January swings us in many ways… from New Year resolutions, to setting goals, to going on a health kick – and giving up the booze.
Whether it’s choosing non-alcoholic options all the time or cutting down mid-week, taking a detour down sober street is full of pleasant surprises thanks to a surge in de-alcoholised sparkling wine.
And with leading brands and winemakers fuelling the trend for low and no, popping the corks and pouring a glass of bubbly is a boon to the dreariest month of the year.
Here’s a handful to snap up now…
1. Gratien and Meyer Festillant Sparkling Sans Alcohol, £4.50, The Wine Society
A golden nugget at less than a fiver, this medium to off-dry style tastes fruity and fresh with bright lemony and appley notes you might expect from a French crémant; underpinned by a zesty, citrusy core and zippy finish.
2. Kylie Minogue Alcohol Free Sparkling Blanc, £6, Morrisons
The Princess of Pop’s fizzy white is sure to spin you round with its creamy notes of baked apple aligned with aromatic jasmine; refreshing with a soft, gentle mousse and nuances of blossom on the finish.
3. Thomson & Scott Noughty Dealcoholized Sparkling Chardonnay, £8.50, Waitrose
A drier style with less sugar content than most non-alcoholic sparkling wines, this Spanish gem is right on point with graceful notes of yellow fruit, ripe apple and gentle touch of sweetness on the crisp finish.
4. Lyre’s Classico Grande – Low Alcohol Sparkling White Wine, £10.75, Dry Drinker
Drum roll please… this award-winning Classico has a gold, silver and bronze medal under its belt and captures the essence of prosecco with its fruity, floral aromas; ripe pear, apple and juicy peach on the frothy, fresh mousse with a fleeting hint of red apple on the finish.
5. Nooh Sparkling Rosé Château La Coste Provence NV, Zero Alcohol, £36.50, Philglas & Swiggot
A French fancy, Château La Coste is famed for its still rosé wines, so you know you’re on to a good thing… this new variant comes with the promise of tasting similar to its flagship Rosé d’une Nuit sans the alcohol. Sumptuous red fruits and perfumed jasmine give way to a stream of seductive strawberry nuances with a hint of rosewater on the appetising finish. Distinctive and delicious, despite the lofty price tag.