Martinelli's Sparkling Cider

This is probably the most popular alcohol replacement out there.  I’ve seen it served at weddings during the toast instead of Champagne, and my family has had it yearly during Thanksgiving and Christmas for many years.  It’s a staple of the holiday season for me, and it was the first thing I’d ever drank that was from a wine-bottle-shaped-bottle.  It stood out as unique to me because of how rarely we had it, and it’s extreme fizz made me have to sip it lightly.  It was only years down the line that I started to think “what other options do we have?”  I’ve always liked to try new foods, and after a few years, despite liking Martinelli’s, I got bored with it.  As it was my parents making the purchase, I didn’t really do anything about it.  Eventually, in the last few years, as I started thinking more about the food I was eating both from a culinary perspective and a health perspective, I really started to search for other things to pair with my foods.  In a way, this should have been the first thing I posted here, because it was first wine-alterative I’d ever tried. So, I sat down with a new bottle and dissected it.

It’s the color of a clear apple juice, though lighter than most.  The bubbles cling quite strongly to the sides of the flute.  Various sized bubbles floated up, creating a very slow, but stead stream of released carbonation.  It’s quite strongly carbonated, and if you place the plastic topper back on (after you’ve popped the bottle cap off for the first round) it will shoot off when you open it.  I’ve often gotten the hiccups from drinking the first glass too swiftly.  It still happens to me often.  it smells like apple juice, but with a  touch more tartness in the scent.  The carbonation gives it a strong prickle, and if you give it a switch in your mouth, it foams and evaporates almost immediately.  It’s quite a fun sensation.  It’s very sweet, with a touch of tart from the apple, and perhaps a bit more acidic than straight apple juice.  And I’ll emphasize, it’s very sweet for someone looking for a wine replacement.  There is no barrier of entry- anyone who likes apple juice will likely enjoy this.  It’s simple, not very complex, and yet I personally find it addictive.  I’ll finish any bottle that gets opened.  I like sweet drinks, and even though I’m finding some juices and be too sweet when paired with meals, Martinelli’s is more easily paired with many foods.  It is, however, a pretty strong drink that can overwhelm some foods.  It would definitely work as an aperitif or dessert wine - definitely as a dessert wine.

It’s nothing spectacular, but then again I’ve grown up with it.  I think it fails with some of the pairings I usually have had it with, and it would work much better with stronger foods than turkey.  Some of the sides, cranberries for example, make a better pairing.  

Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider is agressive.  It hits your hard up front, and in that way it’s like a soda - it’s not subtle.  it’s good for cutting through tart, but it will affect how the rest of your food tastes because of how sweet it is.  It minimizes the sweetness that may be present in your meal, for example pairing it with ham would emphasize it’s umami, but diminish it’s sweetness.  This happens without any added sweeteners - it’s pretty much just apples and carbonation - which is interesting because they have an organic sparkling apple juice which is different from the cider (but they have non-sparking apple cider and non-sparkling apple juice that are the same!), but the process this is put through intensifies it’s flavors and naturally occurring sugar.

Works as a Wine Alternative: For any strongly sparkling dessert wine, yes.

Did I Like it: yes!  8 out of 10.  My sweet tooth (and sweet) wife likes it also.

Would I Recommend it:  Yes, just remember it’s the furthest from dry you can get.  It’s aggressive, yet approachable for those coming from sodas and juices.

Who Might Like it: Someone who is looking for somethings subtle or more complex.   

Kristian Regále Sparkling Black Currant

My Experience:

I'd been searching around for a local place to find more of the flavors from Kristian Regále, and was thinking about ordering from their own website to get the two I hadn't tried yet (Orange and Black Currant.) Before I'd gotten around to making the order, however, I was contacted by Peter Strnad of Kristian Regále, who simply said he enjoyed reading the reviews I'd written. I told him to keep watching for when I finally reviewed the last two flavors once I got my hands on them, and he offered to send me some of the Black Currant (apparently that's the one that people really notice.) Now, I know what you're thinking. "What about your journalistic integrity!" I have only two things to say. First, you are taking this blog way too seriously. Second, you only have to look at my previous reviews before now to see I've always been (and will be) a fan of Kristian Regále (and been honest in my opinion.) Anyway, the best news of all this is that he informed me they are now just now selling through amazon (not a 3rd party at amazon) which means free shipping on orders over $25. Here is a sample pack that has the Black Currant and more. Also make sure to try out the Pomegranate.

