Better late than never: A non alcoholic Pinot Gris for late-summer sipping

This editorial is sponsored by Dry Variety. All opinions are our own.

Image COPYRIGHT SOME GOOD CLEAN FUN 2022

If you’ve been waiting all summer for a fresh non alcoholic pinot grigio, the Edenvale Pinot Gris will be the wine you’ll want to order today for some late summer sipping.

If you’ve ever guzzled a Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, you’ll absolutely adore this non alcoholic white. Although Edenvale has labelled it as a pinot gris, it’s actually more similar to the light-bodied, acidic grigio style of your typical Italian label.

Pinot gris and pinot grigio are one and the same ‘pinot gris’ varietal, but categorised differently based on regionality: pinot gris in France and pinot grigio in Italy. The two wine styles are slightly different with a medium-bodied gris and lighter-bodied grigio. It’s not really a perfect guide to what you’re going to get either way, and it often doesn’t matter unless you’re a sommelier in a high-end restaurant.

Made in Australia from premium grapes, Edenvale non alcoholic wines use the latest innovation in dealcoholization and their non alcoholic pinot gris is a testament to that. When you open the bottle and pour a glass, the nose is so delicate and light and has absolutely no rubbery, or chemical odours.

Before tasting, we had to check the sugar content and were glad to see only 3.5g per 100ml - so roughly 10g of sugar per glass. This is on the lower end of sugar content for non alcoholic wines and in line with other premium brands.

Where a true pinot gris might be slightly more aromatic, this doesn’t take away from the drinking experience and in fact the dealcoholization process maintained a wonderful balance of flavours. Not overly sweet, nor too watered-down.

The palette is a delicate blend of apricot and soft pear, without being too ‘poached’. The freshness lingers on your tongue, balanced by a mouthwatering tartness that leaves you wanting another sip. The mouthfeel is deliciously mid-weight and feels exactly like a good quality pinot grigio.

Overall, the bottle was a surprise as there aren’t many non alcoholic pinot gris wines in the category. The lightness of the varietal made us sceptical it could be done well, but this is a nice, easy drinking option well suited for a hot patio and some friends.

Like most non alcoholic white wines, this will pair nicely with salads, light cheeses, grilled chicken, light fish and in our case… potato chips.

If you’re in Ontario, Dry Variety is the first to bring this line of non alcoholic wines here and has half a dozen of their range available. Amber Wisniewski, the founder of Dry Variety, says she’ll soon be bringing their new Expedition series to her shop and was blown away by the Cabernet Sauvignon. Something to look forward to!

The Pinot Gris is available through Dry Variety for $23.50, so stock up now and sip your way through September!