If You’re Looking For a Quality Non-Alcoholic Wine, I’ve Found One!

I admit, I enjoy grocery shopping. I love to eat, and I cook every night. In order to do both well, one needs quality, fresh ingredients, so I shop often (pretty much daily). While I usually stick to my shopping list, once in a while I take a chance and add a new item to my cart. If I’m lucky, I find something worth sharing. This week, at Trader Joe’s, I found an item that is certainly on my “must share” list: Oddbird GSM non-alcoholic red wine.

As per the website, “Oddbird was founded in Sweden in 2013 by Moa Gürbüzer, a social worker, family therapist, and Master of Social Science. For over two decades, Moa worked with families affected by alcohol-related harm, which inspired her to pioneer a radical change in how we view drinking. Her vision was simple yet powerful: choosing a wine with or without alcohol should be as natural as choosing coffee with or without milk.” I must add, I absolutely love the name the company chose. Non-drinkers are unfortunately labeled “odd birds” for not partaking in our society’s drinking culture and it’s a shame. Bravo to this company for using the name as a form of empowerment.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am not a drinker. I haven’t had a sip of alcohol in years for many reasons, and even before I decided to become a tee-totaler, you could count the number of alcoholic drinks I had in a year on one hand. I never liked the way alcohol made me feel and I know it’s not good for my health. I also (unfortunately) have experience with the damage it can do to a family and I feel strongly about not using it or exposing my children to it. That being said, I did miss the taste of a glass of red wine with cheese or with pizza every now and then. In my quest for “fancy”, “adult” beverages I have come across and have previously written a post about other mocktail products which are delicious, but certainly do not take the place of wine. I thought it would be impossible to find a suitable replacement for alcoholic wine, until I discovered Oddbird. I simply can’t believe that non-alcoholic wine can be made to taste exactly like red wine without the alcohol, but apparently, it can.

On the website, Oddbird’s German-made GSM red is described as, “A silky, mature, and dry red wine from Saint-Chinian in the South of France. Made from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan, it layers complexity, beginning with vibrant red and black fruits, a sharp tannic entrance, followed by deeper mature fruit and spices, and finishing with a pleasant, dry structure that showcases the wine’s earthy and acidic qualities.” It is aged for 12 months. I bought a bottle (25.4 fl oz) for just over $21.00. In my view, it is worth it. I’m not a wine aficionado by any means, but if you’re looking for a basic red to enjoy once in a while, this is it.

Oddbird also makes a white wine that is also sold at Trader Joe’s. I haven’t yet tried it, but perhaps I’ll give it a go this summer. That product (Blanc De Blancs) is described as, “A modern and dry sparkling white wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon region in France. Made from Chardonnay and Colombard, it is fresh and refined, with notes of crisp Granny Smith apples, honey, and lime, underpinned by delicate bubbles. The wine finishes with an elegant, clean finish, showcasing the perfect balance of complexity and freshness.”

Both the GSM red and Blanc De Blancs are fairly low in sugar (GSM red contains 4.5 grams of sugar per 6 oz glass, Bland De Blancs contains 8 grams of sugar per 6 oz glass) and only contain .5% ABV, which means they contain .5% alcohol and therefore are considered non-alcoholic, as the body processes such a low amount of alcohol too rapidly to cause intoxication. That being said, I still wouldn’t advise drinking these wines in large quantities or every day. My take on these products is that they would be great for special occasions and on holidays or every so often to accompany a particular dish.

If you are wondering how they are processed to be non-alcoholic (I was), I did some research and learned that there are various methods to remove alcohol from wine. Oddbird states that to dealcoholize their products they “[…use a] patented vacuum-distillation process carried out at low temperatures. This allows [them] to remove alcohol gently while protecting volatile aromas and delicate flavor compounds. After distillation, [they] recover the original aromas and reintegrate them into the liberated wine, ensuring it reflects the character of the initial cuvée with precision and integrity.” This process is time consuming and expensive, but it obviously works. I am so impressed by how good their red wine tastes!

I have read that other companies may use reverse osmosis to remove alcohol from their products. This process uses a semipermeable membrane to separate the alcohol from the other components of the wine. According to my research, this method is fast and efficient but can remove some desirable flavor compounds. Another dealcoholization process is called “spinning cone column distillation”. This method uses a series of spinning cones to separate the alcohol from other components in the wine. It is apparently good at preserving the wine’s aroma and flavor compounds.

While I was shopping, I did see other dealcoholized products for sale at Trader Joe’s, but I chose Oddbird because it was made in Europe (Germany) using European (French) grapes. Until America gets its food supply cleaned up and follows the restrictions for additives they have in place in most European countries, I always opt for European products when available. My advice is do your research. Know what you are putting in your body and choose wisely.

Oddbird offers a variety of wine products, but it seems Americans can not shop for them directly on their website, as they don’t currently ship to the United States directly. Until/if that changes, your only option is to shop for Oddbird’s GSM red and Blanc De Blancs (and perhaps their Rosé) at your local Trader Joe’s, on Amazon or a few specialty websites.

As for me, I am looking forward to tonight. It’s Friday as I write this, and pizza is on our family’s dinner menu (I like Trader Joe’s gluten free, cauliflower crust pizza). I will be pairing my pizza with a glass of red wine from Oddbird. I may even dust off an old wine glass in which to pour it. It sounds like a perfect (and healthier!) Friday night meal to me.

Cheers to making healthier choices for you and your family (without sacrificing taste)!