Wander+Found Non-alcoholic Sparkling Cuvee Blanc Review

Holy Grail - A wallet-friendly 95-point sparkling wine

Wander + Found Sparkling Cuvee Blanc, $23, 95 points

If there’s one bottle you need to buy for the holidays, trust us when we say it should be Wander + Found Sparkling Cuvee Blanc. It’s one of the nicest bottles of non-alcoholic sparkling wine we’ve had to date. In a sea of bubbly wines, this one stood out as a truly luxurious and elegant bottle anyone can toast the holiday season with.

Wander + Found is produced in Germany. The winery has been making precise non-alcoholic wines for over a decade and it’s obvious they have honed their skills at dealcoholization. They use premium grapes grown in their own vineyards and use the skills of a highly-specialised winemaker to develop their signature non-alcoholic wines.

The range in the Wander + Found lineup consists of several styles: a sparkling white wine, a still white wine (our review can be found here), a pinot noir and both a still and sparkling rose. This is the first time we’re trying the white sparkling wine, thanks to the availability in Canada through P/S Alcohol Free Premium Beverages (it’s available in the U.S. through Better Rhodes - shop link at the bottom).

The word cuvee means a blend or batch, most often used by producers of champagne.

The Wander + Found Sparkling Cuvee Blanc is made from a blend of white grapes using chardonnay, pinot gris and pinot blanc. These three varietals all add something unique and specific to the wine. Pinot Gris has been native to Germany for centuries, with the first documentation of the varietal being recorded in 1711. Chardonnay is not native to Germany, and has only been planted there since the 1960s. The blend of old world vine and crisp, new world chardonnay is refreshing and makes this sparkler something special.

On the nose, the aroma is as light as a feather, with elegant notes of orchard fruit and apple.

On the palate, it’s a perfect blend of tart acidity and just a hint of sweetness. There are bright notes of green apple, tart gooseberry and surprisingly a hint of lime rather than lemon which is a little more common in a blanc. The chardonnay is evident, but balanced out nicely with fragrant pinot gris and softer restrained pinot blanc. There’s a nice hint of minerality at the finish.

The bubbles are nice and tight with a creamy mouthfeel, truly reflecting the craft that’s gone into this bottle. It’s really fun to drink - a sparkling wine that is both serious and playful at the same time.

If you’re popping a bottle of this over the holidays, it’s perfect on its own and doesn’t need a food pairing. However, it will go nicely with hors d'oeuvres, finger foods and hard cheeses, or for dinner it pairs well with oysters, and desserts like baklava or marzipan.

You can buy this in the US through BetterRhodes.com and in Canada through P/S Alcohol Free ($23). For the price, this is truly a hidden gem holy grail and worth stocking up on for the holidays!

How we score wines at Some Good Clean Fun:

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.