Description

Sobriety Society are new kids on the Alcohol Free block! They have a Chardonnay, a Blanc de Blancs and a Shiraz Tempranillo. And they are all organic and low in sugar! Red wine is my one true love, so I’ve gone with this first.

Smells jolly good, some red berry notes coming through strongly on the nose. I note that I have broken my own rules and literally cracked this and tried it. I normally recommend letting AF red wine aerate for a good amount of time before enjoying. Despite this, I do like it. As a Tempranillo would be, a little on the sweeter side. But in a balanced way. It’s not grape juice sweet. There is a nice balance of acid and tannin in there. It’s robust and you get a good mouth feel, and a lingering pleasant after taste.

It’s a little tart but not too tart and little hints of savoury notes which we know maketh the good red wine. All in all a very pleasant start to my Sobriety Society experience. Not bad…not bad at all!

Rating: 8/10 (with bonus points for being organic and low sugar)

Buy Again?: Yes

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Description

I love Leitz’s Riesling. It’s a really really great, crisp, dry white non-alcoholic wine. So I cracked this bottle of their Pinot Noir with so much excitement and gusto, thinking this could be our saviour. The non-alc red wine hunt could be called off.

Don’t call off the hunt. This wine smells good, dry, aromatic, berry scented. Pours like a Pinot, light in colour and full of promise. But for me it does not deliver on flavour. At this point I thought it was me, maybe my memory of Pinot Noir is off and this is what it’s supposed to taste like: so I enlisted the help of Google. “A traditionally dry wine, it emits obvious hints of bright red fruit on the palate and through its aromas. Yet these flavours are not particularly rich and tannin elements are subtle. The lighter, velvety feel combined with a low tannic content and medium-high acid makes Pinot Noir particularly easy to drink.”

I’m getting the red fruit notes, it is dry; but for me it’s a little too on the sweet side. It’s not quire grape juice vibes, it’s more advanced than that, it’s just missing that slightly savoury element that we love about red wine.

If you love a light red, I think give this a go. I think it would work quite well chilled in summer, with some cheese & bikkies.

For mine, The Lindeman’s Cab Sav still ticks all the right boxes and is leading the way with the non-alcoholic reds.

Post review note: I popped grabbed a bottle of Plus & Minus Pinot for comparison while writing this. The P&M is the better of the two, but by adding a little drop of the P&M to the Leitz it gave it a bit more of that tannic & savoury feel I was after. Never be afraid to mix it up!

Rating: 7/10

Buy Again?: No

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Description

This Shiraz is GOOD. It’s not quite “I can’t believe this doesn’t have alcohol in it” level good, but it’s by far the best I have tried to date. It’s sweet but not raisny, a little on the acidic side and most importantly has that tannic mouth feel that I have been chasing! This I gather is thanks to the unique grapeskin extract (bonus antioxidants) that keeps things on the drier side. It’s all very clever!

Rating: 8/10

Buy Again?: Yes

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Description

I feel like this wine is the sophisticated younger sister of the Plus & Minus party girl Shiraz. Compared with the Shiraz, the pinot is more subtle, less boldly fruity.

There’s a slightly savoury edge, she’s a little peppery and beautifully tannic thanks to the grape skin extract used in the process. It’s a really tight race and I’m splitting hairs, but I actually think I prefer this over the shiraz.

It would pair beautifully with antipasto or a cheesy risotto.

Rating: 8/10

Buy Again?: Yes

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Description

I’ve had an epiphany. AF red wine is to red wine what zoodles are to pasta. What nutritional yeast is to Parmesan. A healthy alternative that mimics but will never quite match the original. This Dornfelder is full(ish) bodied, a little on the fruity side but a tolerable accompaniment to my salty dinner.

I wouldn’t buy it knowing there is better on the market.

Rating: 6/10

Buy Again?: No

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Description

I taste tested this one head-to head with the Plus & Minus Shiraz. You don’t get the same level of tannic dry with the Natureo (as you do with Plus & Minus) but I think the flavour profile is actually a bit more complex. It’s a little warmer, softer with a bit of depth (not full red wine depth but you know, full for AF). They are on par calorie-wise, the Natureo is slightly lower carb.

The verdict is they are both good AF reds with their own good qualities, so enjoy!

Rating: 8/10

Buy Again?: Yes

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Description

The Ariel Cab Sav came recommended as a tried and tested favourite. Described as “a full-bodied, oak-aged voluptuous red wine”. I have to say I was a little disappointed (and glad I took backup wine).

She’s a tiny bit dry and tannic, but not enough to win me over. She’s not overwhelmingly sweet, but still too sweet for my liking. The main thing missing to me is any body or depth of flavour. There is no robustness or richness there (as we know is generally the case with many of the non alc reds!)

She would be ok I think chilled for summer drinking, but not what I am looking for as a fireside cosy.

The most exciting thing about this one is that it has a cork! Just like in the olden days! Yes I easily amused.

Rating: 7/10

Buy Again?: No

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Description

After the disappointment I had with the non-alcoholic Wolf Blass Bubbles, I have to say my hopes were not high for the Shiraz in their new range. You might even say sceptical.

BUT… though it smells a little vinegary, this actually tastes pretty good!*

It’s robust, has good mouth feel, is dry, tannic and fruity in the way wine is supposed to be. It’s not too sweet and most importantly; unlike the bubbles, there is no off-putting aftertaste. If anything it could be a little on the side of too acidic, leaning it towards vinegar. But to me, still palatable.

If you are looking for a nice natural wine, this is not the one for you (look at the Sobriety Society Red instead). There are a few too many ingredients in there for my liking. But if you are here for taste and taste alone then you could be on to a winner. It’s low on sugar which is definitely a bonus.

*For an alcohol free red. Want to know more? Read my Red Wine blog here.

Rating: 8/10

Buy Again?: Yes

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Description

Due to the fact that I find the Jacobs Creek Unvined Sparkling to be quite a delight, I was holding out great hope for this to be super good (especially for the price point).

While it doesn’t live up to my hopes and dreams, it certainly isn’t a write off…so don’t stress if you’ve already order it and its lost in the Australia Post void!

Whilst it’s a touch sweet (like all the NA reds) it does have some balance and some body. There are some mild tannins amongst some quite rich fruit flavours. I think as always, open it really early and let it breathe for a good amount of time and I would say enjoy with food rather than on its own. A bolognaise or a fancy pizza (no Aussie pizzas with string ham here please!

If you’re not keen to chance it, try my top 2 red recommendations instead…Lindeman’s Cab Sav and the Lautus Savvy Red. Much safer bets!

Rating: 7.5/10

Buy Again?: Yes but only if Lindemans and Lautus were unattainable

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Description

This is cheap and cheerful and not ENTIRELY offensive. Just what you want in a drink! Ha. Its tart and has an aftertaste that is reminiscent of the real thing. It’s slightly sweeter than I would prefer but it is definitely not the sweetest I have tried. It helped me through a very late night of cake decorating and I would take this with me to dinner at a friend’s house. I would not offer it to said friend though if they are capable of drinking real red wine, they may not be your friend for long!

Rating: 6.5/10

Buy Again?: No

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Description

It’s taken me nearly 10 months and countless bottles but I got there eventually. IT TASTES LIKE RED WINE(minus the nasty ethanol burn obvs). I took this to a meeting last night and my committee of committed red wine drinksers all agreed. This is GOOD.

Its tannic, full bodied, got a depth of flavour to it that no others I have tried have managed to emulate through the alcohol removal process.

I had my reservations (distrust of big brands?) but I am putting 6 bottles in my shopping cart as we speak! It’s low-cal, low sugar and if you can forgive the fact that it’s not vegan and has a couple too many preservatives, you have a friend for life!

Rating: 9/10

Buy Again?: Yes

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Description

This could be a little controversial as the general consensus on all the feedback I am getting is that this is a good one. And by god, I REALLY wanted to like it. So close. It’s full bodied, complex, dry, not cloyingly sweet. Sound’s great right?

But there’s an underlying flavour component I just can’t drink past.

