I tried a non-alcoholic wine that tasted shockingly real

Brits have quite the reputation when it comes to drinking, but Gen Z have seemingly rebelled against this, and in the past few years, booze and partying has been replaced by wellness culture. My Instagram feed is full of influencers barking at me about the benefits of spending your Saturday morning going for a 5k run, followed by a cold plunge and sauna, instead of being hungover.

Despite being part of Gen Z, I don’t necessarily fancy a 5k run to start my day, but in recent months, I’ve become interested in exploring what cutting down on alcohol could look like. While a recent study found that Gen Z prefers a cup of tea to an alcoholic beverage when stressed, I often enjoy a glass of wine or two to unwind. But there’s no denying that it doesn’t always feel great the day after. From improved sleep and digestion, and no hangovers, cutting back on alcohol is also much less daunting considering there are so many non-alcoholic options available on the market.

So when a non-alcoholic wine brand reached out to me to ask if I was interested in trying their new wines, it felt like perfect timing. Founded by Louise Avery, L.A Wine creates sparkling non-alcoholic beverages inspired by foraged and natural ingredients.

One thing I often notice with non-alcoholic wine is how sugary and sweet it can taste, and nothing at all like wine, so I was intrigued to see whether L.A Brewery could achieve something different with the taste of their products.

Inspired by kombucha, a fermented drink made from tea, Louise explained to me how they use the same process for their non-alcoholic wines. Fermenting tea for six weeks before adding flowers and hops results in a fruity and bitter blend that closely mimics wine.

The fermentation process also means the drinks are gut-friendly, and when speaking to the founder Louise, she pointed out how: “If you’re not drinking, it’s nice to think, not only am I not drinking, but I’m actually doing myself some good”.

I was sent a few of their new cans that come in three flavours: Sparkling Non-Alcoholic Citrus Hops, Sparkling Non-Alcoholic Ginger and Sparkling Non-Alcoholic English Blush as well as a bottle of the Sparkling Non-Alcoholic White Rose and English Blush.

Louise also explained to me the science behind how our taste receptors understand the flavour of wine, and how L.A Brewery have managed to mimic this through their fermentation process that recreates the sour, sweet and often acidic flavours found in alcohol.

Understanding the actual science behind how the drinks are made led me to have high expectations, and I was incredibly surprised to find that they did in fact taste like something resembling wine.

Knowing that they were non-alcoholic, I half-expected them to taste like the overly-sweet alcohol-free wines I’ve tried before, but instead they were much more sharp. I also enjoyed that some of the wine came in cans, and they’re incredibly easy to pop into your bag and bring along to a party or picnic over the summer.

While I’m not converted to cutting out wine or alcohol entirely, it’s definitely opened me up to the idea that non-alcoholic options can actually be a tasty alternative, and I’d consider swapping it out for these more often, and maybe one day for good.

My favourites were the Sparkling Non-Alcoholic Ginger and the Sparkling Non-Alcoholic English Blush, which, despite being fruity, also had a slightly sour aftertaste. Bottles of the Sparkling Non-Alcoholic White Rose and English Blush can be bought on Ocado or directly from L.A Brewery’s website, where you can also buy the cans.