottles to increase chances of you finding them on shelves; unfortunately this means we may have missed promising bottles due to no guarantee for availability in the near future.
Wines Available to Purchase in the US: Our list primarily features wines available to be purchased within the US market – either online retailers or physical retailers.
As part of our initial tasting in spring 2022, we selected 14 bottles from Leitz, NON, Proxies (formerly Acid League Proxies), Studio Null, Surely Thomas & Scott Noughty and Unified Ferments brands – chosen by kitchen editor Gabriella Gershenson of Wirecutter contributor Winnie Yang Aqxyl Storms from Minus Moonshine as well as myself for testing purposes.
Early 2023, we conducted a smaller tasting to replace bottles that had been discontinued. Alongside Gabriella and senior editor Marguerite Preston, I tasted 10 bottles from Leitz, NON Proxies & Certainly brands.
At both sessions, we tasted bottles in four rounds: sparkling rose and still rose; sparkling white and still white; sparkling red and still red. Not all wines fit neatly into these categories, but we made an effort to group them accordingly. Each round began with alternative wines offering less familiar yet unusual flavors before progressing to grape-based dealcoholized wines. Utilizing our own tasting rubric developed with assistance from Jillian Barkley of Soft Spirits, we assessed each drink on multiple criteria such as:
Experience its aroma, body, texture, taste – both with and without food – and aftertaste.
How closely or differently it resembled or differed from alcohol-containing wines.
At tastings, our goal was to find well-balanced natural alcohol wines with complex and engaging flavors before tasting each beverage with food and separately; between rounds we cleansed our palates using water and crackers. When sampling dealcoholized wines derived from liquor production, we took note of their comparison with their source wines; when looking for wine alternatives we sought beverages whose characteristics and sensory profiles resembled that of wine rather than simply being an exact replica.
This article has been edited by Gabriella Gershenson and Marguerite Preston.
Eric Asimov of The New York Times was interviewed via telephone on April 19th 2022.
Jillian Barkley, Owner/Founder of Soft Spirits was interviewed over phone on April 21, 2022.
Aqxyl Storms, co-founder of Minus Moonshine. Zoom Interview on April 26, 2022.
On November 29th 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published their Alcohol-free Wine and Malt Beverages Labeling Guidance document.
Estimates of Ethanol Exposure from Products Not Specifically Labeled as Alcohol-Containing Products in Children,” September 2016, was published by Analytical Toxicology Journal.
Foods, Techniques for De-Alcoholizing Wines: Their Effect on Phenolic, Volatile and Sensory Characteristics – October 2021,
Pierre Zero’s aim: De-alcoholization and preservation of flavor.
American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (1986). Reverse Osmosis Method for Producing Low Ethanol Content Wine (1986).
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry published, De-Alcoholized Wines Produced With Spinning Cone Column Distillation: Assessment of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity With 1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl Method (July 2009).
Nena Farrell was a specialist updates writer.
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