SUMMER is here and for many of us nothing celebrates the warm weather better than an ice-cold glass of fizz – and for those of us who don’t drink, there’s more choice than ever before when it comes to the best alcohol-free sparkling wines.
Prosecco, cava, even gently fizzing teas and kombuchas should all be on your alcohol-free radar. The good ones taste as good as the real thing, with the same mouthfeel, depth of flavour and aromas, but without the hangover-inducing bite.
The best alcohol-free proseccos are just as sparkly, have as many bubbles and look just as good in the glass; they’re made from the same grapes as their alcohol-containing counterparts, including glera, pinot and chardonnay varieties, they’re fermented and develop in the same way, in fact, the only difference is the alcohol’s removed.
Whether your favourite is a sparkling rose, fizzy white or Champagne, I guarantee you’ll find something that suits your palate. Alcohol-free is also great for your health, your mood and your wallet, with even the most expensive no-alcohol proseccos coming in cheaper than their boozy counterparts.
Going out (and staying in) as a non-drinker has become the norm for many and it’s wonderful we’re no longer limited to soft drinks – who wants to drink lemonade or cola all evening? Even the smallest supermarkets stock at least a couple of fizzy AF wines, while specialist websites sell so much more.
Raise a glass with us as we discover the flavours, aromas and bubbles that make up the best sparkling wines available to buy in the UK this summer – and wake up in the morning with a clear head. Cheers!
Oddbird Spumante Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine, £10.40 from Amazon
Pros: Lovely colour, good flavour, good mouthfeel, delicate
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
This is made from Glera grapes, which grow in Treviso, Italy and are traditionally used in prosecco winemaking – and it’s made by a Swedish company with a mission to change drinking culture and bring AF into the mainstream.
Oddbird uses traditional winemaking practices and its wines are matured for up to a year before the alcohol is removed through vacuum distillation, which preserves flavour and aroma.
It’s a lovely colour in the glass and it has just the right amount of fizz for me. The initial impression is sherbet, followed by crisp fruit and a lovely tang afterwards. It has a depth that’s missing from some other AF wines I have tried and it’s dry rather than sweet, which I prefer.
The company describes its wine as ‘liberated from alcohol’ and it certainly hasn’t lost anything by taking it away – it still tastes like wine.
All in all, my new favourite AF fizz.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: Glera, Alcohol content: 0.0%, Country of origin: Grapes from Italy, alcohol removed in Germany, Swedish company, Vegan: Yes
Thomson & Scott Noughty Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé, £8.50 from Waitrose Cellar
Pros: Dry and fruity, not too sweet, good colour, right amount of sparkle
Cons: None
Rating: 5/5
There’s a satisfyingly loud pop from the cork when you open this bottle of sparkling rosé and the fizz doesn’t disappoint – it’s strong but not overpowering and the bubbles rise in the glass for a good while afterwards.
I love the subtle pink colour, the fragrance is gentle and the flavour is great – dry but fruity and with an overall smoothness. It’s not too sweet, containing just 4g of sugar/100ml, and there’s no lingering aftertaste.
I couldn’t tell you if the fizz lasts into the next day as there’s never any wine left over to check. One of my favourite celebration wines and a regular at my house at Christmas.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: Organic Tempranillo, Alcohol content: 0.0%, Country of origin: Spain, Vegan: Yes
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Pale Fox Single Estate Sparkling Alcohol Free, £20.95 from Amazon
Pros: Dry and crisp, great fizz that lasts in the glass, good colour, lovely packaging
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 4.5/5
Again, there was a satisfyingly loud pop as I uncorked this so it would be great at a wedding or other big event in place of Champagne.
The fizz bubbled into the glass as I poured the wine and this heady sparkle remained for the first few sips, like sherbet, before calming down into a more sensible effervescence in the glass.
It’s a dry wine, crisp and fruity, but smooth at the same time – there’s no tartness. The colour is everything you would expect from a good sparkling wine, even the embossed label on the bottle is lovely.
