![The Best Non-Alcoholic Wine [Tested and Reviewed]](https://www.tasteofhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/TOHA24_Group-Photo_Katie-Bandurski_ST_01_Edited.jpg?fit=500,500&webp=1)
Updated on Dec. 16, 2024
The non-alcoholic wine market has been getting a lot of buzz, but are these wine alternatives too good to be true? We tested 16 bottles of red, white, rose and sparkling NA wine to find out.
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It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a glass of wine. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the taste and calming effect after a long day. But the combination of sugar, sulfites, histamine and alcohol creates the perfect storm to trigger my migraines—even more so as I’ve gotten older.
In pursuit of a better bottle (that I could hopefully enjoy without pain!) I put 16 of the most popular non-alcoholic wines to the test. Here’s what I learned—just in time for Dry January. Cheers!
Pros:
Cons:
This St. Regis Chardonnay is a surprisingly sweet sipper. Practically begging for an ice cube (especially on a hot summer’s day), this wine alternative offers a hint of sparkle and fruity notes of pear and apricot. It offered a nice body and plenty of flavor.
The only catch? I’m not sure I’d label this as a Chardonnay; it reminded me more of a Riesling. Plus, it features 15 grams of sugar per serving, 14 of which are added.
Cap Type: Twist-off | Nutrition Facts: 60 calories per 12 ounces and 15 grams of sugar | Alcohol Content: Less than 0.5% ABVÂ | Storage Instructions: Refrigerate after opening
Pros:
Cons:
Only two non-alcoholic wine picks blew me away, and the Saint Viviana Sauvignon Blanc was one of them. At just 10 calories per 8-ounce serving, I expected this wine alternative to taste like water. But it was surprisingly flavorful, bursting with notes of ripe orange, grapefruit and fresh melon.
It was definitely one of the more sour NA white wines I tried, but with only 2 grams of sugar, that’s to be expected. This is a solid option if you’re sensitive to sugar or following a low-carb diet.
Cap Type: Twist-off | Nutrition Facts: 10 calories per 8 ounces and 2 grams of sugar | Alcohol Content: Less than 0.5% ABV | Storage Instructions: N/A
Pros:
Cons:
One of my top takeaways from this test? Bubbles make everything better. The Kylie Minogue Sparkling Rose reminded me of the pink Moscato wine I drank in college. Yes, it’s very sweet and tastes a bit more like juice than it does wine, but the sparkles add a festive touch. Plus, it pops just like a real bottle of bubbly!
This was also one of the few bottles I tried with 0% ABV, so it’s a great option for a baby shower.
Cap Type: Champagne cork | Nutrition Facts: 50 calories per 8 ounces and 12 grams of sugar | Alcohol Content: 0% ABV | Storage Instructions: N/A
Pros:
Cons:
Few wine alternatives capture the delicate nose of wine, often smelling vegetal or vinegary. The Joyus Sparkling Rose is an outlier, offering a sweet, floral aroma that entices you to take a sip. While a little sour, this NA wine brings forward notes of berries and citrus flowers. The fruity taste lingers on the tongue, too.
This is my top pick for anyone craving a sparkler to serve with brunch.
Cap Type: Champagne cork | Nutrition Facts: 30 calories per 8 ounces and 6 grams of sugar | Alcohol Content: Less than 0.5% ABV | Storage Instructions: Refrigerate after opening
Pros:
Cons:
Red NA wines are the hardest to get right. At best, they taste similar to a budget-friendly Cab and at worst they’re vinegary and bitter.
The St. Regis Cabernet Sauvignon was a happy medium. It has a lesser body and more diluted flavor than the real deal, but it’s not bad. I found this pick to be smooth, sippable and sweet. Keep in mind, though, that the sugar content is pretty high at 16 grams.
Cap Type: Twist-off | Nutrition Facts: 70 calories per 11 ounces and 16 grams of sugar | Alcohol Content: Less than 0.5% ABV | Storage Instructions: Refrigerate after opening
Pros:
Cons:
At first sip, I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the Oddbird GSM. (By the way, the GSM stands for the grapes used: Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre/Carignan.) Like most of the picks on this list, it lacks body. But there’s a very wine-like flavor and it’s much less sweet than the St. Regis red.
It’s very smooth and I appreciate that there’s no added sugar.
Cap Type: Twist-off | Nutrition Facts: 29 calories per 5 ounces and 6 grams of sugar | Alcohol Content: Less than 0.5% ABV | Storage Instructions: N/A
Pros:
Cons:
The Oddbird Blanc de Blancs was hands-down my favorite NA wine that I tried. It really had everything you could want: A fun bottle-opening experience; fruity notes of apple, citrus and honey; 0% ABV. As someone who sadly opts for sparkling grape juice on New Year’s Eve, this is a definitive upgrade.