The color is a rosy plum, and its scent, like most juices, indicative of the fruit used in it. (read: it smells like black currant!) The carbonation is perfectly fantastic, just like all Kristian Regále (see the link in the sidebar), with its zesty bite that's not over the top, and full of tiny bubbles. It doesn't completely dissipate on your tongue like some of this style of drink does. It's on the drier side of Kristian Regále, which is quite dry for a juice, still sweet for a wine. It's fairly acidic, medium bodied and on the bold side. Fresh plums come to mind while drinking it.

It cleanses well, and it'd pair well with lots of foods. Steaks, pastas, pork and even some desserts. It's very versatile, and complimentary to lots of foods. The ingredients list is gleefully short. Water, apple & black currant concentrates, beet sugar, carbon dioxide, natural flavors and citric acid.

This is now my favorite Kristian Regále drink. It's more nuanced and sophisticated than the pomegranate, and a bit more versatile. It's as wine-like as you can get in the sparkling world, without going for de-alcholized wine. I'm definitely adding this to my table drink list, and with how often we use Amazon to order things, a case of this will be on my Birthday and Christmas lists indefinitely.

We drank this with Spinach Prosciutto Noodle Casserole.

Works as a Wine Alternative: Yes

Did I Like it: My favorite Kirstian Regále so far, 10

Would I Recommend it: Yes, it's easy to pick up and try, pairs well with lots of food, and tastes great.

Who Might Like it: Again, this one has wide appeal.

Kristian Regále Sparkling Pear

My Experience:

This will be short one, as most of Kristian Regále stuff is (delightfully!) similar.

After finding a hidden cache of Kristian Regále we've been pounding through them, and I actually went back get another set!

My wife made "My Dream Greek Pasta" (which was quite yummy) when we decided to try this. The color is similar to a light apple juice or some of the more translucent Chardonnays we've tried, with small bubbles just slowly trickling up. I noted both pear and apple on the nose.

My first impression was positive. The pear taste is not as strong as the RW Knudsen's sparkling pear, and the carbonation is on par with the other Kristian Regále drinks I've tried, though it's a bit more mild than the Pomegranate, and much more mild than the Lingonberry. It's light bodied and the citrus acid gives it just a tiny acidic kick. Comparing only the taste, and not the carbonation, it's terribly dissimilar from Martinelli's.

The mild, yet pleasant taste makes this easy to pair with. It'd go with many, many different foods, though especially with cold, light foods, like salads, pitas and hummus, or cheeses.

Works as a Wine Alternative: Yes

Did I Like it: Yes, 7 out of 10. It will be a regular (or table drink) in our house now.

Would I Recommend it: Yes, same as all the Kristian Regále stuff.

Who Might Like it: If you like to try new Sodas, you'd like to try this. It's light and refreshing, it's not overwhelming, and it's easy to pair with, all of which makes it a great introduction to something beyond your typical lunch-time juice.

Lorina French Berry Soda

My Experience:

While on a family trip to Hawaii (I know, I'm very lucky. :) we went to the grocery store to buy food for the week. I ran across several things at the local Safeway that I didn't expect to find. One of them is this French Berry Soda.

The first thing I noticed was the bottle. It had the same type of as the Effervé, with a rubber stopper permanently latched onto the top, which you can use to reseal the bottle. Genius, I love it! I actually kept the bottle of the Effervé so I can use it again in the future!

This not-quite-pink not-really-red drink smells like other Strawberry sodas I've had. It's finely carbonated, and the first thing that hit my tongue besides the (mostly straw) berry-ness was lemon, which gave it a good touch of acidity. There is the very very faintest woodenness to the taste. It's a very light drink for a soda.