Made in Italy from a blend of Glera and Pinot Grigio grapes, it’s a great example of just how good alcohol-free sparkling wine can be. Though it’s more expensive than most in this round-up, it’s certainly one I would gift (it comes in an illustrated box) or splash out on for a special occasion.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: Prosecco and Pinot Grigio grapes, Alcohol content: 0.01%, Country of origin: Italy, Vegan: Yes
Plus & Minus Non Alcoholic Sparkling Blanc De Blancs, £10.70 from Zero.Zilch.Zip.
Pros: Great sparkle, lovely colour, fruity but dry
Cons: None
Rating: 4.5/5
This is really refreshing, with a dry but fruity flavour and a good sparkle that lasts.
As you drink it you can feel the bubbles fizzing on your tongue and it’s definitely moreish. I have no idea if the sparkle lasts until the next day once opened as I quickly finished the bottle so there was none left over to check.
This was the first time I’d tried this wine.
It’s made by an Australian winery and launched in the UK last year. There’s also a sparkling rosé, as well as two still rosés, pinot grigio, chardonnay, pinot noir and shiraz available from the same company so I look forward to working my way through them.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Colombard and Semillon, Alcohol content: 0.5%, Country of origin: Australia, Vegan: Yes
Dry Dragon Naturally Fermented Sparkling Tea, £10.98 up from DryDrinker
Pros: An alternative to AF wines, good colour, gentle fizz
Cons: Peony Blush can be a bit sweet
Rating: 4.5/5
For those who just can’t get on board with alcohol-free wine or who want an alternative grown-up drink, sparkling tea could be the answer.
Real Dry Dragon is an award winner that is made with Dragonwell (Longjing) Green Tea, a celebrated Chinese tea that sees the tea buds pan fried to dry them while locking in their flavour, then naturally fermented.
It is fragrant, but not overly perfumed, dry and citrussy with a pleasing after-tang. It isn’t the fizziest, more of a gentle sparkle, but this works here and suits the drink well.
I also tried the Peony Blush, which is fruitier, but I found it a little too sweet and prefer the Dry Dragon. I think the Blush is light and great for a picnic or al fresco drinks, while the Dragon is more of an evening drink and goes well with dinner.
Definitely one I’ll try again.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: No grapes, made from Dragonwell Green Tea, Alcohol content: 0.5%, Country of origin: England, Vegan: Yes
Scavi & Ray Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine, £7.59 from Amazon
Pros: Good colour, dry
Cons: Fizz doesn’t last
Rating: 4/5
Scavi & Ray is based in the prosecco region of Italy and is a big name in winemaking there, having been around since the ‘60s.
The company uses the same Glera grapes in its alcohol-free wine as it does in its prosecco (which has won awards), so you know it’s going to be good.
On first taste, it’s quite dry and tangy. It’s a refreshing drink, but for me, it wasn’t fizzy enough – it sparkled when first poured, but the bubbles disappeared pretty quickly.
However, if you prefer a gentle sparkle rather than a big-in-your-face fizz, it could be the one for you.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: Glera Alcohol content: 0.01%, Country of origin: Italy, Vegan: Yes
Nozeco Fine Sparkling Alcohol Free, £3.50 from Sainsbury’s
Pros: Very fizzy, great price, good flavour
Cons: Can be too sweet for some
Rating: 4/5
If you’re new to alcohol-free wine then this is the one you’re likely to try first as it’s stocked by most supermarkets and it costs less than £4 per bottle.
It has a fruity taste, which sometimes comes across as sweet other times not so much, and the fizz is one of the strongest in the wines I tested, so may not be to everybody’s liking.
