Wine Lists

The best no (and low) alcohol options to drink now

By Nola James

28 Feb, 2024

These no and low-alcohol drops are so good, you’ll want to take them out in public.

Trying to cut back on mid-week wines or simply taking a more mindful approach to alcohol? There is a plethora of choice these days, from de-alcoholised wine to 100 per cent alcohol-free drops. You can even buy ‘mid-strength’ wines now, if you only want to play it a little light. Whatever the occasion, we’ve got you covered with this list of eight New Zealand and Australian-made options.

Moo Brew Notto Blotto

Tasmania
What’s this, then? It’s not a beer, although it’s made in a brewery. This is ‘hop soda’, a new drinks category that hit its straps in the US and has finally made it to Australian shores. It’s basically the ‘essence’ of hops, without the booze – think sparkling water with a slightly citrusy kick (hot tip: add ice and a wedge of lemon). Drink this if you’re not sure if you want a lemon squash or a glass of bubbles. 

RRP $12 (per 4-pack) | 0.0% alc


Sidewood Nearly Naked

South Australia
Adelaide Hills producer Sidewood has added two no-alc rosés to its Nearly Naked range, which includes a sauvignon blanc and sparkling white. Pitched as a ‘luxury’ alcohol-free alternative, the wines are made from estate fruit and de-alcoholised post fermentation. At $22 for the still rosé and $26 for the NV sparkling, they’re more expensive than their competitors. Some might say they’re made of better stuff, too. The sparkling rosé, in particular, is nicely tart. 

RRP $22–$26 | 0.0% alc


2021 Konpira Maru Class M Planet Dolcetto

2021 Konpira Maru Class M Planet Dolcetto

North East Victoria
“Best served chilled with a bowl of spaghetti alla puttanesca with a light dusting of young pecorino,” say Konpira Maru makers Sam Cook and Alastair Reed of their first foray into the world of alcohol-free wines, here with a de-alcoholised King Valley dolcetto. It has all the freshness and crunch their full-strength natty reds are known for, with plum and strawberry notes and a bit more grip than your average supermarket-brand alcohol-free number. 

RRP $20 | 0.5% alc


NON

Various
This costs more than the average per-bottle spend on an alcoholic wine because Aaron Trottman and William Wade, founder and maker of NON, respectively, don’t cut corners: the fruit and veg are real and each batch is handmade. Natural flavours are blended with a verjuice base for still and sparkling results – our top picks right now are the umami-laden roast beetroot and sansho (NON4) to a sprightly lemon marmalade and hibiscus (NON5).

RRP $30 | 0.0% alc


NV Giesen Zero Sparkling Brut

NV Giesen Zero Sparkling Brut

Marlborough NZ
Giesen’s Zero Sauvignon Blanc is the number one selling alcohol-free wine in the world. This outrageous success encouraged continued investment in the alcohol-free category – the label recently bought a new booze-removing spinning cone that’s 10 times bigger than the original. In December, Giesen added a zero-proof sparkling wine to the range, currently a Woolworths exclusive. No word on what grape varieties are used to make it, but we can tell you that it finishes dry.

RRP $18 | 0.5% alc


NV Plus & Minus Zero Alc Prosecco

Adelaide Hills
Plus & Minus is the product of Fourth Wave Wine, a SA-based company with a rep for sustainable vineyard management and lightweight packaging. Winemaker Corey Ryan does a good job, alcohol or not. I took a bottle of this to Christmas lunch to share with my tee-totalling mother, an act that resulted in her feeling included and my staying awake past 3pm. Win-win. 

RRP $14 | 0.5% alc


NV Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc

NV Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough NZ
Giesen also owns Ara Wines, so no surprise to learn it uses identical spinning cone technology. The Ara Zero Sauvignon Blanc – which presents with the same gooseberry, tropical vibe as its 12.5% sauvignon blanc sibling – has also won its fair share of awards, including Best Wine at the 2023 World Alcohol-Free Awards, a gold medal at IWSC’s Low & No Awards in 2022 and Best of Show Sauvignon Blanc at Mundus Vini in 2023 (in the low-alc category).

RRP $18 | 0.5% alc


Tread Softly Grenache

South Australia
The Tread Softly range is naturally lower in alcohol, meaning that its ABV is the result of early picking and shorter ferments. Like Plus & Minus above, this environmentally focused brand is also owned by Fourth Wave. Some varieties are more successful than others – this grenache still has a lot of guts for a 10.8% wine, but the pinot noir is one for the fans. 

RRP $16 | 10.8% alc