Wander + Found Non Alcoholic Cuvee Blanc: A Joy To Drink
/This article was updated on July 4, 2023.
It’s a common quest for women who are rethinking drinking: finding a good non alcoholic white wine that can replace their usual Pinot or Chardonnay. Over the past few months, we’ve reviewed the growing selection of non alcoholic white wines available and we’ve liked (if not loved) almost all of them. We have another top favorite to add to the list and that is the new Wander + Found Cuvee Blanc.
Many will associate the word cuvee with sparkling wine, and particularly a higher quality ‘first-pressed’ style of sparkling. The actual definition of cuvee has multiple meanings and can apply to both still and sparkling. Outside of sparkling wine, cuvee is simply a particular blend of wine with more than one grape variety. In fact, Merriam-Webster defines it as ‘bulk wine’ blended to ensure uniformity.
The Wander + Found Cuvee Blanc is a blend of still wine that is exclusive to Better Rhodes. The wine is made at the Leitz winery in the Rheingau region in Germany as a Blanc de Blanc style white. Unfortunately there is no varietal information on the label, so it is an educated guess that it’s a blend of primarily chardonnay, with other dry German aromatics like silvaner or riesling.
This non alcoholic wine gets top marks for everything from its label to the nose to the palette. There was nothing about this wine we didn’t like and it is a joy to drink.
Aroma
On the nose, you’ll find fresh notes of lemon and young grapes - it smells like a premium wine should smell.
Taste
The palate is a perfect balance of fresh green apples with a slight hint of citrus and nice minerality which is very welcome in a non alcoholic wine. Notes of gooseberry give it a wonderful zesty zing on your palate. There is an exciting amount of length at the end, which is also a welcome surprise.
Mouthfeel/Experience
Where some non alcoholic whites feel slightly too heavy or too light, the Wander + Found Cuvee Blanc is perfect, with a delightful mouthfeel - almost like a young cremant without the bubbles. You could even say this wine is structured, beyond the usual non alcoholic whites.
The big question…is it sweet or dry? It’s both, in a perfect German-wine way. It has a sweet/dry complexity reminiscent of a great quality riesling. If you’re looking for a non alcoholic white wine that’s ‘dry’ then this is going to be the one for you.
What to pair with Wander + Found Cuvee Blanc
With the similarities to a cool climate chardonnay, this non-alcoholic white would pair so nicely with lemony salmon, creamy risotto or my favourite: a fresh Caesar salad with homemade anchovy dressing.
Overall
Wander + Found Cuvee Blanc is an excellent non-alcoholic white wine to pair with food. I found it really delightful even the second time around, and have reached for it again and again over the years!
