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Party season is around the corner, but that doesn’t mean going overboard on the booze until we try to undo the excesses of Dry January.
If you’re avoiding alcohol, there are plenty of good alternatives to sparkling wine that still feel festive and make that great sound when you pop the cork. And for once we can toast to “our good health” and we really mean it.
The best non-alcoholic champagne of 2024
1
The best prosecco without alcohol
La Joyosa sparkling without alcohol, £4.50
groceries.morrisons.com
£8.60
drydrinker.com
You may be familiar with La Gioiosa, one of Italy’s largest prosecco producers. It is based in Treviso, known as “the land of prosecco”. The brand’s non-alcoholic offering is made with Glera grape must (freshly squeezed juice, with skins, seeds and stems). Glera is the grape used to make conventional prosecco, so those delicate notes of pear, apple, peach and white blossom can also be found in this glass of bright, alcohol-free bubbles.
2
The best non-alcoholic sparkling rosé
Bolle Rosé, £19.99
bolledrinks.com
wisebartender.co.uk
It is the only non-alcoholic wine that goes through secondary fermentation, like a traditional sparkling wine, which makes it even more like real wine. It’s technically low in alcohol, but at less than 0.5% ABV, that’s about the amount of a ripe banana. Dry on the palate, with fine bubbles and a long finish of strawberries and cream, Bolle offers a compelling alternative to your holiday bottle of champagne.
Kylie Minogue Alcohol Free Sparkling Rose, £5.49
thebottleclub.com
£6
tesco.com
Kylie’s strawberry-flavored offering is among the most popular non-alcoholic sparkling wines on the market and alone has driven more than half the growth of the entire category. It looks the part with its beautiful heart-stamped bottle and plays the part with its vibrant flavors and energetic shine. The dry mouthfeel provided by the addition of green tea balances the sweetness and the sharp acidity makes it refreshing and more effective.
Codorníu zero frothy alcohol for free wine, £5.50
ocado.com
£3.99
amazon.co.uk
Codorníu Zero isn’t the cheapest non-alcoholic sparkling wine you can find, but it may be the best value for what you get. This de-alcoholized wine made from airén grapes is from Spain’s oldest cava producer, Raventós Codorníu. It’s bubbly, dry and acidic, and with aromas of green apples, melted butter and peaches, it works with a bowl of salted nuts and a few slices of jamon.
Oddbird Blanc de Blancs, £13.99
thealcoholfreeco.co.uk
£10.99
thewinereserve.co.uk
Oddbird, founded in 2013, is an industry pioneer offering a range of non-alcoholic wines. He works with traditional winemakers and believes that quality alcohol-free wine starts as quality wine first. Oddbird’s Blanc de Blancs is made from Chardonnay and Colombard grapes in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France and has a remarkably crisp and creamy texture. These wines are additive-free, which few alcohol-free wines can claim.
Thomson & Scott Noughty dealcoholized frothy chardonnay, £9.50
waitrose.com
£10
majestic.co.uk
Organic, vegan, halal, gluten-free, low-sugar, low-calorie and low-sulphite, Noughty is the holy grail of non-alcoholic sparkling wine. It is made like a conventional wine from Chardonnay grapes grown in La Mancha, central Spain, and the alcohol is removed afterwards. It’s delightfully fizzy in the glass, with hints of lemon and granny smith apple.
7
Best for Sauvignon Blanc fans
Sidewood almost bare frothy low alcohol NV, £14.50
davywine.co.uk
This is a smart, near-alcohol (0.5%) sparkling wine from Sidewood Winery in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes harvested from award-winning vineyards. The grapes are crushed and fermented, then the alcohol is removed using the rotating cone technique. On the palate it is bone dry with a persistent mousse and hints of lemon, blossom and meadow.
after the promotion of the newsletter
¡H! Barcelona Hola non-alcoholic sparkling NV, £6.99
laithwaites.co.uk
£37.93 for six bottles
amazon.co.uk
As with cava, this Hola is made from Catalonia’s native grapes: Macabeo, Parellada and Harel-lo. The juice is fermented and carbonated, resulting in big, busy bubbles along with aromas of green apple and lime. The drink is definitely reminiscent of Spain’s favorite sparkling water – although it has a hint of sweetness and a slight tropical character. At less than £7, it’s great value and the label looks pretty stylish too.
