The Cautious One - alcohol free

Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald

A drink made from non-alcoholic wine

This bottle was sent to me by my very good friend Heinrich from the middle of germany. Apparently there are alcohol-free alternatives in the standard range at Aldi-Süd. These trendsetters! The stylish design of the bottle appeals to me. The wine is produced in Belgium by a company called MIS. It seems to be a B2B supplier that also specialises in dealcoholisation. That doesn't sound very romantic, but it doesn't have to be negative either. However, all the statements on the label make me sceptical. Front: Flavoured drink made from 95% non-alcoholic wine. At the back: Medium sweet? I am curious. When I open the bottle, I am greeted by a gush of elderflower. I guess it's the rose flavouring that's been added, according to the label. Lemon and fresh grapes are also noticeable on the nose. Overall, it seems a bit perfumed, unfortunately. Ok, but that's what it says on the front. Accepted! On the palate, everything reminds me of elderflower, a bit too sweet for me. But also grape, slight acidity, green apple, maybe lemon peel. All in all, it's not bad, colourful and bloomy. I wouldn't recommend it pure and with food. But it is certainly suitable for a spritzer on ice. And because it's not wine, you can certainly top it up with tonic. This works well because the bitter tonic works well against the somewhat overpowering sweetness. I could actually imagine a light salad here, or melon with feta. Thank you Heinrich!