IIn the first Corona summer, after a long phone call, the Rheingau winemaker Johannes Leitz sent me some non-alcoholic wines, including sparkling ones, for assessment. He didn’t force it on me, I rather forced it from him, because what he said sounded astonishing. He couldn’t keep up with the production of his alcohol-evaporated wines based on Riesling or Pinot Noir (white, rosé, sparkling wine), he said, with an audible surprise. Since then it has become even more dramatic. Especially in the USA, Great Britain and Iceland they are keen on a vinous taste without alcohol, be it for religious, social or health reasons.
I also found his “one, two, zero” fillings acceptably clear, fresh and vinous. “Zero” is the alcohol-free version of Leitz’s “Eins, Zwei, Dry”, a Rheingau Riesling that is particularly popular in the USA and undoubtedly helped make dry German Riesling more popular in the country, especially with Riesling sweet & cheap Association. And my kids loved the Zero. Last summer they drank a good 100 cans of sparkling Riesling (at 2.50 euros via the winery). They didn’t touch the bottles, however, and neither did the rosé. It was something for girls, they said. But we don’t have any girls, so I was happy for every friend they brought with them. I don’t have any non-alcoholic wines in the house anymore. But finer things: Pet Nat teas from the Basque Country!
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