A quick note from us before we hand things over to our amazing October collaborator!
We’ve been working with Sarah Kate for years and have been waiting for the perfect chance to create a box together. If you don’t already know her, Sarah Kate is a sober sommelier and the face behind Some Good Clean Fun, an incredible resource for non-alcoholic wine and spirits reviews, helping people find really good things to drink when they’re not drinking.
We trust her deeply when it comes to all things zero-proof, but especially non-alcoholic wine. Her enthusiasm, creativity, and knowledge shine through in everything she shares, and we couldn’t be more excited to show you what she’s created for The New Vintage and the thoughtfully chosen pours we’ll be enjoying this cozy season.
Now, a Note from Sarah Kate
I was so excited when Raising The Bar asked me to collaborate with them on a wine-focused box for October. It’s a huge category that is often misunderstood as ‘just grape juice’. I think it’s anything but grape juice. To me, it’s the new vintage!
When I chose an alcohol-free lifestyle in early 2020, I had previously spent years studying wine, so it was a big disappointment to see the lack of alcohol-free options available at that time. Fast forward to the present, and non-alcoholic wine options have grown by leaps and bounds. We’ve moved from grocery store plonk to highly sophisticated bottles and brands that taste like traditional wine.
One of the biggest challenges for mindful drinkers is knowing what to pick from the hundreds of options available now. As a sober sommelier, I curated this box with a few of my favourite go-to options so you can try a range of products for a range of occasions.
Sparkling wines really shine as a dealcoholized product, and Wander + Found is one of the original makers of great non-alcoholic bubbly. It’s produced in Germany and it's crisp, off-dry, playful and easy on the wallet!
Giesen makes one of the best low-sugar, non-alcoholic sauvignon blancs in the world. It reflects those yummy New Zealand white wines we all know and love, but without alcohol. Lucky for us, they put this yummy sauvi b in a can and created the Giesen Sauvignon Blanc Spritz. I had these on rotation in the cooler and in my tote all summer!
And of course, I had to include a mocktail. My signature approach to mocktails is that it has to be easy and if it includes leftover wine, even better! The Tinto De Verano mocktail is just that and I think you’re going to love it.
It uses Tomorrow Cellars Red Blend, one of my favourite non-alcoholic reds pushing innovation with herbal infusions to recreate the structure and complexity of traditional wine after dealcoholization. We’re mixing it with a low sugar lemon seltzer and Bark & Bitter alcohol-free orange bitters for a traditional Spanish summer drink.
Bark & Bitter is a small Canadian company who have been producing alcohol-free bitters and aperitifs for many years from local and regional products, and they are absolutely fantastic Secret sommelier tip: adding a few dashes of bitters to a thin or lesser quality non-alcoholic wine helps add complexity and texture so you can enjoy it more!
Whatever you fancy, this month’s Raising The Bar Box has some great options for you if you love wine, but are just looking for some mindful options to try.
Already a subscriber? The New Vintage will be your October box!
Not subscribed yet? There’s still time to sign up and get this box. Or, if you prefer a one-time box, you can explore those here.
Need a playlist for your next happy hour? Sarah Kate created this month’s playlist and fittingly named it Something for Everyone, the perfect accompaniment to a box designed with a little something for everyone, too. Take a listen!
Have any questions? Reach out to us at info@weareraisingthebar.com. We’re always happy to help!
