With the holidays also comes holiday parties—at work, at friends or family, or perhaps at your own home—and that means stocking up on drinks. Wherever it is, it might be a good idea to have some nonalcoholic beverages on hand, because not everyone will necessarily feel like drinking alcohol. Consumer Reports taste-tested nonalcoholic sparkling wines to find you the best substitute for those Champagne toasts.
To find out which nonalcoholic sparkling wines are worth serving, CR enlisted 12 staffers to do a blind taste test. They tested eight de-alcoholized sparkling wines, which are made the same way as wine, but the alcohol is removed at the end; and two sparkling wine alternatives, which are blends of ingredients, like tea, herbs, and fruit.
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Testers evaluated each beverage for flavor, bubbliness, and whether they would buy it for themselves. So, which ones did the testers like?
A hit with most of the testers was Vinada Tinteling Tempranillo Rosé, which they found to be refreshing and sweet, but not too sweet.
For fans of sweeter wines, the runner-up might be for you—Sutter Home’s Fre Alcohol-Removed Wine, Sparkling Brut.
And if you’re looking to not spend too much, testers found the more affordable Rondel Zero De-Alcoholized Sparkling Wine a great pick for a party, because it was found to be easy to drink.
While nonalcoholic beverages can be great alternatives, it’s important to keep expectations in check. Don’t expect the nonalcoholic versions to taste exactly the same as their counterparts, but they are getting quite close.
If you’re looking for some nonalcoholic cocktails, CR has some great recipes:
Non-Alcoholic Cocktails Recipes
Kombucha Mule - A twist on a traditional Moscow Mule, this recipe (shown above, left) uses blood oranges, a robust winter citrus that’s loaded with vitamin C. It also includes kombucha, a probiotic-rich fermented tea drink.
1 cup blood-orange juice (from 3 to 4 blood oranges)
1 cup ginger kombucha
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 orange slices for garnish (optional)
Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
Directions:1. Place three to four ice cubes or crushed ice in traditional copper mule mugs or short cocktail glasses.
2. Pour half the blood-orange juice, half the kombucha, and a teaspoon of lime juice (or more to taste) into each mug and stir. Garnish with orange slices and mint sprigs, if desired.
Makes 2 servings. / Nutrition information per serving: 63 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 15 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 12 g sugars (0 g added), 1 g protein, 3 mg sodium.
Cherry Spritzer - Tart cherries are different from sweet cherries and have been studied for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. (This drink is best made in single servings.)
1 to 2 tablespoons tart cherry juice concentrate (adjust the amount depending on how tart you like it)¼ cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed½ cup seltzer½ teaspoon fresh lime juiceTwist of orange or orange slice for garnish
Directions:1. Add ice cubes to short cocktail glass. Pour half the cranberry juice into each glass, then top with half the sparkling cider.
2. Add the cranberries (which, when frozen, double as extra ice cubes). Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
Makes 2 servings. / Nutrition information per serving: 80 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 20 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 19 g sugars (0 g added), 0 g protein, 4 mg sodium.
Cranberry-Apple Fizz - This refreshing, not-too-sweet drink (shown above, right) is rich in antioxidants like vitamins C and E from the cranberry juice. The rosemary garnish imparts a light aroma that contributes to the overall flavor.
3⁄4 cup unsweetened cranberry juice3⁄4 cup sparkling apple cider½ cup fresh (or frozen) cranberries2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Directions:1. Add ice cubes to a short cocktail glasses. Pour half the cranberry juice into each glass, then top with half the sparkling cider.
2. Add the cranberries (which, when frozen, double as extra ice cubes). Garnish with rosemary sprigs.
Makes 2 servings. / Nutrition information per serving: 80 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 20 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 19 g sugars (0 g added), 0 g protein, 4 mg sodium.
Whatever is your preferred beverage, raise a glass to a safe and wonderful new year!