Don’t be fooled by the bottle, Acid League Proxies aren’t wine
/Our take on why Acid League Proxies are non alcoholic drinks meant for people who love food
If you’re a non-drinker or sober curious in North America, chances are the algorithm has figured it out and you’ve seen at least one digital ad for a brand called Proxies by Acid League. Billing themselves as ‘wine, but not’ the Proxies come in wine bottles, and are corked and sealed with wax like the old days. You may have wondered what ‘wine, but not’ means, or even ordered some for yourself. We get questions frequently from readers who have opened a Proxy and have been disappointed by what they’ve tasted. We’re breaking it all down for you, by doing a comprehensive explainer and a review of a recent Proxies club box.
What is an Acid League Proxy?
Acid League Proxies are not wine. We can’t emphasise this enough. The wine bottle often throws people off when they open it and expect the typical non-alcoholic wine in their glass. Proxies are elegant, and elevated non-alcoholic beverages meant to be enjoyed with food. Full stop.
Proxies are built from the ground up from unfermented grape must and a unique mix of layered and nuanced flavours customized for each varietal. Non-alcoholic wine starts with wine and through an industrialized process has the alcohol removed from it. Some brands do this better than others. Proxies are the opposite of an industrialised product because they are hand-crafted and developed from the ground up. The Proxies website describes it as “layered blends of fruit, teas, spices, and bitters”. The finished products resemble the elegance of wine, in their flavours and structure, but not the taste.
Proxies are not wine ‘by the book’, and are not trying to be in a category with other non-alcoholic wines seeking to be the perfect dupe. To truly enjoy Proxies, you have to shift your mindset away from traditional wine and embrace their uniqueness. And put some food on your plate!
How to drink Proxies
Acid League Proxies are meant to be an accompaniment to food, just like wine is. Their structured elegance, and not unwelcome vinegar-ey tang, compliments the things you’re enjoying on your plate. Just like wine, choosing a Proxy to enjoy will depend on what you’re eating and vice versa. Each bottle has tasting notes and pairings with it, and that can help you navigate the food and Proxies pairing.
Why does my Proxy taste like vinegar?
Acid is a key component in great recipes, and in wine is the thing that helps cut through the food you’re chewing. Acid League was founded by two culinary professionals, who first developed a line of fan-favourite drinking vinegars. In order to create a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink, Acid League uses acid as a building block by adding vinegars to some of their blends. In one of the Proxies on our list below, Dill Vinegar is listed as the acid, and although the dill flavour is not overpowering you can still slightly taste the vinegar. Paired with food, the vinegars help the Proxy sing in your mouth and create a dynamic gastronomic experience.
How to buy Proxies
Acid League offers a monthly Proxies Club, shipping you a monthly delivery of three new Proxies. Their varietals and styles change every month, so for $80 (Cdn.) you can try new styles every month. You can also buy a la carte from their website and they have chef/somm collab sets, bestseller reds and more.
Acid League Proxies Review
We thought it would be fun to review all three products in a recent club box, to demonstrate how best to enjoy these fun and mouth watering drinks.
Bottle #1: Tigre
The pamphlet that came with the club box describes this bottle as taking inspiration from dry Austrian wines such as Gruner Veltliner and Riesling, with layers of apple and lemon (similar to a Chardonnay) and horseradish for some heat. Don’t be alarmed by this combo, as they are pros at balancing the flavours into a structure that makes sense and tastes great. They’ve used verjus for the acid and this comes through quite strongly on the palette, balanced nicely with tart lemon and a salty finish which is a nice surprise. We made a quick lunch of chicken salad on toast and paired it with this bottle and it was a delightful combo, with the crisp acidity helping wash down the drier chicken. They suggest pairing this with a chili lime ceviche and tortilla chips.
Making chorizo & cabbage while eagerly sipping the SIERRA FROM ACID LEAGUE PROXIES
Bottle #2 Sierra
The nose is really interesting, with a saucy vegetal aroma, but that’s not a bad thing. This Proxy is thinner than the Tigre, but extremely juicy and flavourful. The winemaker was inspired by the taste memories of jamon serrano, which is a Spanish ham used in tapas, and has created a pretty incredible blend that wouldn’t be out of place at a high-end tapas restaurant. It’s exciting to drink this bottle, because the flavour is out of this world and definitely connects your taste buds to something salty and fatty like ham. There are notes of juicy cherries and stewed tomato, blended with hits of dill and black tea. It sounds unpalatable, but it’s quite delicious. When you open this bottle, make sure you have a selection of cured meats, soft cheese like a herbal brie and some hearty crackers to eat while you sip - it’s worth it!
Bottle #3 Alev
This Proxy is made with Syrah juice, and if you know anything about Syrah, there can be peppery and medicinal notes in a robust wine of that type. It’s no surprise then that the Alev smells minty and tastes slightly medicinal. Those elements are married nicely with pomegranate and cranberry - a perfect fall harvest combination that gives a nice tart hit. On the finish it’s got a gentle tannic dryness from the Ceylon and Oolong tea in the blend. Acid League recommends trying this with middle eastern food, and we have to agree it would be a perfect match for grilled shish kebab, creamy baba ganoush and grilled veggies.
So, are you going to try again with some Proxies?
We hope you’ve found some new inspiration to try Proxies. If you’re thinking about opening a bottle to drink while watching the latest murder show, or catching up with friends on a hot patio, please don’t. Save your Proxies for a dinner party with friends or a night when you’re feeling creative in the kitchen. You won’t regret it!
