has anyone found a good non alcoholic wine?

[wanderlustmom]

I have given up drinking during the week unless it's a special occasion and it does help me feel and sleep better.  I also like IPA beer and I've been happy with the Athletic Brewing Company Run Wild non alcoholic IPA.  I don't like the NA cocktails since I'm not a cocktail person anyway.  I love red wine, dry white wine and dry rose.  Would love something to "trick" my brain during the week days. Funny how simple that is but it helps. I've read about Surely and haven't tried that one. I ordered an expensive one from Amazon that was so terribly bad it was funny--Buzzkill. I also like Kombucha and can drink that sometimes but I would love to drink one that actually tastes like beloved wine.  I have been reading reviews on Amazon and Facebook and I don't know if liquor stores typically carry NA wine.  

[rosiebear]

Ooh I’m curious, too. I tried a n/a bourbon so bad I poured it down the drain. Absolutely undrinkable.

[wanderlustmom]

Mar 22, 2023 8:08:29 GMT -5 rosiebear said:

Ooh I’m curious, too. I tried a n/a bourbon so bad I poured it down the drain. Absolutely undrinkable.

yes I hated the Seedlip NA spirits.  Poured $30 down the drain the first night. It was the worst. I've been pleasantly surprised with the NA beer. Tastes like the real thing to me and it makes me happy

[eddy]

Katheats did a really fantastic post with reviews.


www.katheats.com/best-nonalcoholic-wines-and-beers

I tried the Giesen Sav Blanc and it was not really good lol.

When I did dry January I stuck to Athletic beer, which is really good.

[lpcats]

If you like sparkling wine, I found St. Regis to be a good substitute.

[Velar Fricative]

Fre wine was good. I wasn't totally fooled lol, but it did help reduce my alcohol intake.

[icedcoffee]

I read somewhere that Tart cherry juice is a good sub for wine. I.E. That's what a lot of the fake wines are made of? Not sure if that's true, but it's also really good for you. I don't love the taste though.

[carmenere]

My ILs love Surely. They were big wine drinkers before MIL developed a health issue and had to stop.

[stemmie]

I've never found one I liked TBH. They all taste kind of "cooked" to me. FWIW, I am also a beer drinker who loves IPAs. I was very excited to try ABC's "Run Wild" and bought a 6 pack to share with 3 beer-loving friends when we went to an Indian byob. None of us liked or could finish it. Thank God I had some Green City with me as well. I don't get the rave reviews.

When I am not drinking alcohol, I drink unflavored seltzer mostly. I also like an Arnold Palmer or juice mixed with seltzer.

[mofongo]

This is timely! I have tried 3 recently, fre (red and rose), surely, and another red I can’t remember but was rated well. They all tasted like vinegar:( I could mix in lacroix or sugar free ginger ale but what’s the point?

What I have liked is aplos calme, i like it, I mix it with lacroix. I like it bc it’s not an alcohol removed type of drink, it is its’ own thing.

aplos.world/products/aplos-calme

[sonrisa]

Pomegranate juice is what I do for a red wine sub. White wine just water.

[mofongo]

Mar 22, 2023 9:18:06 GMT -5 stemmie said:

I've never found one I liked TBH. They all taste kind of "cooked" to me. FWIW, I am also a beer drinker who loves IPAs. I was very excited to try ABC's "Run Wild" and bought a 6 pack to share with 3 beer-loving friends when we went to an Indian byob. None of us liked or could finish it. Thank God I had some Green City with me as well. I don't get the rave reviews.

When I am not drinking alcohol, I drink unflavored seltzer mostly. I also like an Arnold Palmer or juice mixed with seltzer.

Lagunitas na ipa is good.

[pink]

Leitz Eins Zwei Zero, specifically the sparkling Riesling (best IMO), but even the still is pretty good. No decent reds exist yet.

[lucybrown]

Ditto Fre. It's decent. I prefer the white wines.

[goldengirlz]

I drank Fre during pregnancy. It’s worth a try!

I know you said no cocktails but Curious Elixirs are so good. (I usually get the No. 3 and No. 4 but No. 7 is supposed to be like a champagne cocktail.)

[sonrisa]

Mar 22, 2023 9:53:11 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Mar 22, 2023 9:18:06 GMT -5 stemmie said:

I've never found one I liked TBH. They all taste kind of "cooked" to me. FWIW, I am also a beer drinker who loves IPAs. I was very excited to try ABC's "Run Wild" and bought a 6 pack to share with 3 beer-loving friends when we went to an Indian byob. None of us liked or could finish it. Thank God I had some Green City with me as well. I don't get the rave reviews.