It cut through some sweet foods we had quite well. Pairs well with strong foods, or anyting you'd normally eat with any kind of berry, like salads for example. It is very sweet like a soda, but more nuanced than most. It's crisp, clean, and I can see myself sipping this to cool off. The carbonation, though fine and producing small bubbles, is still strong.

6.5 out of 10

Works as a Wine Alternative: I'd say it works as a culinary beverage, but it's not wine-like at all.

Did I Like it: Yes! Definitely another "Table Drink"

Would I Recommend it: Only as a fancy soda, but as such, yes.

Who Might Like it: Soda lovers unite!

Safeway Select Sparkling Apple Pomegranate

My Experience:

We were on a family vacation in Hawaii and stopped by Safeway to get some food for the week. I found this drink, along with a bottle of Lorina French Berry Soda to try.

This would be a direct competitor to Kristian Regále's Sparkling Pomegranate Apple beverage. Let's see how it fares.

It has a dark red, plum color, and not a very strong smell. It doesn't have the steadily streaming bubbles I'm used to from Kristian Regále, and it does have a bit of a head. A very fine carbonation, and is very drinkable on its own. I can't taste anything other than Pomegranate and Apple, though that's not a bad thing. It was a good pairing with your average pizza, (though it didn't pair well with the peanut Thai pizza we tried) and it has just a touch of acid from some citrus extract.

Works as a wine Alternative: This one is very approachable, and still very much a juice, though one I wouldn't mind having often in the house.

Did I like it: I thought it was good, though not spectacular. 6 out of 10.

Would I Recommend it: In terms of trying to find wine alternatives, no I wouldn't really recommend this as a must try, but I like it enough to get more should I ever swing by Safeway again.

R.W. Knudsen's Sparkling Strawberry

My Experience:

Strawberry! Who doesn't love strawberry drinks? Like strawberry lemonade. Or strawberry rhubarb lemonade? Or... R.W. Knudsen's Sparkling Strawberry!

It's pretty transparent for a red juice, more a rouge color, and it has medium sized bubbles continuously moving to the top. The carbonation is relatively light. Smells of strawberries, and a hint of something else, maybe grape or apple. It's not that sweet, for a juice. It is not tart, like strawberry stuff often is. The taste definitely hints at the pineapple that is also in this, like in the cherry. It's mellow and easy going, and would probably drink well with lots of light or medium foods. My wife, who is also a strawberry lover in general, loves this. We had it with plain ol' spaghetti, which was a bit heavy for this drink, but otherwise an ok pairing. Canned spaghetti sauce tends to be very sweet, which helped this Strawberry drink because its sweetness didn't overwhelm some of the other flavors, like it might have, if we had this with something more savory like a roast or anything with gravy.

Works as a wine Alternative: Not really. You can drink it with anything, and it'd be ok, but I don't think it would pair particularly well, in terms of giving contrast or complementing a food, with anything.

Did I like it: I think it makes a wonderful cooler, I'd love to sip it with a straw out on the patio, but it doesn't really make for a great pairing with lots of foods. My wife disagrees. We will have to try it again soon for a second take. 7 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Not as an alternative, yes as a drink.

Who Might Like it: Juice lovers.

R.W. Knudsen's Sparkling Cherry

My Experience:

First off, its scent is very dark, very much like black (as opposed to normal) cherries. It's not as sparkling as Martinelli's (I'm learning that nothing is) and the carbonation was quite coarse. The acidity is higher than most sparkling juices I've tried, and the flavor is very strong. Of cherry, that is, though the plum juice that's also in the drink shows through a little. The acidity probably comes from the pineapple juice that's also in this blend. It's very sweet, though not as sweet as Martinelli's, similar to R.W.'s offering in pear but somewhat more tart, due to the cherries I'm assuming.

It's got a nip of sour in the finish. It could make a good every-day drink, (which I'm calling a Table Drink, as in a Table Wine.)

It reminds me a lot of the cherry kirsebærsauce sauce that goes with Ris a la mande.

This would be great for a cherry float with vanilla ice cream!

Works as a wine Alternative: Sure.

Did I like it: Yes, though nothing spectacular, 6 out of 10.

