Eisberg alcohol free wine review

When the opportunity arose to try out some alcohol free wine from Eisberg, I wasn't sure what I'd make of it but I was keen to give it a try. Now, I remember Eisberg from when I was a teen - not from drinking it but from seeing it in the supermarket - and I was convinced that there was only one variety - definitely white and, I seem to think, sparkling. Not so these days. They explain : "Our range includes a Chardonnay, Riesling, Rosé and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's made in the same way as wine, with the alcohol removed at the end of the process, so it is the closest to the real thing that you'll get!" Well, I opted for sampling the white (my favourite) and red (Madhouse Daddy Mike's, but - as a Frenchman - I was extremely doubtful that he'd appreciate alcohol-free wine !) so they offered me a bottle of smooth Chardonnay and a fruity red Cabernet Sauvignon to try out.

I have to admit, I barely drink alcohol at all these days. After spending nine months pregnant followed by a prolonged period of breastfeeding - 6 months for Sophie, 9 months for Juliette and 15 months for Pierre - during which time I didn't touch a drop, I just got out of the habit of drinking. Knowing I'll have three kids up at the crack of dawn demanding (noisily!) my attention however late we went to bed the night before is also an incentive to avoid drinking because I really do not want a hangover when faced with three overexcited kids !  I do have a drink at Christmas or special occasions but have pretty much stopped drinking wine, even when we eat at the French in laws'.

Well, the perfect opportunity to try out the Eisberg arose when the kids asked if we could have an apéro - that French tradition of pre-dinner drinks - a couple of weeks ago for Juliette's birthday. I inwardly groaned because - being in the middle of a month's trial of Jenny Craig (which I've been blogging about here) - I really didn't want to sabotage the whole thing by eating crisps and peanuts and drinking Baileys. Well, with a bit of clever thinking, I grabbed a couple of packs of Jenny Craig potato bites and the bottle of Eisberg that had been waiting in the fridge and settled in for a guilt-free spot of indulgence. Reading the label on the Eisberg Chardonnay, I was very impressed to see that one 125ml glass only contains 34 calories, a third of what you'd get in a normal glass of wine.

Taste wise, I was pleasantly surprised. It tasted like a very palatable, sweet, fruity white wine to me. I offered a sip to Madhouse Daddy Mike who said it tasted more like grape juice than wine. I gave the glass to Sophie to see what she'd think and she sniffed it and said "yuck, that's not grape juice, it's definitely wine !" Either way, I really enjoyed drinking it and felt more sociable and involved than when I go for a less adult alcohol-free drink like Shloer.

I also tried it in cooking, which was very successful too. Making Creamy Pan-fried Pork with Sage and Apple (which I blogged about here), the recipe called for apple juice, which I didn't have. Thinking laterally, I decided that white wine and cream go well together so a splash of Eisberg would surely do the trick. Well, I can confirm that it worked perfectly !

The red Cabernet Sauvignon was sampled with a roast dinner and I was again pleasantly surprised at how good and authentic it tasted. Madhouse Daddy Mike pulled it out and sneakily gave some to his visiting French friend to see what he'd make of it and he initially said nothing, then looked puzzled and said "there's no burn in the throat, is it fruit juice ?". When we explained that it was alcohol-free wine, he had another sip and said that taste wise, it was very authentic, you could just tell that it didn't contain alcohol in your throat and on your tongue.

That sounds pretty good to me, coming from French people who are always quite snobbish about any wine that isn't French, let alone alcohol free ! There are many reasons for drinking Eisberg - because you're pregnant or breastfeeding, watching your weight, driving or just wanting to give your liver a break - but I can also add another one, quite simply because it tastes nice !

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £3.20 - £3.60

for more information : http://www.eisberg.co.uk

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