Wine Maven

by Mary Bailey

No/Lo Revolution

Color De Vino’s no/lo section.

When you want to have a drink but don’t want to have a drink, consider no- or low-alcohol (no/lo) beverages.

Have you noticed how many choices there are now? For example, check out the no/lo wall at Color de Vino. The category has exploded, from a few lonely beers and wines to a burgeoning selection of high-quality beers, red, white and sparkling wines, aperitifs and other beverages to choose from, many of them made right here.

Beers

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Sea Change Straight Edge (Edmonton, Alberta). They call it ‘just your everyday Pale Ale’ crisp, hoppy, with bright citrus, peach and passionfruit notes. But simple isn’t easy, a lot of technique creates a beer like this.

“We create a lower gravity wort using a blend of Albertan and German malts, then ferment with a maltose/maltotriose negative yeast, so it only ferments simple sugars. After fermentation, it’s dry-hopped with two types of hops which are known for their white wine grape aromas,” says Taylor Falk, co-owner, head brewer, Sea Change Brewery. So, that’s how you do it.

SYC Phantom Buzz Pale Ale (Edmonton, Alberta). The Pale Ale is mild tasting, with a clean, zesty citrus note. It’s refreshing and well-balanced, just the thing after a ski. The Phantom Buzz IPA is a little hazy with a delightful bitterness and some pleasing complexity.

Bellwoods NA Jelly King Dry-Hopped Sour (Toronto, Ontario). Bellwoods sours this beer just like its 5.6 per cent ABV cousin, and, as many of the flavours come from the yeasts and bacteria used in the souring process, it’s hard to tell the difference. Bushels of tart and juicy red berry flavours. Jelly King is the fave non-alcoholic beer of Ramon Miranda at Color de Vino.

Aperitif

BIBI Apertivo Bitter Spritz (Toronto, Ontario). Are you a fan of the bitter? Amaro, vermouths, aromatized wines? The Negroni is your favourite cocktail? Give Bibi a try. It’s bracing bitter/sweet mojo combines savoury herbs, blood orange, some warming spicy notes, all in a fun bubbly beverage suitable for 10am. Only 70 calories a can! Tastes Italian, made in Toronto.

It has proven a lot harder to make satisfying, really delicious wine without alcohol. Beer can be fermented to extremely low levels of alcohol, whereas wine ferments naturally to dryness, generally around 12 per cent or so. Alcohol provides many things to wine—weight, mouthfeel, a delivery system for aromas. The default has been to stop the fermentation early, before the wine has fully developed flavours and concentration, or add sugar to make up for the lack of weight and mouthfeel.

Tyler Harlton (L) and Chris Pagliocchini of ONES.

That wasn’t good enough for BC wine veterans Tyler Harlton and Chris Pagliocchini of the Okanagan’s ONES. They wanted to make wines without alcohol that weren’t full of sugar and tasted great.

“Chris and I are on this journey to find the best match between non-alcoholic wines and Okanagan fruit,” says Tyler. They begin by finding the best wines suitable for a no\lo project, premium wines that had been fermented to dryness. They are looking for the same brightness, layers of complexity and varietal signature that they looked for when making wine with alcohol. “Elements of fruit or spice,” says Tyler; “certain varieties translate better than others. Without ethanol, the wine won’t be as heavy. We know we’ll never make big and thick wines because we don’t add sugar.”

Their process is hands on and unique. “We do it differently.” says Chris. “Many non-alcoholic wines are made from reject wine; the alcohol is removed via spinning cone distillation. We use a gentle membrane filtration process.”

“Our goal is to create great tasting wines that express the Okanagan, that have no sugar and pair well with food,” says Tyler.

ONES+ 2021 Non-Alc Sparkling Red (Okanagan Valley, Canada). On point red and black fruit, especially blackberry and pomegranate aromas and flavours, with lovely bright acidity and medium tannin. Drink chilled with charcuterie.

ONES+ 2022 Non-Alc Sparkling Rosé. A blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is light bodied and refreshing with cheerful lemon and strawberry notes. Drink with celebrations.

Benjamin Bridge in Nova Scotia have discovered that the piquette technique, wines made using grape pomace—skins, seeds, pulp, stems (aka the leftovers)—is ideal for making non-alcoholic wine. Piquette is lower in alcohol and the skins supply colour, aromatics and structure.

Piquette Zero has a slight bitterness and a zesty fizziness delivering a world of citrus aromas and flavours. Pink Piquette Zero is the prettiest pale rose colour; think fresh basil and grapefruit and a subtle tang of salinity from the Bay of Fundy sea salt.

Colibri Spumante (Friuli-Venezia-Guilia, Italy) farms organically, the wines are made in stainless steel and the alcohol is removed using the membrane technique, then lightly carbonated.

The Colibri Spumante, 100 per cent Glera, has attractive notes of white flowers and fresh apple, light bodied, refreshing. Drink with canapés or potato chips.

Colibri Spumante Rosé, a blend of Glera and Merlot is a lovely coral pink with citrusy berry and honey aromas. Easy on the palate, with balanced acidity and some nice cranberry flavours. Great with brunch. Do the wines taste exactly like a fine Prosecco? No, but it’s a terrific alternative, especially when you don’t want to imbibe.

And now, for something completely different

JoAnne Pearce

JoAnne Pearce is blowing the non-alcoholic category wide open with Token’s Alberta berry-based drinks. The beverages play with the concept of what an adult beverage can be. Does it have to mimic a cocktail? Does it need to taste kind exactly like your favourite wine? Actually? No.

JoAnne, founder of Mock-Ups Mocktails, collaborated with Token Bitters to create three delicious beverages using Alberta haskaps, saskatoons and Token’s bitters. It all started when her partner was making a duck sauce using warm spices and the haskaps JoAnne had brought home from Rosy Farms. “It smelt so good, I wanted to drink it,” she says. “I’ve always been a witchy cook,” says JoAnne; “making kombucha, forging for ingredients, doing infusions with lilacs. For me, it comes from a place of culinary curiosity.”

JoAnne explored using local ingredients like Taber beet sugar, local honey, haskaps and saskatoons from Kindred Orchards in Parkland County to create these unique and flavourful beverages. And, after tasting Mulled Haskap on a chilly December day, I agree with JoAnne that it should become Edmonton’s official winter drink. The spectacular labels, by Edmonton artist Amy Freelend feature tarot card-like imagery and playfully reference the temperance movement and prohibtion.

Distemperance Haskap Citrus Chili Sangria. Zesty, citrusy with Token Orange bitters and apple cider vinegar to round off the flavour profile. The surprising hit of chile delights. Dilute with soda and serve over ice.

Distemperance Mulled Haskap Mocktail. Fresh citrus notes, star anise and cinnamon and loads of juicy haskaps with Token Calder Chai bitters. A full-bodied, complex drink. Serve warm or chilled

Distemperance Saskatoon Earl Grey Lavender Teatotaller. Dusky saskatoon flavours with black tea and bergamot notes enhanced with Token Whyte Lavender bitters. This might be the most delicious iced tea you have ever had.