Kristian Regále Pomegranate-Apple Sparkler

My Experience:

The color of Kirstian Regále Pomegrante-Apple is peach-ish, or coral. The Pomegranate is the stronger smell, overwhelming the apple. The fizz isn't nearly as fizzy as Martinelli's, and the taste is sharp with a strong bite. The Pomegranate gives it a fair amount of acidity without too much of a tang. The bite overwhelms the finish as it fizzles away. The apple can be tasted, but acts more to tone down the pomegranate. It went very well with the lemon chicken we had, which was already pretty acidic. The Chicken was pretty light, yet still strongly acidic, and this Sparkler went well with it. It's sweet, but much dryer than any of the other sparkling juices we've had, and cleanses the palette much like the dealcoholized wines I've had. Less of a soda than other sparkling juices I've tried so far, with smaller bubbles. It's not flat, just finer. This doesn't have a head, while the others generally have a bit of one. This one also has continues tiny bubbles drifting upwards, where the others I've tried so far (Welch's Red and their White sparkling juices, as well as R.W. Knudsen's Sparkling Pear Juice and Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Grape) just have bubbles that are stagnant, attached to the side of the glass (in general.)

Works as a wine Alternative: Yes, this is perhaps the closest to the dealcoholized wines we've had, yet without the fermentation signature.

Did I like it: Yes, both my wife and I enjoyed it quite a bit. 9 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Yes, still sweeter than wines I've had, but getting there, and tasted good, though worked better with food than alone. Since I am primarily looking for drinks to go with food, this is a Highly Recommended.

Who Might Like it: It's sweeter than wine, but not as sweet as most juices. Great with food, so anyone looking for those things. Probably a great intro drink, this might go on my upcoming "What I'd try first" article.

Welch's Sparkling Red Grape Juice

My Experience:

Stronger than Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Grape, the Welch's appears a more vibrant red, and has a heavier mouth feel. It's less fizzy, though fine (as in small) bubbled. An obviously grapey taste, we had the Welch's with BBQ Tri-tip.

This could make a good Aperitif or Desert Wine alternative.

Simple, but good!

Works as a wine Alternative: Yes. A very good one.

Did I like it: Yes, better than Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Grape. I'd say a 7 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Yes

Who Might Like it: If you like grape juice, this is a more refined, subtle yet vibrant taste.

Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Grape

My Experience:

While I've yet to have the courage to write my Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider tasting experience, I have gone ahead to try one of their other drinks, Sparkling Apple Grape.

It's not as deep purple as I was expecting it to be. I think the green bottle tricked me. It's a dark red with a hint of purple. Surprise surprise, it smells like apple and grape! It's smells almost the same as the Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider. The taste has a touch more of a tang than the "normal" Martinelli's, with just a bit of the grape juice taste added in. The carbonation almost creates a small head, as it's very bubbly. It foams up in the mouth and has a quick bite as the carbonation disappears and evaporates during the finish. We served it with noodles and spaghetti sauce! It's a touch more acidic than the Sparkling Apple Cider, not so much as Ariel's White Zinfandel however, for example. The Welch's was much more grapey, less fizzy, and stronger in general.

This could make a good Aperitif or Dessert Wine alternative.

Works as a wine Alternative: I think so

Did I like it: Yeah, but not as much as Welch's Sparkling Red Grape Juice. 5 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Sure

Who Might Like it: Someone who likes normal Martinelli's

Welch's Sparkling White Grape Juice

Welch's Sparkling White Grape Juice

My Experience:

Smells like grapes! Has a touch of an apple taste, but tastes mostly like white grape juice. It's not quite as sweet as Martinelli's, and fizz is very fine, just barely there. Not very acidic, I wish it was a touch more. We tried it again later, straight from the fridge instead of only slightly chilled, and preferred it. I do, however, like most of my drinks quite cold. We had it with Rosemary Chicken.

This could make a good Aperitif or Dessert Wine alternative.

Works as a wine Alternative: Yes, one of the better ones I've had.