When I am not drinking alcohol, I drink unflavored seltzer mostly. I also like an Arnold Palmer or juice mixed with seltzer.

Lagunitas na ipa is good.

It's so weird to me that Lagunitas has a national presence. I know they've moved out to bigger places like Petaluma (and now Chicago??? surreal). But I still think of them as local. 

[beerlover]

sonrisa, I see Lagunitas in central PA all the time!

[mofongo]

Mar 22, 2023 11:20:19 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Mar 22, 2023 9:53:11 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Lagunitas na ipa is good.

It's so weird to me that Lagunitas has a national presence. I know they've moved out to bigger places like Petaluma (and now Chicago??? surreal). But I still think of them as local. 

Lol, I feel like I’ve seen lagunitas around for a looong time!!
ETA: like I don’t remember finding it for the first time or anything! In general the craft beer game has dramatically improved in the past 15yrs!

[k3am]

Fre was the best bet. I prefered their whites, even though I'm a red drinker.

Do you have a Total Wines near you? Ours has a huge selection of NA beverages.

If I'm "drinking" mid week, I'll often make a virgin gin and tonic.. (soda stream + tonic syrup)

[Mushe]

I tried a few in January and have the same goal as you. One I liked was Grüvi, which comes in four packs of single serve bottles of a white and rose sparkling. The others I tried in regular full size bottles were too sweet. I did think the Geisen rose (still) was pretty good.

[kate1482]

I’m not a white wine drinker normally but this one is ok. (I like regular waterbrook wine but the non alcoholic red version is undrinkable!)

waterbrook.orderport.net/product-details/2374/Waterbrook-Clean-Chardonnay

[ny96]

I haven’t found an NA wine I like, but Wilfred’s Aperitif is really good. They say you can drink it straight, but it’s a much better mixer.

thezeroproof.com/products/buy-wilfreds-aperitf?psafe_param=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwzuqgBhAcEiwAdj5dRon9e2nkpj0eRHjBQeo97j0TD6HBPOszk7OHAk4nU9n9P-Gy6tMDlhoC1ysQAvD_BwE

[jobae1234]

This is going to sound crazy but I used to drink V8 in a fancy glass. Something about the sharp tangy salty flavor did the trick for me.

[sonrisa]

Mar 22, 2023 12:15:07 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Mar 22, 2023 11:20:19 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

It's so weird to me that Lagunitas has a national presence. I know they've moved out to bigger places like Petaluma (and now Chicago??? surreal). But I still think of them as local. 

Lol, I feel like I’ve seen lagunitas around for a looong time!!
ETA: like I don’t remember finding it for the first time or anything! In general the craft beer game has dramatically improved in the past 15yrs!

It's named for the teeny, tiny town where it started. So although it is absolutely everywhere, the name makes it sound small to me. It's as if it were called 'Mofongo's neighbor's house' but was everywhere. 

[wanderlustmom]

Mar 22, 2023 12:21:23 GMT -5 k3am said:

Fre was the best bet. I prefered their whites, even though I'm a red drinker.

Do you have a Total Wines near you? Ours has a huge selection of NA beverages.

If I'm "drinking" mid week, I'll often make a virgin gin and tonic.. (soda stream + tonic syrup)

Oh thank you, we do have a total wine right by us.  I will try it and the Fre.  Good idea for a virgin gin and tonic, maybe I can start liking mocktails

[stemmie]

wanderlustmom, rum extract can be used to create Cuba Libres and punches. Most have some alcohol, but a few brands don't.

[wanderlustmom]

Mar 23, 2023 7:21:51 GMT -5 stemmie said:

wanderlustmom , rum extract can be used to create Cuba Libres and punches. Most have some alcohol, but a few brands don't.

stemmie, thank you for the great idea! today was a great example. Long day of work, long tennis match, I made the family dinner and wanted a glass of wine.  Had my NA beer and I'll have a glass tomorrow since it's the weekend.  Having NA options is good for me. And I love a good rum and coke

[ans1999]

I've subbed in kombucha for my wine. I am whatever they call it... sober curious... these days. It has a little bite and I'm a bubbles lover. I recommend the Humm brand. Blueberry mint is really good. I also love the NA beer you mentioned by Athletic- totally packing that for my beach/pool days this summer.