Alcohol-Free Sauvignon Blanc

The 2023 vintage came in late after a wetter, cooler season, and that slower ripening is exactly why this parcel of fruit was worth picking for a wine that has to survive having its alcohol taken out. It shows yellow in the glass with passionfruit and tropical characters on the nose, which is the varietal signature doing its job rather than sweetness filling in for it, the usual failing of cheap alcohol-free whites. Fourth Wave hand-makes the range from dry-grown South Australian grapes and removes the alcohol gently, landing at 0.5 percent, with no artificial sweeteners. Grape skin extract goes in during winemaking, raising the naturally occurring antioxidant content usually associated with red wine. Vegan-friendly. Serve it cold, and it holds up as a genuine white rather than a bottle of grape juice.