An expedition into Edenvale: Serve up a new series of Spanish non-alcoholic wines this holiday

Graciously gifted and sponsored by Dry Variety. All opinions are our own.

Edenvale wines from Australia has just shipped their newest Expedition Series to Canada just in time for holiday sipping and it’s a fantastic line of non-alcoholic wines. The three styles in the series are all produced in Spain using unique blends and premium grapes, resulting in some great non-alcoholic wines. Here are all the details. 

Our #1 Pick: Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon

Tempranillo is probably one of Spain’s most popular varietals, with a spicy and earthy profile that is loved around the world. In this non-alcoholic red wine blend from Edenvale, it’s paired with Spanish cabernet sauvignon which has only been planted in Spain since the mid-20th century. Both varietals have the potential to retain their character after dealcoholization, which makes this an excellent match. 

On the nose, it’s tempranillo all the way. Dry and dusty just like you want a tempranillo to be. It’s so close to a standard mid-range tempranillo that it’s almost unnerving. A first whiff will bring you stumbling down memory lane. 

If you have any issues drinking non-alcoholic wine, you’ll want to avoid this one. It’s the closest a non-alcoholic red wine has come to the real thing that we’ve ever tasted. If you love dry red wines, buy a case of this for yourself because you won’t regret it. 

On the palette you have a beautiful tannic dryness that’s often missing from non-alcoholic red wine. Its structure is identical to an old-world wine with dusty leather notes sitting on top of an underbelly of blackberry and vanilla. It’s got enough complexity to be divine in a non-alcoholic red. 

You can easily drink a bottle of this while gobbling some Iberico Reserva cheese and other tapas nibbles. Don’t hesitate on this one! For the price point, it’s a steal and it’s worth the wait to order it from Dry Variety ($22.95). 

Verdejo Sauvignon Blanc 

Verdejo is a white grape varietal of Spain not very well-known outside of Europe. It’s light bodied and drinks similar to a young pinot grigio. In this non-alcoholic white blend from Edenvale, they’ve paired verdejo with sauvignon blanc which is known for its herbal flavour and sometimes tropical notes. 

On the nose this non-alcoholic wine has a lovely blend of pear and lemon, with some mild tropical aromas. No chemical smell, which gets top marks right off the bat. 

On the palette, there’s a hint of crisp lime and other citrus notes. It’s balanced nicely with juiciness that comes off as notes of pear and freshly pureed peaches - a hint of a Bellini and white grape nectar perhaps. 

As with many non-alcoholic wines it lacks length, and there is not a hint of dryness which is its only downside. However, this would pair so nicely with a cheese like Iberico Reserva and some dry, smoked fennel sausage. 

Also available at Dry Variety ($22.95). 

Sparkling Cuvee 

This cuvee is a very unique non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Edenvale has blended chardonnay with a little-known Spanish grape called the macabeo, which actually required some research on our part to understand it better. You will be surprised to learn that it’s a dominant grape in Spanish sparkling cava wines, and is grown in the regions where cava is produced. The result of this blend is an incredibly unique product that really stands out in the field of non-alcoholic sparkling wines. 

A note for when you pop the cork - the nose off-gases slightly, but that dissipates quickly and it’s not abnormal. Adding carbonation to make non-alcoholic sparkling wine and bottling it under pressure results in trapped carbon dioxide that is harmless to the quality of the wine. 

It’s quite a dry sparkler, which is refreshingly not sweet. The bubbles are small and crisp, so while it’s not like a French blanc de blanc, it certainly resembles the crisper style of a cava. 

On the palette there are interesting notes of young green fruit blended with tart green apple and citrus, resulting in a very unique flavour profile. It has a nice acidity on the finish, and a lingering juiciness that begs for a second sip. 

Available at Dry Variety ($26.95).

HOLIDAY TRIO: Buy all three Expedition Series as a trio for $68.99.