Non-Alcoholic Wines Are Actually Worth Drinking Now

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For years we have avoided writing about alcohol-free or non-alcoholic wine because, in all honesty, we didn’t think they were that good. Since their inception, these wines have tasted as if something were missing beyond just alcohol—aroma, flavor, body, and balance were absent as well. Yet, we’ve never given up on the category, and kept giving these wines a try. After tasting through several recently, we can report that the quality has vastly improved thanks to technology and increased attention from winemakers. Even better, availability has also greatly improved, with many of the best brands now appearing at retail and in restaurants.

“I think we need to stop judging alcohol-free wine only by asking, ‘Does it taste exactly like conventional, full-strength wine?’ The comparison is understandable, but it can also limit the category,” says Irem Eren, a Barcelona-based no- and low-alcohol wine and beverage adviser, who currently works with Solos Technology, which provides de-alcoholization and product development for wine producers. “I would rather ask, ‘Is it balanced? Is it pleasurable? Does it have an identity? Does it work with food? Does it belong in the occasion? Would I order a second glass?’”

We would order a second glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir from Oceano Wines, which coincidentally was one of the first wineries in the U.S. to partner with Solos, whose process combines gentle vacuum distillation with its patented Aroma Recovery System (ARS). “Solos uses solid-phase extraction to capture a broad spectrum of the wine’s aroma fingerprint from the liquid distillate, rather than relying on vapor-phase methods that can leave more of these aroma compounds behind,” explains Oceano founder and CEO Rachel Martin, who has become a widely known spokesperson for the no- and low-alcohol movement since her first Oceano Zero releases in 2023. “The captured aromas are then returned to the wine, helping create a high-fidelity expression of the original wine.” Oceano is also a pioneer in single-vineyard alcohol-free wine, sourcing from sites in San Luis Obispo and Sonoma County.

Marco Mendoza, lead sommelier at Navio at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, Calif., is also a fan of Oceano’s offerings, which are among the 20 alcohol-free options on a list of 1,700 references. Mendoza first brought alcohol-free wines into the dining room to offer guests an alternative alongside their tablemates who were having full-proof wines. “It creates an inclusive experience,” he explains. His first exposure to Oceano was at wine and spirits conference SommCon. “Hearing other beverage industry professionals rave about the intensity of flavor, the fruit profile, and describe the structure of the wines captured my attention,” he says. Mendoza finds that Oceano fits what he looks for when sampling the category, including complexity, flavor, length and, equally important, intention.

Eren points out that when she first started working in the sector more than a decade ago, much of the conversation was about one thing: how to remove alcohol from wine. “I quickly realized that this was only one part of the work,” she says. “The real challenge is what happens to the wine before, during, and after de-alcoholization, and whether the finished product is still enjoyable and relevant to the consumer.” Winemaker Rob Mondavi, Jr. learned that the hard way, going through more than 1,500 trials before settling on the final formula for his Isabel by Isabel Mondavi Chardonnay and 1,650 unique blends for the brand’s Cabernet Sauvignon. “Like any new category, there are winners and losers, and crafting N.A. is honestly the most difficult project I have ever worked on,” he says. While Isabel is named for his mother, he first became interested in crafting an alcohol-free offering when his mother-in-law was trying them out.

Although Mondavi has experimented with vacuum distillation—part of the technology used by Solos—he works with the spinning cone method, which he finds gentler. He has begun looking into yeasts that ferment leaving behind little to no alcohol, but says, “The latter makes me nervous. Holding wine without alcohol is very difficult, as the alcohol truly is what protects against microbial spoilage.” With this in mind, it seems that although prices for wines like Oceano and Isabel are competitive with premium full-alcohol wine, it is unlikely that wines in the category will hold for many years, increase in value, or find life on the secondary market. One of the things we noticed is that the Isabel wines smell and taste like conventional wine. However, that takes some science, including the addition of a proprietary blend of water-soluble genuine French and American toasted oak barrel extracts and natural grape skins and grape seeds that have been dehydrated and then finely ground, which reinstates the body and texture lost in the de-alc process. “Using natural ingredients costs us more, but it is how we craft the best wines,” Mondavi says.

Isabel Chardonnay and Isabel Cabernet are available at venues operated by True Story brands, including Yebo Beach Haus, the Cape, and Lions Head Private Members Club in Atlanta, Ga. “We don’t position them simply as non-alcoholic alternatives; we present them as exceptional wines in their own right. Today’s consumers are increasingly seeking balance without compromising quality, and these wines allow them to enjoy the same sense of occasion, craftsmanship, and food-pairing experience as traditional wines,” says Sam Gamble, True Story’s beverage director.

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“One of the most exciting trends we’re seeing is that guests are no longer choosing no-alcohol wine simply because they have to; they’re choosing it because they genuinely want to,” Gamble says. “Whether they’re prioritizing wellness, pacing themselves through a meal, or simply looking for balance, they still want the same quality, presentation, and dining experience.” Although they are standouts, Oceano and Isabel Mondavi are not alone in the market. Brands like French Bloom, Lautus, Oddbird, Bergdolt-Reif & Nett, Zeronimo, Glasrose, and Natureo by Familia Torres are other excellent examples of wines that will satisfy your palate without adding alcohol into the mix.

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