Review: NEW Oceano Zero 2024 Chardonnay
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Oceano’s new 2024 vintage of single-vineyard pinot noir and chardonnay have just been released and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them. I spoke with Oceano founder and n/a wine educator Rachel Martin about the new wines and the new dealcoholization technology they’re using. Oceano Zero is one of the first wines in the U.S. to try an emerging aroma recovery system from Europe called Solos.
“With spinning cone column, the wine goes through it twice. It's pulling. It's a more aggressive method than just pure vacuum distillation. We use vacuum distillation then follow that with Solos patented aroma extraction,” she explained. “The result is less water loss, less processing and then there's a higher fidelity of aromatics.”
If you liked the earlier vintages, Martin describes the new vintage as even more Oceano then the previous ones.
“It's a better representation of terroir, of a sense of place, of the origin of the wine that it began with. So when I smell my Oceano Zero Pinot Noir, I'm smelling the same character that was in the barrel before I dealcoholized it. It's the same wine identity.”
Read our whole discussion here.
I’m a chardonnay fan and it’s summer so it made sense to try the Oceano Zero 2024 Chardonnay first, and I think it’s a masterclass in how to make California non-alcoholic wine.
Aroma
When a non-alcoholic wine is made with premium, estate-grown wine by a skilled winemaker, the aroma is always the tell. Oceano is no exception. On the nose there’s a heavenly combination of honeycomb, brioche, lemon curd and a tiny hint of tropical fruit. It’s really delightful!
Taste
One of my most important signals of a well-made non-alcoholic wine is its complexity and whether the taste is homogenous or not. Added sugar often flattens out any of the complexity being added with secondary and tertiary flavor notes. The Oceano Zero Chardonnay is elite in this department with oak, soft buttery notes, orchard fruit and lemon curd.
It’s dry and really well balanced with tons of lift from its soft, bright acidity. The wine holds up in the mid-palate which is another indicator of quality with non-alcoholic wines that often fall apart in the middle. There’s an incredible mineral and citrus finish that left me wanting another glass!
You can definitely taste the terroir of California.
Mouthfeel and experience
The viscosity is almost a perfect dupe for a wine with alcohol. Other than the alcohol missing, you would be hard pressed to describe this as anything less than a great wine. It’s got a bit of a lighter mouthfeel and body than a full-blown buttery chardonnay, but it’s not thin at all - rather, it’s delicate and nuanced all at the same time. I think it’s just right for non-alcoholic wine.
What to pair with Oceano Zero 2024 Chardonnay
What can’t you pair with a good white wine? This is definitely a food wine. Lemony herbed chicken would be my first suggestion. I’m allergic to shellfish but that would be another great pairing because of the soft acidity. Lightly breaded white fish with a green pea puree is one of my go-to mains for entertaining and this would be so perfect with this wine. Bon appetite!
Overall
Oceano Zero 2024 Chardonnay is bright and aromatic and absolutely perfect for a chardonnay. There is no other non-alcoholic chardonnay that even comes close to this one, and very few whites that could match the quality and experience.
Score: 98 Points
Reviewed by Sober Sommelier Sarah Kate, editor of Some Good Clean Fun and IWSC No/Low Alcohol judge. Sarah Kate has tested and reviewed hundreds of non-alcoholic wines and spirits since 2020.
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.
