Forbes Holiday Gift Guide 2023: The Best Zero-Proof Wines

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Skipping the buzz—and the calories—has gotten much more enjoyable. Even in the past six months, the non-alcoholic wine space has improved dramatically, with new offerings showing surprising complexity. My list this year includes a couple of debuts and some old favorites. I’ve noted how these beverages were made—some start with fermented grapes—actual wine—then use complex chemistry to remove the alcohol. These might hew closer to a traditional wine to many palates. Then there are beverages that use a mixture of teas, juices, spices or other elements to give the experience of wine—mouthfeel, complex nose and palate. These alternatives are generally not meant to emulate a particular varietal, but rather give the drinker a pleasing adult beverage to enjoy in situations where you’d normally drink wine.

Joyus Cabernet Sauvignon
The accolades keep pouring in for this brand crafting de-alcoholized wines—at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, all four of their wines took home awards. For winter, I’m a fan of their sole red—aged in new American oak, it’s toasty and redolent of vanilla, with notes of dark berries.

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