Nozeco has a good mouthfeel and it tastes like a grown-up drink, rather than a diluted fruit juice with bubbles. It’s made from de-alcoholised wine and makes a great base for alcohol-free cocktails.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: unknown, Alcohol content: 0.5%, Country of origin: France, Vegan: Yes
LA Brewery Sparkling English Rose Infused Kombucha, £8 from Ocado
Pros: Gently sparkling, great colour and fragrance, good flavour, less sugar than AF sparkling wines
Cons: Fizz doesn’t last
Rating: 4/5
This is a kombucha rather than a wine, but it is fermented in the same way regular wine would be and while it contains more sugar than wine, it is still less than sparkling AF varieties at 2.6g/100ml.
It has that slightly bitter aftertaste you get with kombucha, but the delicate fizz marries well with this to create an overall dry flavour, which I prefer.
The blend of green and black teas with elderflower extract and organic rose petals really works and it’s a great alternative to wine (or AF wine when you want something different).
If you like kombucha then you will like this – and the friendly bacteria it contains are also good for your gut microbiome.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: No grapes, green and black tea base, Alcohol content: 0.2% ABV, Country of origin: England, Vegan: Yes
Sainsbury’s Sparkling Alcohol Free Wine, £3.25 from Sainsbury’s
Pros: Tastes great, very fizzy, cheap price
Cons: Can be slightly sweet
Rating: 4/5
This is the best own-label sparkling wine I’ve tasted – and I’ve tasted a few. It’s also one of the cheapest I’ve found, which just goes to show that quality isn’t always dependent on price.
It’s great as an everyday drink with dinner or a barbecue, and it has a good amount of bubbles.
I also find it keeps its fizz very well when you don’t finish the bottle, still sparkling even the next day (though adding a bottle stopper – or that old student trick, a teaspoon – helps with that).
You may find it a little on the sweet side, but it’s one of my favourites, even though I usually go for drier wines and it’s eminently quaffable.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: unknown, Alcohol content: 0.0%, Country of origin: Germany, Vegan: Yes
Jing Jasmine Pearls Sparkling Tea, £22.10 from Jing
Pros: Grown-up taste without the sweetness, no sugar, no calories
Cons: Expensive, loses its sparkle very quickly in the glass
Rating: 3.5/5
The slight floral aroma is testament to the jasmine flowers this single-garden green tea contains. Again, it doesn’t taste like green tea to me, but I’m not sure what it does taste of as I don’t get very much flavour from it at all.
It has a quality provenance – tea leaves and buds are harvested in spring exclusively from Shekou Garden in Fujian, China – but there’s not enough fizz for it to be convincing as a sparkling wine substitute.
It is calorie-free and contains zero sugar, so is great if you’re watching your weight; perhaps it’s an acquired taste, but it’s not for me.
It is also the most expensive of the bottles tested. Jing is stocked by some of the world’s most famous hotels and restaurants so for a big celebration – and if you’re not a fan of other alcohol-free drinks – it could be what you’re looking for.
Size: 74cl, Grape varieties: No grapes, green tea, Alcohol content: 0.0%, Country of origin: China, Vegan: Yes
Codorniu Zero Sparkling Rosé, £5.50 from Amazon
Pros: Good fizz, good colour
Cons: Doesn’t have much flavour, too sweet
Rating: 3/5
I have always found Cava to have a more robust flavour and body than prosecco, so I was eager to try this alcohol-free version from Codorniu, one of the giants of Spanish winemaking.
I tested the rosé version – I always find rosé sweeter than white sparkling wine but generally, it’s still on the dry side. I didn’t find that in this case though.
Although the wine is a good colour and has the ample fizz I love (at least on first opening the bottle), the flavour just isn’t there. It is very perfumed and sweet, but doesn’t really taste of anything.
There’s also a Codorniu AF Sparkling White Wine, which I haven’t tried yet, but plan to do so soon.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parraleta, Alcohol content: 0.0%, Country of origin: Spain, Vegan: Yes
La Gioiosa Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine, £4.50 from Morrisons
Pros: Good price, good colour
Cons: No real flavour, sweet, sparkle doesn’t last
Rating: 3/5
La Gioiosa is a big prosecco producer and enjoys a distinguished pedigree, having won awards for its wines.