Soon after I stopped drinking I attempted to make red wine vinegar from the last remaining bottle of alcohol in the house. Got the ‘mother’ from a friend, did lots of googling and hoped for the best.

Three months later I realised it had failed and gone bad.

THIS is where my mind to me when I opened the Edenvale Expedition Series Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon and had my first sniff. That unfortunately carried through to the taste.

It could well be a coriander/soapy dishcloth thing, it obviously doesn’t apply to everyone because it’s getting a lot of good feedback. I think you’d better try for yourself!

Rating: 8/10

Buy Again?: No, not for me.

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Description

Full-disclosure, this is not the first time I have tried this wine. I tried it last year when Dry but Wet was but a twinkle in my eye and when I was desperately hunting for a good red wine replacement. I have no notes, all I remember is that it wasn’t a win then. But I keep hearing great things and so I decided to try again, after all, your tastes change the further you get from alcohol.

The short of it is, I was pretty right first time. It pours beautifully, the colour is intense and the aroma rich and inviting. But it let me down on first sip. There’s flavour, but it’s too sweet and it lacks any body or complexity. I don’t get much tannin (maybe a smidge)and certainly no peppery vibes. Then there is the underlying “oak” flavour that I got with NEWBLOOD’s Chardonnay that tastes a little fake and lingers a little too long.

Another disappointing chapter in the ongoing saga that is non-alc red wine. If I were you I would steer clear of this one and give the Lindeman’s Cab Sav as crack. It’s got the body that this one is so sorely lacking.

Rating: 6/10

Buy Again?: No

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Description

I LOVE the winter warmth that a little mulled wine brings. There’s something about cupping your hands around a warm cup of spicy festive red wine that just warms my cockles.

This bottle comes ready to heat and pour, so if you can’t be bothered gathering all the required ingredients (cloves, cinnamon, organge, vanilla etc), you are sorted.

On first sip I get that beautiful, spicy mix of flavours. The clove, cinnamon, citrus all shine through and give that familiar warm hug to your taste buds. This is SWEET (as mulled wine traditionally is) so be ready for that.

If I was nit-picking (which you know I am here for) I would say it lacks a little depth and the full mouth feel you get from the better non-alcoholic reds, but with what you’re looking for in a mulled wine I would say that’s not a deal breaker. Def’s one to take on your next winter camping trip or ski retreat. I think this is my favourite thing Edenvale have produced to date!

ps. For my second cup I added some of my favourite Cab Sauv and it rounded it out nicely! Be your own mixologist!

Rating: 8/10

Buy Again?: For special occasions

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Description

I used this bottle to make mulled wine and sangria…and didn’t need to add sugar. Need I say more? Fruity as F**K!

I am not sure if it’s just me but all the McGuigan Zero wines if find a little fizzy on the tongue, it’s not entirely pleasant, I don’t think its intentional and it certainly doesn’t agree with me. Might be a preservative.

Rating: 4/10

Buy Again?: No

This review that links to an online retailer may pay me affiliate commissions. If you purchase I collect a small commission (at no cost to you!) and it really helps me offset some of the cost of running Dry but Wet.

For UK – Use DRY5 at checkout for 5% off your order.
(a nice way to offset your shipping).

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Description

Holy Moly this one is good! Like get a second mortgage and invest in a palette load good!

From first sniff I was feeling positive. It smells like the real deal. But as we all know, our noses can be deceiving!

My nose was not lying! This red is robust, full bodied, tannic and beautifully savoury. There are rich red berry notes but there is no cloying sweetness, its so so well balanced.

I’d say it’s on par with Lautus and funnily enough also from South Africa…they are onto a good thing in SA! While Lautus has your oak, this Merlot does not, or is significantly light on with it. SO it’s a cleaner finish.

BUY ALL THE WINE!!

Rating: 9/10

Buy Again?: Yes

This review that links to an online retailer may pay me affiliate commissions. If you purchase I collect a small commission (at no cost to you!) and it really helps me offset some of the cost of running Dry but Wet.

Note: This product emulates alcohol and could be triggering so please be careful!