Ever Wonder? How are Non-Alcoholic Wines Made and are they Good?

Non-alcoholic wines have been around for years. But, you may have wondered:

  • “What exactly is non-alcoholic wine?”

  • “How is it made?”

  • “Is it any good?”

First, let’s look at non-alcoholic wine. It actually is ‘real’ wine that’s been made from fermented grapes. It can have similar flavors to wine, just without the alcohol. Although, non-alcoholic wine may still contain a very small amount of alcohol. So, check the label - it will tell you the exact amount of alcohol that it contains.

Now, let’s take a brief look at how non-alcoholic wine made. As stated previously, it starts with "‘real’ wine made from fermented grapes. Then it goes through one of two processes to remove the alcohol. One method is called vacuum distillation where the wine is heated to temperatures where the alcohol begins to evaporate. This temperature is below the boiling point of the wine but, because the boiling point of alcohol is lower than water, the alcohol ‘boils’ off and is pulled away in a vacuum chamber.

The other method is reverse osmosis. This process uses an extremely fine filter that only allows the water and the alcohol to pass through. The filter catches all the fine grape particles that give the wine its color, its tannin and its flavors. The mixture of water and alcohol is then distilled to remove the alcohol. The left-over water is then recombined with the grape solids to form a non-alcoholic wine.

The same processes are used for “low calorie” or low-alcohol wines except they don’t remove all the alcohol.

Now, there’s the final question “Is non-alcoholic wine any good?” And, as you might have guessed, it’s not as good as “real” wine but it does have a lot of similarities. We’ll discuss this a bit more next time. Until then, Cheers!

Food and Wine Pairing - Just the Basics

The following suggestions are general guidelines for food and wine pairings. The first rule is drink what you like! The second rule is choose a wine that won’t get overpowered by the flavors of the food. But, if you’re looking for some help, here are some general pairing suggestions:

  • Sparkling wines work well with most any food 

  • Pork and chicken dishes work well with most white wines

  • Carb-based meals (pasta, potatoe, rice) work well with acidic wines, like Sauvignon Blanc (white), Pinot Noir or Barbera (reds)

  • Spicy dishes generally pair well with fruitier, sweeter wines (Riesling, Grüner Veltliner, Gamay Beaujolais, Carménère)

  • Rich or fatty dishes can benefit from either a high acid wine such as a Pinot Noir or an oaked Chardonnay that will complement the flavors

  • Red meats that are well-marbleized with fat, work well with higher tannin wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Tannat

Some Further Specifics:

  • Brunches

    • Egg dishes, Quiche: Sparkling Wine, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Un-oaked Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio

  • Poultry

    • Un-Seasoned Grilled Chicken: Sauvignon Blanc, Un-oaked Chardonnay

    • Chicken with Barbecue Sauce: Zinfandel

    • Spicy Asian Chicken: Grüner Veltliner

    • Turkey: Most white wines, Pinot Nor and Zinfandel

  • Red Meats

    • Steaks: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Zinfancel, Merlot

    • Hamburgers: Most red wines

    • BBQ Beef Ribs: Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel

  • Seafood

  • Mild White Fish: Pinot Grigio, Viognior, Un-oaked Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

  • Medium Fish (trout, snapper, grouper, or halibut): Un-oaked Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir

  • Bolder Fish (salmon, swordfish and tuna): Pinot Noir

  • Lobster: Sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc

  • Crab: Oaked Chardonnay

The bottom-line is back to rule number one - drink what you like! But, hopefully these suggestions will help if you’re in a quandary. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Vitis Ridge Cabernet Franc

2017 Vitis Ridge Cabernet Franc ($34)

Vitis Ridge is currently owned and operated by Chris & Sharon Deckelmann.  What started as a hobby in their garage over 20 years ago has evolved into one of the North Willamette Valley's most popular wineries. Vitis Ridge is part of the Cascade Foothills Winegrowers, a consortium of wineries on the East side of the Willamette Valley.

Established in 2005, Vitis Ridge is a boutique Oregon winery producing about 3,000 cases annually. They focus on unique wines and specialty blends and are currently offering 30 varietals.

Their Estate vineyards are comprised of nearly 150 acres and include Pinot Noir, Maréchal Foch, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Muscat.  They also bring in grapes from vineyards throughout the Northwest to provide a broader range of offerings and interesting terrior differences.

This Vitis Ridge Cabernet Franc is sourced from Washington’s Yakima Valley. It it deep purple in color with notes of red fruit and spices. On the palate it is rich with intense flavors of red fruit (raspberry), blueberry and black plum with the distinct Cabernet Franc spicy, peppery notes.

This wine is excellent and a great value, too! Vitis Ridge always keeps their prices affordable so you can open the bottle you want to drink anytime...not just for the special event. That makes this Vitis Ridge Viognier a perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week!

Next time you are in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, stop in at Vitis Ridge and meet their Tasting Room Manager, Brian Everest, to check out all their great wines. Cheers!

Disclosure: This wine was purchased directly from Vitas Ridge. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Behind the Cork™ - Organic Wines of Veramonte

In anticipation of Earth Day 2023 on April 22nd, here’s a great trio of organic, vegan wines to celebrate with!

The wines from Veramonte are from the Casablanca Valley in Chile. Veramonte follows organic practices in all their vineyards to ensure the best conditions for the development of the vine thus achieving vineyards that are sustainable. Through cultivating healthy, living soils and maintaining a natural balance in their vineyards and winemaking process, Veramonte obtains quality grapes that express the full potential of the terroir, leading to wines with character and authenticity.

2020 Veramonte Pinot Noir ($13.99)

Produced from 100% Organic Pinot Noir, 15% of the grapes underwent whole cluster maceration and fermentation with natural yeasts. It then spent 8 months aging in oak. It is pale ruby in color with red fruit aromas of raspberry and cherry. One the palate it has juicy fruit flavors of cherry and cranberry and finishes light. (13.5% ABV, 1.3 g/L RS, 5.8 g/L acidity)

2022 Veramonte Chardonnay ($13.99)

Produced from 100% Organic Chardonnay, the grapes are whole cluster pressed and sit for 24 hours before being racked off. Part of the wine is barrel fermented in neutral oak with wild yeasts while the rest is fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain its bright flavors. Then, 30% of the wine undergoes malolactic conversion. Finally, 15% of the wine is aged in neutral oak for 8 months. It is medium gold in color with citrus and apple aromas. On the palate it is bright and refreshing. (14% ABV, 3.33 g/L RS, 7.35 g/L acidity)

2022 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc ($13.99)

This wine is composed of 100% Organic Sauvignon Blanc grapes that are fermented in stainless steel tanks. It is medium gold in color with subtle citrus aromas. On the palate it has bright citrus flavors of grapefruit and lime with a refreshing finish. (13.5% ABV, 0.78 g/L RS, 7.73 g/L acidity)

Each of these sustainably-made wines is organic and vegan which make them not only a perfect fit for Earth Day 2023 but also most any day that you’re looking for an affordable wine that pairs well with a variety of foods. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Veramonte Wines, González Byass (via Donna White Communications)