Lautus Dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc is a sumptuous summer sip: Review
/Lautus Dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa, 94 points
Photo Credit: Some Good Clean Fun
South Africa has been celebrated over the past two decades for its burgeoning wine making industry, so it comes as no surprise they are also in the business of producing non alcoholic wines from their delightful varietals. One such brand is Lautus, created at Holder Vineyards in Stellenbosch, South Africa. They make a range of four products, three of which are now being imported into Canada through SoftCrush, a company that has been diligently working to bring great, premium non alcoholic wine into Canada. These are the newest bottles in their growing portfolio and worth the wait for something unique and interesting.
Since the weather is just perfect for a white wine, we’re reviewing the Lautus Sauvignon Blanc this week. For all their wines, Lautus starts with high quality grapes - in this case the Sauvignon Blanc - and then gently removes the alcohol with spinning cone technology which results in a premium non alcoholic wine with the desired characteristics.
As we wrote in our review of Gato Negro Sauvignon 0.0, Sauvignon Blanc is a varietal that originated in the Loire valley in France. The name comes from two french words sauvage and vigne meaning ‘wild vine’. It’s now a leading style around the globe.
People either love or hate this highly aromatic wine. If you’re not familiar with how to describe a Sauvignon Blanc, it’s a varietal high in acidity with hallmark fresh cut “grass” or “straw” notes. There are often elements of grapefruit, gooseberry and mineral that balance out the herbaceous taste.
Aroma
Lautus Dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc is a lovely, drinkable bottle from the first whiff to the last sip. It has a very light aroma of crisp apple, pear and lemon that doesn’t overwhelm you or contain any chemical notes.
Taste & Mouthfeel
On the palette it’s pure lemongrass and tart but juicy apple, with a very faint minerality. A good amount of acidity lingers on your tongue. It has a lighter mouthfeel than some other heavier non alcoholic wines which makes the Lautus experience both sumptuous and refreshing at the same time.
The Gato Negro Sauvignon Blanc has held the top spot on our list of non alcoholic selections for quite some time, so we did a comparative tasting with the Lautus. The Gato Negro is defintiely a bolder wine, with a brighter palette, but where the Lautus shines is in it’s soft juiciness.
Sugar content
It’s not overly sweet but it’s not dry either - it’s somewhere in between. This is because it measures only 3g of sugar per standard 5oz glass, which is extremely low.
What to pair with Lautus Sauvignon Blanc
This wine will pair well with dishes that have a lighter citrus based sauce such as a chicken or veal scallopini, salmon en papillotte or salad dishes with a citrus based dressing. It’s almost too elegant to be a ‘mixing and mingling’ type of wine, and definitely deserves to be the shining star next to a well-plated meal.
Overall, the Lautus dealcoholized Suavignon Blanc is quaffable, and well worth the price. It’s a perfect bottle to bring to a dinner party or just to have on hand for a light dinner with the lights down.
It retails for around $25Cdn or $20 U.S.
Where to Buy Lautus Non-Alcoholic Sauvignon Blanc
U.S.: You can order direct from Lautus Wine
Canada: You can find it online in Canada through Dry Variety Drinks, The Sobr Market and UpsideDrinks.ca.
Originally published August 2022.
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.