Would I Recommend it: Just like the Kristian Regále stuff, I've enjoyed trying all of these and comparing them. (Though these haven't been as good as the Kristian Regále stuff.)

Who Might Like it: You know, with all of these sparkling juices it's pretty straight forward. I'd recommend them to anyone who likes the fruit they are based on, or thinks they could find a good pairing.

Kristian Regále Sparkling Apple Juice

My Experience:

Here is the next in a series of Kristian Regále, look to the sidebar on the right to find the others.

Almost clear, it just has the tiniest yellow tint to it, lots of tiny bubbles adhere to the sides of the glass, and there is no foam on top. Pretty strong carbonation. It's definitely got a green apple taste to it, and is ever so slightly bitter due to the carbonation. I think it's sweeter than the peach, but it has a tangy, sour taste also. It's good, a little more acidic than most juices, just like all the other Kirstian Regále's we've tried. We had it with tilapia & pesto. It's actually a lot like a Green Apple Jolly Rancher, but not as sweet.

Works as a wine Alternative: It paired very well with the food, which is always a good sign, and I think it pairs well with lots of lighter meals.

Did I like it: Yes, 7 out of 10.

Would I Recommend it: Yes, and try it with a variety foods.

Who Might Like it: If you like sparkling ciders, this is a refreshing change.

Fre Brut

My Experience:

I recently tried Ariel Brut Cuvée (Italics makes any food or drink look better) and found a dealcoholized wine I actually liked! It got me wondering, however, if I wasn't just deluding myself. I couldn't help but feel like the same taste might be accomplished with some apple juice, grape juice, and nice sparkling water. So, thus came another great experiment. In addition to the two most common non-alcoholic Bruts I'm going to try a few sparkling waters to compare, and see if I really was duped by the bubbly Ariel or had reason to really like it. See my Sparkling Water Roundup.

I had anxiously waited to try out another brut cuvée (though Sutter Home doesn't call their Fre Brut a "cuvée") ever since the Ariel stunned me. I stopped by my regular source for Ariel and Fre, and also snagged some S. Pellegrino, Perrier Lime, and Big K Lemon Lime from Walmart and Fry's.

On the nose it reminded me of some of the chardonnays I'd had before, though the scent was much stronger and easier to catch, including when compared to Ariel Brut, and it had a light golden color compared to the Ariel's more clear coloring. The effervescence produced a steady stream of small bubbles.

Diving in, the first thing I noticed was the sweetness. I was expecting a very dry drink after Ariel's Brut, but this is almost as sweet as Welch's Sparkling White Grape Juice. I'm surprised it's called a Brut, but apparently there is some leeway in the labeling system. It's also more flavorful than Ariel's Brut, and speaking of Welch's Sparkling White Grape Juice, Fre Brut reminds me of it, though more complex and, as noted, not quite as sweet, with that grapey, fermented taste peaking through. The carbonation gives it a strong, somewhat hot bite on the tongue.

It's a little drier than most juices, is crisp and cut through the mexican food we had well, though I'm not sure it was the best pairing. Drinking this on its own was better than drinking the Ariel Brut alone, and with food Fre's Brut was complementary, whereas Ariel's Brut was contrasting, which I preferred. I would call Fre's more approachable. It was extremely light on tannins, sweet, slightly acidic and of a medium weight.

Works as a Wine Alternative: Yes, and a very good one for someone who might be new to all this.

Did I Like it: Yes, my wife and I both enjoyed it (she did not like the Ariel at all) so we'll be picking this up again in the future. 7/10

Would I Recommend it: Yes, it's very approachable.

Who Might Like it: Some people might prefer something less "juicy" than this.

[update] I put a topper on the bottle (pictured) and put it in the fridge (as directed on the bottle after opening...) It didn't taste as sweet, and I've thought of two reasons why that could be. 1.) it's less carbonated, sometimes this can make things seem less sweet, and/or 2.) I didn't drink it right after trying several bitter sparkling waters. More of the grape taste comes through.

Draper Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir

My Experience:

This is number 3 of the Draper Valley Vineyards 4 pack we got, just one more to go!