Did I like it: Yes, and we preferred it chilled straight from the fridge. 6 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Yes, I would. It's less acidic than R.W. Knudsen's Sparkling Pear Juice, which changes what I might eat with it.

Who Might Like it: Someone who likes their drinks cold, and not terribly acidic.

R.W. Knudsen's Sparkling Pear Juice

R.W. Knudsen's Sparkling Pear Juice

Fine, small bubbles, compared to what I'm used to anyway (soda, martinelli's...) Had a fizzy feel to it. The Pear juice dryer than say, Martinelli's. It's dry enough you can taste the pear, sweet enough that it's easy to drink. I'd prefer it a little more acidic, with the pork chops we ate it with.

Works as a wine Alternative: Yes, a nice alternative to a sparkling wine, I think. Subtle enough, though not very complex.

This could make a good Aperitif or Dessert Wine alternative.

Did I like it: Yes, this is a definite buy again. 8 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Absolutely, worth a try for anyone.

Who Might Like it: Someone who likes Martinelli's, but is looking for a more subtle alternative.

Sutter Home's Fre Chardonnay

My Experience:

I picked it up at Total Wine, after calling my wife and finding out what we were having for dinner. Tonight we ate fish, so tonight would be a white. I've been waiting to see what chardonnay tastes like, and I just couldn't help myself. I had to go big, so I got Sutter Home's Fre Chardonnay.

And the verdict?

It tastes like watered down apple juice. Very watered down apple juice.

Smells like white grape juice, tastes like very diluted apple juice with a tiny touch of fermentation, with very very slightly citrus air to it. It has a very short finish.

We ate it some flounder, and it tasted better with the flounder than alone, though only very slightly. It cuts through the food better than say... water. Very dry, yet not very acidic or sharp either. In fact I'd call it dull. I tried this the same night as our Juice Roundup (link) I suppose it's a good thing we tried this with other juices, otherwise I might have tricked myself into thinking I just needed to get used to this.

Works as a Wine Alternative: The odd thing is, of the few things I've tried so far, I'd say many of the juices (with the exceptional exception of the horrible Yum Berry Juice) actually workbetter than this wine, as a wine Alternative.

Did I like it: No. Not kinda. Not "depending." Neither my wife nor I liked this. Not one bit. Some of Ariel's wine carry a vintage, but as far as I can tell, Fre Wines don't. I might revisit this one years down the road, but for now it's not on my buy again list. It was pretty bad. Let's say a 2 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: No.

Who Might Like it: Reviews I have seen online from people who normally drank wine who where looking for something with out alcohol, all uniformly had negative reviews. I was hoping this might be very close to a "normal" wine, but I just can't imagine that is so anymore.

(Compare to varietal grape juice Chardonnay, by Draper Valley Vineyards)

Juice Roundup - R.W. Knudsen's Pomegranate Nectar and Yum Berry Juice

R.W. Knudsen's Pomegranate Nectar

It's a blend - the ingredients list says Water, Apple, Pomegranate, Grape Juice, and Pear Juice.

Looks like apple juice with a tinge of red, and I thought it would be stronger than it is. It's smooth. The apple and pear come through stronger than the pomegranate. For a juice it's not too sweet. Cut a bit of water into it - too weak. Cut with Sparkling water - not bad. Best chilled.

Works as a wine Alternative: Yes, though not as sweet as most juices, still a bit sweet for a wine alternative, however.

Did I like it: Yeah, it's pretty good. i'd give it a 5 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Yes, it's worth a shot. Not a stand out drink, but I thought it worked well.

Who Might Like it: Anyone who likes juice, I think.

R.W. Knudsen's Yum Berry Juice

Lots of ingredients. Very thick, smells mostly of strawberry, thick like Kerns nectar, My wife hated it, not recommended. Cut with anything makes it worse - It stays thick but loses flavor.

Works as a wine Alternative: No

Did I like it: No, it was horrible. Maybe a 1

Would I Recomend it: No

Who Might Like it: Can't think of anyone.