2 non-alcoholic wine alternatives to try this fall

Non-alcoholic beverages continue to be an area of growing interest as consumers look for quality ways to imbibe booze-free, and NA wines are at the forefront of the trend. Most are either categorized as wine alternatives, which are custom creations that use various ingredients to replicate the flavors of wine, or dealcoholized wines, which have been fermented in the usual way and then have had the alcohol removed.

Alisha Blackwell-Calvert, advanced sommelier at Cinder House, said she’s definitely seeing an increased interest in non-alcoholic wines. “It’s a trend that’s not going away anytime soon. If anything, it’s gaining momentum. It’s fascinating to watch,” she said. Blackwell-Calvert said she prefers dealcoholized wines over wine alternatives, and there’s one producer that’s her favorite by far.

“I love Leitz Cellars, I think they make the best NA wines,” she said. “I love their dry riesling. In my opinion, it’s the best non-alcoholic wine made. It tastes like wine instead of a wine alternative. You don’t really miss the alcohol.” Leitz also makes a brut sparkling version as well. Blackwell-Calvert pours both at Cinder House, and consumers can find them locally at The Wine Merchant.

Lehrer said he still finds most dealcoholized wines a bit disappointing, but he has had success with Muri, a line of wine alternatives from Copenhagen made through a process similar to that of kombucha. “They pour like wine and they have the look of wine, but they aren’t grape-based,” he said.