This vibrant red has a clear and punchy color, and now shares the top pedestal of juices with Draper Valley Vineyard's other great varietal, their Riesling. My wife and I adore this one.

Smells like some of the non-alcoholic wines I've tried, fruity, a lot like the zinfandel's I've tried. My wife says it smells like when her mother makes fresh grape juice.

This is more acidic than their chardonnay, and has a lighter mouthfeel. Just enough acidity to help cut through the food we had. It was a perfect pairing to cut through the slightly salty but delicious pork. A weakly chalky after taste, that finishes quickly, this would be the juice's low point.

A touch of plum, or maybe cherry, and a slight hint of pear. Whereas the rest of the varietal grape juices I've tried have had no tannin taste to it, this perhaps had the very slightest hint of it.

We later did a taste test with all four of the Draper Valley Vineyard drinks we go, one cup straight, another cut with 1 part water 3 parts juice.

It seems the flavor is darker, and slightly more bitter when cut with water, and of course less sweet. Without any food I like it straight, but depending on the meal it might be better watered down just a touch. Uncut, compared to the Cabernet, it made me think of figs.

Works as a wine Alternative: This juice is more layered and complex than normal grape juices, and not as sweet as many. Yes, it works.

Did I like it: My favorite red so far. 9 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Yes. Getting the Draper Valley Vineyard 4 pack (they now offer a 6 pack) is the best thing I've done for trying new drinks.

Who Might Like it: It is not dry like a wine, but other than that it seems to share several charataristics of a wine.

Draper Valley Vineyard Riesling

My Experience:

Our second varietal grape juice from Draper Valley Vineyards, their Riesling, was a huge surprise. I'd never had a Riesling of any kind before, and did not know what to expect, but after a downright drab Free Chardonnay and very mild Chardonnay from Draper Valley Vineyards, I certainly wasn't ready for what this White had to offer.

On the nose it smelt like many other white grape juices, but was a bit more earthy in addition to clean fruity scent.

We chilled it a bit more than those other two whites, which might have brought out the sweetness a bit, but the strength of this delightful drink came out in a big way. A fruity white grape juice, of course, but strongly accented with Citrus tastes, specifically Lime, it is quite tangy. This is probably the best wine alternative I've had so far due it's higher acidity, it cuts through food, though it is too sweet to cleanse the palette very well. It is very strong for a white grape juice, which is usually smooth and full, whereas this was sharp and clear.

We are planning on buying more of this soon, and will be trying it with several foods. The first things that come to mind as good pairs are Herb-y Chicken, any Fish you'd serve with lime or lemon, anything Vinegary, like Pickles, maybe bitter green salads, but definitely things with vinaigrettes.

I think this would be great to use when cooking, maybe with chicken or shrimp.

We later did a taste test with all four of the Draper Valley Vineyard drinks we go, one cup straight, another cut with 1 part water 3 parts juice.

I preferred the strength and acid of the Riesling without the water, and it became dull with the water.

Works as a wine Alternative: Yes, though sweeter than wine, I feel it still fills most of the roles of wine in a food pairing, this is a definite contender.

Did I like it: Both my wife and I loved it. 9 out of 10

Would I Recomend it: Yes, this is one I think everyone can try.

Who Might Like it: Those who like citrus drinks or white grape juice.

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.

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.

R.W. Knudsen's Black Current Nectar

R.W. Knudsen's Black Current Nectar

The same time I tried Airel's white Zinfandel I also tried a few juices, this being the first. (This being the second)

My Experience: It looks like a red wine in the glass. Guess what it smells like? (Black Currant, duh!) It's nice to have experienced this to know exactly what it smells like when someone says a wine smells of black currant. Now I know! It was smooth, with a hint of better, like the dregs of grape juice. It's sweeter than wine, but not sugary like many juices. The aftertaste has a touch of tang. I had it a room temperature and liked it better that way, compared to being iced. It'd probably be best just a bit under room temperature (like red wine.)

Works as a wine Alternative: Yes, I think it does. It's subtle, though not terribly complex, I think it does work. Just barely acidic enough to pull it off.

The ingredients also list Apple, so this isn't quite a "Pure Juice" so under the blended juices label it goes.

Did I like it: Yes, both my wife and I thought it was worth trying again. 6.5 or 7 out of 10.

Would I Recomend it: Yes, again if for no other reason than to taste black currant. It's so common to hear that a wine tastes or smells like black currant, so it's worth it to try it out.

Who Might Like it: I'd think this juice would have a very wide appeal. Sweet, but not sugary, not too acidic, easy to drink.

Ariel's White Zinfandel

I hid something embarrassing when I told you about the Fre White Zinfandel a few posts back. I got home, ready to try it, tore off the foil... And my mind started to race. Surely, surely we had a corkscrew somewhere. As always in this situation, my first instinct took over. "Honey, do you have any idea if we have a corkscrew around here anywhere?" She had a small swiss army knife in the house somewhere. After some time, I gave up. We had to find another way to get that cork out of there. I went to the garage, got a small screw, and washed it well in the sink. The screw went less the half way down the cork after I'd grabbed a screwdriver and and spun, spun away. I tried pulling the head up with my fingers, and the screw quickly ripped out of the cork. Great, just great, I'm going to have to hack away at it until it crumbles into the bottle I thought. In one last desperate measure, I went back to the garage, and dug to the bottom of the pile of screws, and I found a very large one with wide threads. I don't even know what it was for, just that the end wasn't pointed, so it was going to be hard to get in there. I tried to get it to catch in a new part of the cork I hadn't torn up yet. After a few minutes of working it down, I had to go get some pliers, and slowly but firmly pull it up, and thankfully the cork came with it. I had no way of removing the screw from the cork. That poor screw sacrificed itself for the drink, and into the garbage it went.

Lesson #1: Own a corkscrew.

I have a Lesson #2, but that will be for another day.

So, when I went to Total Wine (which opened up right next to where I work on my birthday) I had two missions. Not only did I have to find my way to the "non-alcoholic" section through tens of thousands of bottles, I had to find a corkscrew.

After I entered, the first thing I realized is that this was much more organized and well labeled than anywhere else I'd been. The place was so big I had no idea where to start. So, again, I had to ask that question. The man who answered sounded like car salesman. "All my non-alcoholic stuff is right over here." My stuff? Surely I wasn't talking to the owner nor the winemaker. "I've got Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Brut." I saw they also had several types and sizes of Martinelli's. "Heh, Martinelli's" I said half to myself. "Yeah," he said "That's really popular during the Holidays." Really? I didn't know. Did you just see that in the training video? (I'm sorry, I'm sorry, they were really nice and helpful, this guy was just too much eager and not enough genuine.)

They had, as far as I could tell, all of the Ariel and Fre stuff, in addition to the Martinelli's. It was all in a small section labeled "Non-Alcoholic." I was secretly hoping to find a Carl Jung or some varietal grape juice, or *gasp* even some EGA. But I can't complain, so far they had the best selection, they even had both major brands, not just one or the other. So I grabbed the Ariel White Zinfandel (to compare to the Fre I'd recently had) and then got pointed to the accessories aisle.

I don't want to say they had tons of accessories, but the variety and absurdity of some of them was impressive. Some were absolutely essential, like corkscrews, and in being so essential (and the task being somewhat difficult - I can imagine certain people who, due to whatever physical circumstance, would have a hard time popping the cork out) there were many types. I think I even saw a battery operated one. But some of the accessories seemed like they were relying on an ignorant but enthusiastic wine fan to think they needed all of these things to "truly" enjoy their drinks. Some were just plain weird.

Anyway, I got me a simple, cheap butterfly corkscrew (something like this), it seems to work well.

Anyway, I get home with the Ariel in hand and find out my wife has prepared the perfect birthday meal. Cheese. Lots of it, too. Brie, a wet Goat's Milk, a dry Sheep's Milk, Blue Cheese and Extra Sharp Cheddar. In addition to that, there was a fondue with Irish Swiss and some of the cheddar, and home made bread to go with it. Throw in some apple slices and pear slices, and we had quite the meal!

