Seeking a Gift for a Sober-Curious Friend? Consider These NA Wines and Spirits
One of the most festive gifts you can give or receive is a bottle of something delicious. Just like taking care to pick up something that will pair well with dinner, giving an alcohol-free wine or spirit as a gift requires some extra thought and planning—and, for something really special, a bit of extra cash.
You have to consider what kind of drinker the recipient is, too: Are they an after-work appreciator of aperitivo-style NA cocktails or a wine aficionado dipping their toes into the alcohol-free space?
Thankfully, in the non-alcoholic wine and spirits category, there are so many exceptional, 0% abv bottles and cans that taste (and look) like a treat that’s worthy of a special occasion. They make the perfect alcohol-free gifts.
From festive 0% abv sparklers to cozy NA RTD cocktails, these non-alcoholic drinks are the special beverages that experts think make great gifts.
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Best Red Wine: Zeronimo Leonis Blend
Type: Dealcoholized Wine
Varietals: 60% Blaufränkisch, 20% Zweigelt, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol Level: < 0.5% abv
Finding the right dealcoholized red wine to give as a gift can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Joshua James, a career bartender turned NA drinks expert and owner of San Francisco’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop and wine bar Ocean Beach Café, feels that zero-proof red wine is the “the absolute hardest category to find for anything that is even remotely ‘good,’” but he’s been blown away by this dry, Old World-style red from Austria, which has notes of sweet dark cherry and oak spices. “It’s orders of magnitude better than anything I’ve ever tasted or smelled,” he says. “It is expensive though!”
$69
Zeronimo Wine
Best White Wine: Studio Null Grüner Weiss
Type: Dealcoholized Wine
Varietals: Grüner Veltliner, Gelber Muskateller
Alcohol Level: < 0.5% abv
This refreshing, dry white from Studio Null offers bright minerality and is another clear favorite of James, who calls it “complex, vintage- and vineyard-specific, and spot on.”
It’s also a winner for Julia Bainbridge, the author of Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You’re Not Drinking for Whatever Reason, who says that “hands down, the best-in-class dealcoholized wines right now are being produced by Null. There’s actually some varietal character, which is very hard to retain, and both their reds and whites are good.” Plus, the bottles are chic.
$32
Null Wines
Best Sparkling White: French Bloom Le Blanc
Type: Dealcoholized Wine
Varietal: Chardonnay
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
Bubbly wine is one of the most classic gifts in the book, and French Bloom’s Le Blanc does not disappoint. With a lively minerality and delicate pear and floral accents, this elegant sparkling white is made of a blend of dealcoholized organic French Chardonnay wines. (Bainbridge also recommends their elegant Le Rosé, which has flavors of rose and red fruit.)
$39
French Bloom
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Best Sparkling Red: Ghia Le Fizz
Type: Wine Alternative
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
Ghia recently released their popular berry aperitif in bottled spritz format, and Bainbridge loves Le Fizz’s “surprisingly dry finish.” It’s juicy and a bit tart, with orange blossom and strawberry flavors. Plus the pretty bottle is absolutely gift-worthy. Bainbridge adds that Ghia founder Melanie Masarin “has great taste and has produced beverages so good that I am never without them in my fridge.”
$20
The Zero Proof
Best Rosé (Sparkling): NON1 Salted Caramel and Raspberry
Type: Wine Alternative
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
This floral sparkling rosé alternative with delicate salinity and lingering tannins is a favorite of Jess Stewart, director of beverage at Trust Restaurant Group, who appreciates that it’s naturally alcohol-free and takes the wine-alternative approach instead of dealcoholization. “It has effervescence and is great on its own or can be added to a spirit free cocktail,” she says.
$30
NON1
Best Rosé (Still): Sovi Rosé
Type: Dealcoholized Wine
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Alcohol Level: < 0.5% abv
Made of 100% Pinot Noir, this fruity still rosé from Heringer Estates Vineyards in Clarksburg, California, is soft, delicate, and enthusiastically recommended by James. “They are sommelier winemakers in Napa that have more experience dealcoholizing wine than anyone else in America,” he says.
$30
The Zero Proof
Best Sweet Wine: Prima Pave Dolce Rose
Type: Dealcoholized Wine
Varietals: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
Who doesn’t love a sweet gift? This bubbly rosé produced in Northern Italy makes a festive addition to the party, and it’s one of James’ favorite non-alcoholic sweet wines.
$28
Prima Pave
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Best Gift Set/Sampler: Proxies Starter Set
Type: Wine Alternative
Alcohol Level: < 0.5% abv
Proxies is one of the main pioneers of the wine alternative approach, and this changing assortment of food-friendly best sellers often includes bubbles, a crisp white, full-bodied Big Red, and a couple of cans.
A lovely sampler set like this one makes a nice mindful drinking gift for the sober-curious people in your life as they figure out what they like. (“You’ll be seeing this category really expand pretty quickly,” says James. “Proxies are the original.”)
$88
Drink Proxies
Best RTD Cocktail: Aplós
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
Aplós makes complex, festive canned cocktails like ume spritzes, “kola fashioneds” and chili margaritas, boasting functional ingredients like adaptogens and hemp. “Aplós RTDs tick all the boxes: aromatics are insane, under sweet, complex adult flavors, pretty packaging—everything,” says James, who believes functional beverages “are the future of what we’re drinking.”
$60
Aplós
Best Aperitif: Lyre’s Italian Spritz
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
Both Bainbridge and Stewart love this Italian aperitivo-style option from Lyre’s, which makes a fun gift for someone who likes mixing drinks or fantasizes about Italian vacations. “Lyre’s Italian Spritz hits the same bitter marks as Aperol or Campari and has that same robust color,” says Stewart.
$38
Lyre’s
Best Bitter: Wilderton Bittersweet Aperitivo
Alcohol level: 0.0% abv
Lively with fresh orange blossom, bitter grapefruit and aromatic botanicals, this gorgeous spirit is another perfect gift for the wannabe NA mixologist and aperitivo lover. It’s for “the real serious aperitif drinkers,” says James.
$32
Total Wine & More
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Best Whiskey: Free Spirits Bourbon Alternative
Alcohol Level: < 0.5% abv
Following red wine, whiskey is “the second-hardest” category to make in zero-proof formats, says James. He has found that, unfortunately, many options have “missed the mark.” He does, however, like this Kentucky bourbon–inspired, alcohol-free alternative from Free Spirits, which has a nice hit of smokiness.
$34
Free Spirits
Best Gin: Monday Zero-Alcohol Gin
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
Designed with cocktail-making in mind, this zero-proof gin is aromatic with juniper, citrus and botanicals. “This is my go-to right now for cocktails, and it has been for some time,” says James. Paired with some nice fancy tonic water, this bottle makes a lovely gift for the sober G&T enthusiast in your life.
$40
Amazon
Best Tequila: Cut Above Blanco
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
For the margarita lover who is avoiding alcohol for whatever reason, this NA tequila is a dream come true. James considers himself a “certified agave aficionado,” and he feels that Cut Above has truly mastered the zero-proof tequila. His favorite is the mezcal, “but their agave blanco is spot on.”
$35
Amazon
Best Canned/Single-Serve Drinks: Jukes Cordialities
Type: Wine alternative
Alcohol Level: 0.0% abv
With cool minimalist packaging, this assortment of elegant apple cider-vinegar based drinks from Jukes includes sparkling versions of their herbal, citrusy white, fruity dark red, and juicy rosé, all served in one-ounce bottles.
$60
Jukes Cordialities
More Wine Gift Coverage
- For the best advice and top picks of every kind of wine to give, take a look at these expert-curated lists.
- Whether you want to give red wine, a bottle of Champagne or find the perfect white wine gift, we’ve got you covered.
- Or, consider something out of the ordinary: buy someone special one of these sweet wines instead.
- If you’d prefer to give something that will last longer than an evening, take a look at these great gifts for wine lovers.
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Our selection of red wine glasses is the best way to enjoy the wine’s subtle aromas and bright flavors.
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