Alcohol-Free Shiraz
A few months ago I reviewed McGuigan’s alcohol-free Sauvignon Blanc and it did not go down well. Unfortunately, it was DFTS (destined for the sink). So it was, with obvious scepticism that I decided to taste a red wine from the McGuigan vineyard – an alcohol-free Shiraz.
Generally speaking, Shiraz is a big, bold wine, dark ruby-purple in colour with strong fruity tannin flavours (great as an accompaniment to meat dishes). Like the Sauvignon Blanc McGuigan’s wine starts by using the actual grape varieties and then they use spinning cone technology to remove the alcohol and keep as realistic a taste as possible.
So … am I a glutton for punishment or is this an alcohol-free wine to be cherished? Well, you’ll just need the review below to find out.
Is McGuigan’s Shiraz any good?
Taste
A quick answer to the above … nope! It isn’t as bad as the Sauv Blanc but it certainly took an effort to get through half the glass (and the remainder of the bottle I’m afraid was used as a D.U.L). The problem was that it was way too vinegary with an odd sweet aftertaste. I know they try and take care when removing the alcohol but they just decimate the texture, body and flavour of the marvellous shiraz grape.
Aroma & Appearance
McGuigan’s AF Shiraz does to some degree resemble a dark ruby Shiraz when poured into the glass. To be fair to McGuigan it also has a similar aroma and you can pick out some dark fruits, berries and spices.
Bonus points
Well, if you’re after a ‘healthier’ alternative to a full-bloodied Shiraz then I suppose this is an option as it’s just 29 Kcals per 100 ml and suitable for vegans and gluten-free drinkers. This wine is also one of the most readily available alcohol-frree wines thanks to McGuigan’s reputation as a respectable wine producer; you can find this shiraz in supermarkets and on retail sites.
Buy alcohol-free Shiraz
At the time of writing, you can find this wine in most supermarkets including Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s and Asda. You can also purchase this wine from the alcohol-free specialist retailers below …
The Dry Drinker is a great allrounder when it comes to alcohol-free drinks with a great range of wines, beers and spirits.
COST (at time of publication) – £20 x 3 bottles
Key information
– per 100ml
Brewery – McGuigan
Country – Australia
Alcohol content – 0%
Calories – 29
Ingredients –
De-Alcoholised Wine (95%), Grape Juice Concentrate, Preservatives (E220, E224), Thickener (E414)
Vegan friendly? – yes
Gluten-free? – yes
Availability – easy / medium
“Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness.”
-Seneca, AD 50 BC