This alcohol-free version is made from Glera grapes and is made with the same skill and in the same style as its alcohol-containing counterpart.
It should be good, but unfortunately I wasn’t impressed. It is sweet but other than that it doesn’t really taste of anything.
The fizz is also short-lived – yes it’s there when you pour, but it seems to fade away in the glass.
Size: 75cl, Grape varieties: Glera Alcohol content: 0.0%, Country of origin: Italy, Vegan: Yes
I tested these wines over the course of a few weeks, having a glass or two with dinner in the evening or sitting in the garden with friends while they were enjoying their alcoholic varieties.
Going out out was not an option as there’s rarely any 0% wine on offer in pubs and I’m usually stuck with an alcohol-free lager or cider, so all of my testing was done at home.
I drink alcohol-free sparkling wine regularly, it’s my favourite tipple and I have tried a fair few of them in the past.
There’s only so much tea and coffee you can drink and besides, when it gets to the evening I want something different, a grown-up drink to separate my relaxation time from my work day. I’m not a fan of sodas so they don’t do it for me; I love fizzy water but again I drink a lot of that during the day.
Alcohol-free wines provide that hit of something different, as well as that grown-up experience I’m looking for.
When rating the wines I considered the sound when I popped the cork (was it a bang or a damp squib), how it looked in the glass, how fizzy it was and importantly, how long the fizziness lasted, then finally – and most crucially – the taste.
These days non-alcoholic prosecco and other sparkling wines are widely available in supermarkets, wine shops and online.
All supermarkets tend to stock the same few brands: their own label fizz, Nozecco (white and rose) and perhaps a couple of others. This is okay if you’re just starting on your alcohol-free journey, but after a while, you may well want more – I know I do. If that’s the case then check out options online.
Amazon carries a better selection than the supermarkets, but alcohol-free specialists like Zero.Zilch.Zip. Wise Bartender, Dry Drinker and Club Soda are your best bet for a wide range of sparkling wines without alcohol – and they often have special offers running, as well as lots of information about the different wines, product recommendations and drinking alcohol-free.
We found the alcohol-free sparkling drinks reviewed in our feature at:
You might think that sparkling wine without alcohol would cost less than wine with alcohol, but that’s not necessarily the case. The cost of removing the alcohol, the grapes used, and the ageing process all add up and vary depending on the brand.
It is possible to buy perfectly acceptable alcohol-free sparkling wine for less than £4 per bottle – I’m talking Nozeco and own labels, such as Sainsbury’s Alcohol-Free Sparkling, which comes in at a wonderful £3.25, but equally, you could end up spending up to £20 on a bottle. Though I would only do that for a celebration.
Mid-range, expect to pay around £10 for a good AF wine and while you might think that’s expensive, it is a lot cheaper than a good bottle of wine containing alcohol.
There has to be a downside to drinking alcohol-free and this is it – there is more sugar in non-alcoholic prosecco than in the regular variety. This is because the sugar hasn’t changed to alcohol so it stays as is, in the wine, or in some cases sugar has been added to balance the wine in the absence of alcohol. Sugar levels could be between 4g and 6g per 100 ml, which is twice that of prosecco-containing alcohol.
That said, it’s all relative, isn’t it? If you’re cutting down on alcohol for health reasons then you’re still better off drinking alcohol-free than not as it’s better for your liver, skin, heart, sleep and head. Soft drinks also contain sugar, or diet versions contain artificial sweeteners, which have their own issues.
Treat alcohol-free prosecco and sparkling wine the same way you would wine with alcohol – don’t glug it at all times of the day like you might a soda. If you’re trying to lose weight then bear the sugar content in mind, however, it’s still low calorie as far as drinks go, with around 20 calories per 100ml.