We had a few other drinks to try as well - Blueberry Pomegranate and Black Currant Nectar.

My Experience: We had a lot of things to try it with, it was soooo much fun. In general, it was less floral smelling than the Fre White Zinfandel, but still quite fruity. It was a bit darker smelling (that is to say it smelt more of dark fruits or berries) than the apple-ly and rosy Fre. This time we had it somewhat under room temperature, which I liked the taste of better, but makes it a bit harder to smell. It seemed smoother, less tingly, and just a touch less strong than the Fre, perhaps slightly sweeter. Less acidic, so it didn't cut through the food as well as the Fre. The finish was bland and watery, and short.

Works as a Wine Alternative: (This section is intended for wine alternatives that are not dealcoholized wine)

Did I Like it: Both my wife and I found this one much more enjoyable than the Fre. It was great with a variety of the foods we had. Lets give it an 8 out of 10.

Would I Recommend it: Yes, I think this is a particularly easy entry point for people who are new to this.

Who Might Like it: It's not strong, it's not bold, it's not adventurous, but it is safe.

(See the Fre White Zinfandel post here)

Sutter Home's Fre White Zinfandel

Well, this is it! My first dealcholized wine!

My Experience:

I was in Sprouts looking around with my wife. She knew I'd been on this wine alternative stint for a while, reading everything I could find online about the subject. It was much easier for us to look at the pomegranate, cherry, and black currant juces. I wandered through the wine section, confused and wondering how in the world I would find any dealcoholized wine in what looked like a sea of identical bottles to me. There is a part of our brains that activates when we see faces, helping tell apart very similar details. This part of the brain changes in people who study cars, and activates when they see a car, helping them tell the difference between a '71 and '72. I wonder if that part of the brain will someday help me as I wander through this sea of seemingly identical bottles.

I was hoping to avoid this, but I was determined to leave with something besides apple juice in hand. So I asked the most awkward question. "Do you have any non-alcoholic wine?" "You mean Fre?" he said. Well, I just figured out which one-and-only brand they carry. I picked the White Zinfandel quickly. I'd read it's a good starter wine, not too dry (some might call dry the opposite of sweet).

We got home and I threw a frozen Bertolli's (roasted chicken) in a skillet and got out some stemware that had only until then seen water and Welch's.

I poured some in, gave it a swirl and a sniff. Wow! Cherries, apples, flowers! So fruity, it took me by surprise.

I knew to expect something much less sweet than I was used to, but I was not prepared for the bubbly tingle I felt on the fist sip. I almost spit it out! The bubbly sensation reminded me of some kimchee I'd once had! That makes it sound much worse than it was, I was just surprised. I thought only sparkling, bubbly wines like champagne were carbonated. This wasn't bubbly like soda, it just had a touch of unexpected sparkle.

So, I braced myself, took another sip, and was ready for the tingles this time. Having already had a taste, it didn't have as strong of a bite, but still had one. It slightly smoothed out as I sipped slowly, but it was a little tart. As I ate and drank, the acid helped cut through the food and cleanse the palate. I wish I could say how dry it was compared to other wine alternatives, but it was drier than anything I've had before.

Works as a Wine Alternative: Sure? I'm including this section more for the things like varietal juices and such. I think dealcoholized wines are a given.

Did I Like it: Well, my opinion might change, but with the right food pairing I think it worked. I stopped up the bottle and stored it in the fridge. The next day I pulled it out before dinner with enough time for it to warm up, but not to room temperature. I liked it better chilled somewhat, as the tart bite was a bit less, and the acid was a bit more forgiving. Lesson of the day: serve your drinks at the right temperature! Read my next review for some more thoughts. Lets give it a 6.

Would I Recommend it: It's my first try! Read my next review.

[EDIT] after having tried a lot more stuff, I would recommend giving this one a try. Though I liked the Ariel White Zinfandel better, this has a lot to offer and might appeal more to those used to normal wine.

Who Might Like it: It is not sweet, compared to juices. Get that out of your mind, and pair with a light meal like chicken or pasta with a white sauce, and it might work for you. It's tart so that might put some off.

Hey, this is getting exciting!