16 grams of sugar ensures this zero-proof wine is on the sweeter side. But hey, if the alternative is grape juice…
Cap Type: Champagne cork | Nutrition Facts: 70 calories per 12 ounces and 16 grams of sugar | Alcohol Content: 0% ABV | Storage Instructions: N/A
Non-alcoholic wine comes in a couple of forms. First, and perhaps most common, are wines that start as full-fledged vinos and undergo a dealcoholization process using water or heat. These wines still contain a trace amount of alcohol, usually up to 0.5%. Other non-alcoholic wines start as juices and teas, then build up the wine-like flavor with herbs, spices and ferments.
Regardless of the process, there are plenty of brands and varietals to choose from. The non-alcoholic beverage market has boomed in popularity as Dry January and “sober curious” movements spread. For myriad reasons, many consumers are looking to limit their alcohol intake while still indulging in something more adult than a Shirley Temple.
“Alcohol consumption, in any quantity, can negatively impact your body’s nutritional status and cause both short- and long-term health effects,” says registered dietitian Nancy Snyder. “Aside from some of the more immediate downsides—including sleep disruption and hangovers—alcohol consumption can affect nutrient absorption, disrupt the gut microbiome and impair immune function. And when consumed excessively over time, alcohol increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, liver disease, as well as various types of cancer.”
At first glance, non-alcoholic wines look exactly like the real deal. They come in glass bottles with fancy labels; many varietals have a cork (in the case of NA champagnes, a cork that pops!); and, when poured into a glass, no one could guess you’re not sipping on the good stuff. Plus, non-alcoholic wines aren’t exactly cheap. You’ll likely spend $15-$30 per bottle.
Taste, however, is where the comparisons start to dwindle. None of the non-alcoholic wines I tested truly tasted like, well, wine. Almost all of them lacked body and depth of flavor, and many fell into a “too sweet” or “too sour” camp.
If you’re on a quest for a wine alternative, I suggest lowering your expectations. It’s unlikely you’ll find an exact dupe for your favorite bottle, especially if you’re an experienced wine drinker. Instead, weigh the options inside the non-alcoholic beverage category as a whole. If you can move past the “this is supposed to be wine?!” conundrum, many of these picks are really delightful. And in addition to nixing alcohol, some are much lower in calories than traditional wine. (Others, still, are higher in sugar, so make sure you read the label!)
Plus, according to Nancy, that barely there taste could actually be a good thing for some consumers. “While replacing alcoholic beverages with non-alcoholic versions is a great way to cut down on consumption, drinks that mimic the taste and smell of the real thing is not advised for those in recovery as they may trigger cravings.”
As a vegetarian of 15 years, this category reminds me a lot of plant-based “meat.” Some brands are good, others are abhorrent—and much of it comes down to personal preference.Â
Before heading to the liquor store, you’ll want to keep these core considerations in mind:
To find the best non-alcoholic wines, I started by doing my research. There are dozens of brands on the market, so I first considered reader favorites and top-reviewed picks. Then, I asked my fellow wine drinkers for recommendations. I wanted to try an array of varietals, so I settled on five reds, five whites and six sparkling/roses.
Next, I created a testing methodology for ranking each wine. I chose to evaluate packaging, nutritional information, storage instructions, price and, of course, taste. Once all the bottles arrived, I set up a wine tasting at my kitchen table (complete with water and crackers for palate cleansers!) and started testing. I first sampled all the reds, then the whites and finally the sparkling/rose options. I tried each wine three times: fresh from the bottle, after breathing for half an hour at room temperature and with an ice cube before ranking.
In my tenure at Taste of Home and as Senior Shopping Editor, I’ve tried hundreds of products in the food and beverage space. From coffee subscriptions to sparkling CBD water, it’s my mission to test and review the coolest drinks on the market. And, as a (mostly) nondrinker these days, I have a particular interest in zero-proof options. As an added bonus, I’m not the only one looking for a bev without the buzz. As a team, we’ve tested non-alcoholic cocktails, NA “hop water” beers, kombuchas and probiotic sodas.
The internet is your best bet for the widest selection. Many brands sell direct-to-consumer, and there are also specialty retailers like The Zero Proof that focus on NA drinks. You can also find popular picks on mass merchants like Amazon and Walmart. Select liquor stores, like Total Wine, also carry some stock in stores.
It depends on the brand. Some have 0% alcohol, while others have trace amounts. FDA regulations state that in order for a bottle to claim “dealcoholized” or “alcohol-removed,” it can’t exceed 0.5% ABV.
