Best non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wine 2022

Best non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines at a glance

• Best non-alcoholic red wine: Oddbird low-intervention organic red wine, £10
• Best budget non-alcoholic red wine: Rawson’s Retreat cabernet sauvignon, £5
• Best non-alcoholic German wine: Leitz Eins Zwei Zero riesling, £6.99
• Best for a spritzer: Torres Natureo muscat, £6.30
• Best non-alcoholic rosé wine: Torres Natureo rosé, £5.99
• Best non-alcoholic sauvignon blanc: Eisberg sauvignon blanc, £20
• Best non-alcoholic chardonnay: Ariel chardonnay, £9.99
• Best non-alcoholic sweet wine: De Bortoli The Very Cautious One gewurtz riesling, £6
• Best alcohol-free merlot: Eisberg alcohol-free merlot, £3.25
• Best for making alcohol-free mulled wine: M&S alcohol-free merlot, £4
• Best non-alcoholic vegan red wine: Eisberg cabernet sauvignon, £3.79
• Best full-bodied non-alcoholic red: De Bortoli The Very Cautious One shiraz, £6
• Best non-alcoholic light-bodied red: Ariel cabernet sauvignon, £9.99

How we tested non-alcoholic wine

All wines were stored and served at the temperatures suggested by the producer. Each one was tasted in the same style of glass for the first taste, and then in a wine glass best suited to the grape variety. We were looking for bottles that accurately evoked the characteristics of the wines they were emulating, but more importantly, seeking flavour and complexity that would please both drinkers and non-drinkers alike.

How is non-alcoholic wine made?

Non-alcoholic wine can be made in a few different ways. A common method is vacuum distillation. This lowers air pressure in order to be able to reduce boiling temperature, before wine is boiled. This means alcohol is boiled off the liquid at a much lower temperature, which is far less destructive to the delicate flavours and aromas of the wine.

Other methods of making non-alcoholic wine include using mechanical filtration or a process called a ‘spinning cone’ which separates the wine in order to isolate and remove the alcohol.

Oddbird low-intervention organic red wine

Best non-alcoholic red wine

• Available from Harvey Nichols (£10) and Dry Drinker (£12.99)

ABV: 0%

Described as 'liberated from alcohol', this full-bodied organic red from Oddbird is the world’s first low-intervention red wine, produced using traditional wine-making methods with minimal processing. A subtle blend of merlot and pinot noir, the grapes are grown in mineral-rich soils at high altitudes in northern Italy before being hand-harvested, fermented and aged in barrels for 12 months, then gently de-alcoholised. Such care and deference to natural processes results in an exquisite balance of warming woody and fruity aromas in the end product.

Available from:

Harvey Nichols (£10) and Dry Drinker (£12.99)

Rawson’s Retreat cabernet sauvignon

Best budget non-alcoholic red wine

• Available from Sainsbury's (£5)

ABV: 0.5%

This is made by Australian wine giant Penfold’s. It has a dark, spicy nose and on the palate really tastes like wine, there’s some acidity, body and it’s not too sweet. Fades very fast though and then, poof, it’s gone. Less than 0.5% alcohol.

Available from:

Sainsbury's (£5)

Leitz Eins Zwei Zero riesling

Best non-alcoholic German wine

• Available from Waitrose Cellar (£6.99)

ABV: 0.0%

Smells a bit funny initially with some earthy notes on the nose, but on the palate it really tastes like a German riesling with peachy fruit and that characteristic blend of sweetness and acidity. This actually made me want another glass.

Available from:
Waitrose Cellar (£6.99)

Torres Natureo muscat

Best for a spritzer

• Available from Waitrose Cellar (£6.30)

ABV: 0.0%

Along with Rawson’s, the Natureo range from Torres, one of Spain’s biggest producers, are probably the best widely available low-alcohol wines. This muscat is unashamedly sweet with notes of honey and flowers. It tasted best in a spritzer with ice and sparkling water.

Available from:
Waitrose Cellar (£6.30)

Torres Natureo rosé

Best non-alcohol rosé wine

• Available from Dry Drinker (£8.99)

ABV: 0.0%

This rosé from Torres is also pretty good. Again, there's no doubt that it's sweet (2.6g sugar per 100ml) but the sweetness suits it and the finish isn't at all cloying. If you like Mateus rosé (for those under 40, ask your parents), you’ll enjoy this.

