As we roll into fall at my home in the Pacific Northwest, I’m trying to spend as much time as possible enjoying the outdoors before the rainy, gray winter hits. I’ve found a lovely companion for playing cards at the picnic table – Almost Zero Wonderful White! This dealcoholized wine, a sauvignon blanc, comes to me from the winery of Van Loveren in South Africa. It is created in the typical wine-making process, which yields an alcoholic beverage. It then goes through a spinning cone technique, which removes alcohol at a low temperature while preserving a balanced aroma and taste. This balance is essential to get right as that will be the consumer’s experience with their wine. In my opinion, Almost Zero has created a lovely sauvignon blanc with notes of apple and tropical fruits. I’m thankful to have yet another non-sparkling white wine option that is non-alcoholic, and as a bonus, it was conveniently found on the Total Wine shelves. This wine contains 0.33% alcohol by volume (ABV) and only 2 grams of sugar.
Check out Almost Zero’s website for ideas on using their wines to create cocktails. Here, you can also find a link to their sister site, Absolute Zero (which, at the time of this posting, was not working). The Van Loveren winery has been around since 1937 when its focus was sweet wines and brandy. It now creates a full range of non-alcoholic wines in addition to wines with alcohol. These offerings include many alcohol-free and non-alcoholic sparkling options. I look forward to trying more!
THE HAPPY TRAVELER VINTAGE BARS: Kim Parsley met her first hoppy craft beer upon moving to Seattle 30 years ago. It was delight at first smell and love at first sip. As her palate for alcoholic beverages became more sophisticated, she spent many years experimenting with spirit-forward cocktails and grew fond of gins and whiskeys. This was all until a series of heart palpitations and dizzy spells began to impact her hiking and her hobbies. At that point, Kim sought medical help and was advised to give up alcohol. Those were very dirty words! But Kim has been leading a sober life since April 1, 2023, and still enjoys helping others elevate their cocktail experience with her bespoke travel bar curations.
Follow along with Kim in all of the digital places and social spaces:
HAPPY EVERY HOUR: We know we mix a mean alcohol-free cocktail. This section will update you on the latest and most significant trends in NA craft beers, mocktails, and zero-proof beverages.
NA Bevies brings you alcohol-free cocktail recipes, NA beverage reviews, and NA wine & spirit alternatives.
Do you love Non-Alcoholic Craft Beers and the 90s? Then you’re in for a treat! Sober Curator Contributor Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his fantastic collection of memorabilia from the ’90s. Justin has spent countless hours reviewing over a hundred NA Beers so that you don’t have to. Below are the categories of NA Beers Justin has reviewed thus far: Amber, Blonde, Brown Ale, Cream Ale, IPA, Kolsch, Lager, Pale Ale, Pilsner, Porter, Sour, Stout, Wheat, and White Ale
TRIGGER WARNING: People in early sobriety may want to proceed with caution. Always read labels. Please hydrate responsibly … because drunk never looks good.
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