Review: Moderato Merlot-Tannat Non-Alcoholic French Red Wine
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I was a sucker for a soft, velvety merlot back in the day. I know a lot of wine drinkers who can’t stand the stuff, thanks to the popularity of cheap merlot in the 90s (I’m looking at you Gato Negro), but great merlot is really a treat and an underrated gem in the wine world. When I saw that a new non-alcoholic wine brand from France is making a merlot-tannat blend, I went gaga. I had to have it and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
Moderato is a non-alcoholic wine brand new to the U.S. and Canada, produced in France with a very French ethos. Co-founders Fabian and Sebastian both love French wine, are from winemaking families and are trés passionate about the country’s long heritage of winemaking and the legacy of the numerous terroirs across it. Their focus is on preserving the joie de vive of French wines, but using innovation to remove the alcohol so everyone can feel included.
From their website: “We love wine, a little, a lot, passionately. Its history, its terroir, its moments, its pleasures, its nuances, its pairings, its conviviality. We love it so much that we would like to be able to enjoy it more often.”
Essentially, they are working towards a reinvention of the French wine tradition without the alcohol.
Their grapes are all grown in single vineyards in the south west of France, in the Cotes du Gascogne (Gascony) region, where they practice sustainable viticulture focusing on biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
But at the end of the day, is their wine any good?
Mais oui!
Listen, not every single nonalcoholic wine is going to be a heavy hitter, but with the Moderato Merlot-Tannat I just thoroughly enjoyed drinking it. Sure, it wasn’t as elegant and complex and château worthy as Zeronimo, but it was damn delicious.
Good merlot is soft, velvety and silky (god, I miss merlot….) with a touch of chocolate, vanilla, blackberry and good tannins. Tannat on the other hand is very tannic and dark, a broody but juicy varietal. The two together bring out the best in each other. The only other merlot-tannat I’ve ever had is from Uruguay, believe it or not, where tannat is wildly popular. It’s origins are in the south west of France though, which is why it’s perfect for the Moderato blend.
The Moderato Merlot-Tannat is 96% dealcoholized wine and 4% grape must, which to me is a great ratio of retaining some of the original spirit, but adding some texture and flavour back in.
Aroma
On the nose, you’ll experience the deep rich cherry notes of a merlot, married with some delicious licorice notes and small red fruit that probably reflects the tannat in the blend. Just so lovely!
Taste
The first thing I noted about this wine is that it’s nice and dry, with some structured tannins. There are bright juicy berry notes that pop with a hint of acidity, layered with a nice soft juicy dryness. It tastes nothing like grape juice, which I was worried about because of the merlot. It’s a touch on the sweet side for someone like me that likes dry wine, but that doesn’t ruin the experience.
Mouthfeel/Experience
What I loved about this red is that it has a bit of a richness to it, along with a silky texture, rare in the n/a red wine space. It was just such a pleasure to drink.
What to pair with it
The Moderato Merlot-Tannat is a perfect non-alcoholic red for cheese plates, pizza, homey casseroles or even stuffed baked shells. It’s juicy and dry so you can pair it with things that need a touch of sweetness to balance out the savoury.
Overall
Score: 93 points
I was hoping for a little bit more depth or at least a little hint of pepper and there’s not really any length to this wine, but it was easy drinking and tasty. Despite the lack of complexity, it doesn’t taste like a cheap non-alcoholic wine, but rather something that is truly a solid ‘house wine’.
One thing to note was this wine spoiled really fast. The next day it was ok, but the day after it was undrinkable. This is quite a delicious wine so I think you’ll finish most of the bottle in an evening, especially if you’re sharing. But just note this is not a wine to keep in the fridge for a few days!
How I rank wines (based on IWSC standards):
95 to 100 - An excellent drink with a great personality. An example that stands out among its peers
90 to 94 - An accomplished drink with considerable personality, character and complexity. A classic example of its style or variety.
85 to 89 - A perfectly well-made drink which provides an enjoyable drinking experience.
80 to 84 - An acceptable but simple drink, lacking distinction.