French Bloom 0.0% Le Rosé, £35
fortnumandmason.com
£34
uk.frenchbloom.com
It may be the most expensive non-alcoholic champagne on the market, but French Bloom feels special. It might be the fancy packaging or the fact that the brand has champagne royalty, Frèrejean-Taittinger, behind it, but it fits the bill for a festive occasion. The rosé version is made from organic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, giving notes of fresh red berries and crisp pink lady apples. The fine bubbles provide a creamy texture and a pleasant long-lasting finish.
Éclat Domaine Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine on Wednesday, £18.99
delli.market
£19.95
drydrinker.com
The Wednesday domain was created by a wine lover who wanted to save the drinking for the weekends. With that in mind, the goal was to make these still wines as wine-like as possible. Éclat begins life as verdejo from Spain’s La Mancha region before being lightly de-alcoholized and kept in a pressure tank for 24 hours to create bubbles. It’s snappy and spicy and will ensure you keep your zip and zing until at least the weekend.
11
Best for wellness geeks
Wild Life Botanicals Blush, £16
wildlifebotanicals.co.uk
£13.49
thealcoholfreeco.co.uk
The company’s hashtag #BubblesWithBenefits refers to the wealth of vitamins, minerals and botanicals in this effervescent elixir, including six B vitamins, vitamin C and zinc. Not to be confused with a healthy breakfast drink, this is a wine de-alcoholized to 0.5% ABV and comes, like the others, in a champagne-shaped bottle, ready for any occasion that calls for fizz. Notes of refreshing rhubarb, wild strawberries and crab apples are reminiscent of the Cornish countryside where it is made.
Wild Idol alcohol free 0.0% frothy white, £30
ocado.com
£29.99
wildidol.com
Wild Idol has won over foodies with its naturally still wines, which are available at many top restaurants across the country, including Nobu and The Dorchester. It’s made at Kent-based Balfour Winery with German grapes, and Wild Idol claims it uses a “cleaner, less mechanized method” because it doesn’t have to remove alcohol as the juice never ferments. Technicalities aside, the brand’s sparkling white is praised for its perfumed aromas, fresh fruit flavors and fine, long-lasting bubbles.
Brewery in LA sparkling english blush kombucha, £9.50
thewinesociety.com
£8
ocado.com
Produced in a B-corp certified microbrewery in Suffolk, LA Brewery’s sparkling kombuchas are infused with blends of fruits, flowers and botanicals to enhance aromas, texture and depth of flavor. The sparkling blush is enhanced with hops, elderflower and rhubarb – all the lovely aromas of the English countryside.
A real peony Blush no alcoholic frothy tea, £11.50
waitrose.com
£9.50
amathusdrinks.com
The Real Drinks Co make naturally fermented sparkling teas in their “Fermenter” at the Waddesdon Estate in Buckinghamshire, which you can visit. The award-winning Peony Blush, made with white peony tea, is a refreshing alternative to sparkling rosé, thanks to its mouth-watering acidity and hints of fresh summer berries.
Copenhagen organic frothy Blå tea, £18.50
fortnumandmason.com
£17.99
fenwick.co.uk
This sparkling tea, developed by award-winning Danish sommelier Jakob Kotzemba, seems to be the favorite cup of mothers-to-be. Made from 13 blends of jasmine, white tea and Darjeeling tea, Blå has a delicate aroma and clean taste, with a fine tannic structure that helps it pair with a variety of foods, from cheese to salmon.
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