Majestic kindly sent me some samples of non-alcoholic Aperitivo and Spritz drinks to try for Dry January. I tasted them side by side, which allowed me to compare and contrast. Each was served over ice, mixed 50:50 with tonic.
Martini Vibrante Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo
This Italian aperitivo is infused with artemisia, bergamot, chamomile and a mix of other key botanicals. It uses de-alcoholised wine as its base and sits at under 0.5% alcohol by volume. The colour is a bit artificial-looking, like strawberry jelly, which might surprise those expecting a more natural hue. Flavour-wise, it delivers the familiar bittersweet style of vermouth, leaning more bitter than say Martini Bianco. There’s a red fruit character to it and it manages not to be overly sweet. It’s a rather nice non-alcoholic option. If I had to describe it in a single word, I’d choose Refreshing. It’s priced at £10.50 for a 75cl bottle from Majestic.
Pentire Coastal Spritz
This alcohol-free apéritif channels the atmosphere of the Cornish coast. Made by distilling plants native to the local shoreline, it blends botanicals with blood orange, sea rosemary and oakwood. It has a lovely rose gold colour and offers a woody aroma straight away. The flavour is slightly smoky, with the rosemary coming through. There’s a real depth to it. The taste moves in layers, starting off slightly sweet, shifting into bitterness and finishing with a woody character. It’s full of complexity. The one word I’d use to sum it up is Contemplative. At £23 for a 70cl bottle from Majestic, it’s the priciest of the three.
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Alcohol-Free
This one is completely alcohol-free and has a pale citrus orange colour. It’s so light, the colour nearly disappears once mixed with tonic. It promises the full flavour of the original alcoholic version, and certainly delivers on the bittersweet taste of Sevilla oranges, minus the alcohol. The aroma is intense (orange), more pronounced than the others, and the flavour leans heavily into orange and orange blossom, with some botanical complexity in the background. It’s the least bitter of the three and the orangeness could divide opinion. I enjoyed it, but my wife wasn’t a fan, describing the aroma as reminiscent of air freshener. It’s very orange-forward, and you’ll need to like that to truly enjoy it. My word for it: Orange!. It’s £18 for a 70cl bottle from Majestic.
All three have a welcome touch of bitterness and none veer into being overly sweet. My personal favourite is the Pentire, despite its much higher price, because it felt the most layered and wine-like in structure. That is, the flavour journey had a clear beginning, middle and end. Each of these is a great alternative to wine and, in my opinion, better than most non-alcoholic wines currently available.
