Gnista Red - Italian Style - 0,5 %
Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald
Dolce Vita from Sweden
At the Prosit drinks market held at Markthalle Neun in October, I had the pleasure of meeting the really lovely founder of Gnista, Erika Ollén. Her passion and drive to improve the world of non-alcoholic drinks is undeniable. Erika is a powerful moving force in the world of non-alcoholic beverages.
Since 2015, she has been deeply involved in the non-alcoholic scene and quickly realised that most non-alcoholic alternatives lack something very important: the drinking experience.All Gnista products are handcrafted near the company's headquarters in Malmö, Sweden. A unique synthesis of gastronomic know-how, modern technology and traditional production methods such as distillation, brewing and barrel ageing is applied.All this is contained in Gnista Red.
Gnista Red Italian Style is an alternative to red wine and is not made from de-alcoholised wine, but from juice and has 0.5% by volume. The bottle says Cherries, Licorice and Oaky Tannis. And the first thing on my nose is rich berry tones mixed with spicy herbal notes. A very appealing olfactory experience. Neither upstream ferments nor annoying acidity disturb. On the tongue, then, the cherry described, but also rich grape, here perhaps a little too sweet for some people. But I don't find that disturbing, as the sweetness remains only superficial. In the finish, the tannins of the oak barrel and the spiciness of liquorice and habaneros assert themselves. The mouthfeel is full and deep. For me, one of the best red wine alternatives on the market. For those who find kombuchas too acidic and miss the mouthfeel of non-alcoholic reds. However, the tendency towards residual sweetness should be taken into consideration.
Gnista Red Italian Style is a wonderful accompaniment to food and I would pair it similarly to a red wine with pasta, meat and vegetarian stews. To order through our friends from mindfuldrinking.club.
Cheers Sober Buddies
Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald
Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald