The trend is undeniable. 

In their quest to live a healthier lifestyle, consumers are flocking

to low and/or no alcohol drinks at a record clip.

Nielsen IQ reports that the market for nonalcoholic beer,

wine and spirits grew over 120% over the past three years. 

Having never before tasted a nonalcoholic wine,

it was time to explore the product options. 

We did. 

Regrettably, our introduction to this category

was a complete bust.

It’s Wine Thursday! 

Normally, every Thursday we highlight…and recommend…

a good wine that sells at a reasonable price

and is easy to find at retail and online. 

This week we’re veering from the game plan. 

We’re singling out a wine to avoid.

Where it’s from  

FRE alcohol-removed wines are manufactured

(that term is used intentionally) in California’s

Napa Valley by bulk producer Sutter Home,

best known for inexpensive, “gateway” wines

such as white Zinfandel and pink Moscato.   

What it is

I’m not sure what FRE red blend is. 

It doesn’t taste like wine.  Nor does it taste like grape juice. 

It’s bizarre. 

We acknowledge that in the process of removing alcohol,

something’s got to give.  But not everything.

Here’s an analogy.

Light beer clearly does not have the same flavor

and characteristics of regular beer. 

But it still tastes somewhat like beer. 

FRE’s red blend doesn’t resemble wine at all.

It’s thin, hollow and has an odd, off putting,

metallic flavor that’s difficult to describe.

It is less fattening.  

At 70 calories for an 8 ounce pour,

it has about half the calories of regular wine. 

But that lone positive is not enough

to offset the multiple negatives. 

In a word, FRE red blend is undrinkable.

We are undeterred.

Our pursuit has just begun. 

We’ll continue to seek out low/no alcohol wines

worthy of your time and money. 

We understand that they’re out there.

In the meantime, don’t bother with FRE red blend.