Available from:
Dry Drinker (£8.99)

Eisberg sauvignon blanc

Best non-alcoholic sauvignon blanc

ABV: 0.0%
Rating: 4/5
This has delightfully tempting fresh floral aromas of elderflower with hints of green apple. The flavour is supported by lots of juicy ripe pear, peach and more elderflower with a touch of melon. We suggest serving this very well chilled or in a spritz to keep the sweetness in balance – as a helpful reminder to serve this cool, 'eisberg' is the German word for iceberg.

Ariel chardonnay

Best non-alcoholic chardonnay

• Available from Amazon (£9.99), Dry Drinker (£9.99)

ABV: 0.5%
Rating: 3.8/5

California-based Ariel have a big, buttery chardonnay for you here. If that’s how you like your chardonnay then you won’t be disappointed. It’s intensely buttery, with a savoury note – think artichokes or samphire drenched in melted butter. It is extremely smooth with a touch of baked apple and coconut on the palate. This has surprising complexity and a clean, dry, chalky finish.

Available from:
Amazon (£9.99)
Dry Drinker (£9.99)

De Bortoli The Very Cautious One gewurtz riesling

Best non-alcoholic sweet wine

• Available from Ocado (£6)

ABV: 0.0%
Rating: 5/5

Part of the De Bortoli Wines portfolio based in Australia, this wine has heady aromas of lychee and beeswax. It is unsurprisingly sweet with lots of rose petals, peaches and overripe nectarines on the palate. You might detect a touch of minerality at the end which adds interest and stops it tasting too sickly and soapy. Serve very well chilled.

Available from:
Ocado (£6)

Eisberg alcohol-free merlot

Best alcohol-free merlot

• Available from Ocado (£3.50), Tesco (£3.25)

ABV: 0.0%
Rating: 4/5

Raspberries, blackberries and a hint of a woody aroma appear here along with a dash of clove and vanilla. On tasting you’ll find rich, juicy black cherry skins and soft blackberries. As the flavour develops on your palate, the dry and tannic qualities appear before leaving you with a lingering gentle return of cloves and a touch of cocoa.

Available from:
Ocado (£3.50)
Tesco (£3.25)

M&S alcohol-free merlot

Best for making alcohol free mulled wine

• Available from Ocado (£4)

ABV: 0.05%
Rating: 4/5

On the nose you’ll find black cherries and stewed plums. The tastes evokes a light mulled wine there’s a lot of warming festive spices, baked orange and more slow cooked stone fruits. The tannins and the dry finish keeps the sweetness in check for what is an accessible and easy drinking merlot.

Available from Ocado (£4)

Eisberg cabernet sauvignon

Best non-alcoholic vegan red wine

• Available from Amazon (case of six, £29.99), Morrisons (£3.79)

ABV: 0.0%
Rating: 4.5/5

Aromas of cooked cherries and jammy strawberries appear along with a touch of green peppers, juicy blackcurrants and blackberry. There is a touch of acidity on the palate but this gives way to a smooth, rounded mouthfeel, lots more fresh cherry flavour and a touch of tannic astringency providing a moreish finish. Serve at room temperature, but, as with all these wines, keep chilled the rest of the time once opened. They don’t keep more than a day or two without the preservative qualities of alcohol.

Available from:
Amazon (case of six, £29.99)
Morrisons (£3.79)

De Bortoli The Very Cautious One shiraz

Best full-bodied non-alcoholic red

• Available from Ocado (£6)

ABV: 0.0%
Rating: 5/5

This pours as a dark ruby red. It is nuanced and complex with floral notes of rose, honeysuckle and sweet pea blooms on the nose, which then move into dark fruits, raspberries and blueberries on the palate, leaving you with red apple skin tannins and tobacco. Another great Australian entry to the list.

Available from:
Ocado (£6)

Ariel cabernet sauvignon

Best non-alcoholic light-bodied red

• Available from Dry Drinker (£9.99)

ABV: 0.0%
Rating: 3.8/5

Another example from California, evoking the big jammy flavours associated with cabernet sauvignon of the region. If your preference is for something sweeter with more ripe berry fruits then you can’t go wrong with this one. With a swirl of the glass you’ll be greeted with ripe strawberries and baked blueberry aromas. Delicate and sweet, you’ll discover lots of strawberries and cream flavours at first taste, with vanilla, melted butter and blueberries in abundance as a deeper secondary taste.

Available from:
Dry Drinker (£9.99)

Non-alcoholic drinks inspiration

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Our best non-alcoholic drinks recipes
Mocktail recipes
Top 10 non-alcoholic drinks ideas
Non-alcoholic Christmas drinks ideas

This review was last updated in August 2022. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.

We’d love to hear about your favourite non-alcoholic wine. Share your suggestions in the comments below.