WTN: Ariel (J. Lohr) de-alcoholized wines. Why me, god?

N.V. Ariel Non-Alcohol White - USA, California (10/10/2008)
Bizarre sewage nose, no good aromas, taste some grapey freshness but mostly odd chemical tastes. Tried from ice cold to room temperature. They couldn't put a hit of muscat juice to make this taste like something? The worst "wine" I've ever put in my mouth, including badly corked examples. I'd rather drink concentrate Welch's than this. Poor.

N.V. Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon Non-Alcohol - USA, California (9/20/2008)
Produced by J. Lohr, via "cold filtration" (which must mean reverse osmosis, rght?), the Ariel cabernet sauvignon seemed like a better alternative than Sutter Home's "Fre," which had to be labeled "grape beverage with other natural flavors." Unfortunately, it's terrible. Weird chemical/flower aromas, little taste or acid, sweetness out of balance, some tannin, at least. Good quality black tea is a far more satisfying and complex beverage. If reverse osmosis is used to reduce the alcohol in high-end wines, why can't they make a decent de-alcoholized wine? Poor.

I'm on a medication that means I must avoid wine most of the time. Having had good luck with de-alcoholized beers (Erdinger Weissbraeu, Clausthaler Amber, and Becks, I'm looking at you. Lovingly.) Non-alcoholic wine must be a low body version of its high test parent, right? The Navarro gewuertztraminer juice is pretty darn good, if anyone's looking for a winelike beverage. However, my favored solution so far is a spit cup. Gross, especially in a restaurant setting, but I just can't stomach these "wines."

Help, anyone?

Walt

I've been drinking a lot of fresh cider lately, now that it's in season. A few years ago my sister was trying de-alcoholized wines, also for medical reasons, and was equally displeased. She asked me to recommend something, so I did - half unsweetened iced tea and half cran-apple juice (a little tannin, a little tart, a little bit of fruit). She admitted it didn't really taste like wine, but was more enjoyable than the de-alcoholized wines.

Now I really hope I never have to drink de-alcholized anything - for medical or any other reason. In many ways, this is a very valuable 'wine' review. Thank you!

I hope you can get off your meds soon. That's the best solution.

Sorry to hear about the illness. I hope it gets cleared up.

Otherwise, you might have to become a serious tea-geek for your dose of palate complexity.

Help, anyone?

Tokaji Eszencia? My sincerest sympathies, Walt.

Mark Lipton

Tokaji Eszencia?

And with all the well-priced prescription drug plans currently in place, it should be easy to save enough cash to stock up!!