Review: Tomorrow Cellars Rhone Blanc
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Tomorrow Cellars is a relatively new brand to the category of non-alcoholic wine, but they have definitely garnered a lot of attention already. Produced in California by a team of wine industry veterans with very good taste, they’ve rocked the metaphorical boat with their innovative red blend (a full review can be found here). They have two white varietals: a sparkling blanc du rhone and a still Rhone Blanc. This is a review of the second vintage of the still Rhone Blanc.
The Tomorrow Cellars Rhone Blanc is produced from 100% marsanne grapes sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards in California’s Central Valley (Lodi AVA to be specific). Marsanne originated from the Rhone region in France, and it’s historically used as a blending grape with other varietals. It’s an interesting wine to dealcoholize as it doesn’t naturally have high acidity, but it does have body and texture aplenty which helps when the wine is thinned during dealcoholization.
Aroma
Nice aromatics and yuzu and citrus on the nose - very fresh and bright!
Taste
A nice balance of stone fruit and a hint of tropical fruit, specifically pineapple. Marsanne is a known for having notes of beeswax and when this non-alcoholic white has warmed up, you can definitely get a hint of something like honey.
There’s a really nice pop of citrus that seriously upgrades the last vintage, which I thought was a bit too flabby and tropical. The bite of acidity from mid-palate through to the end is a really nice balance. For this new vintage, Tomorrow Cellars founder Tracy Sweeney shared that they did in fact boost the acidity to help it pop more on the finish, and I think it’s an excellent improvement from the first vintage. It gives the entire glass a nice lift.
Mouthfeel & Experience
This is a crisp and lean light bodied white. Very pleasurable to drink - I always hate it when the mouthfeel or sensation of a non-alcoholic wine detracts from the flavour, so I like it when the mouthfeel is almost an afterthought and I can focus on the flavour.
Food pairing suggestions
This is a difficult wine to pair, but only because it’s so unique. I honestly think this would be really nice with duck, because its high acidity will cut through the fat. But for those of us with champagne tastes but a blue collar budget, you could pair this with dry roasted chicken and definitely grilled salmon with just a nice salt and pepper seasoning.
Overall
This is a bright and really well constructed non-alcoholic white wine that I think most consumers of wine will enjoy. It’s not overly sweet, but has a nice all-around balance of all the things someone would want in a white wine without alcohol - flavour, acidity, length and a great experience overall.
Score: 94 points
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.
Overall - Tomorrow Cellars Rhone Blanc is a bright and really well constructed non-alcoholic white wine that I think most consumers of wine will enjoy. It’s not overly sweet, but has a nice all-around balance of all the things someone would want in a white wine without alcohol - flavour, acidity, length and a great experience overall. Score: 94 points
