In the words of Taytay, August slipped away like a bottle of (non-alcoholic) wine. I don’t know about you, but I’m not quite ready for pumpkin spice anything right now, so don’t worry, I won’t be jumping in to PSL flavoured mocktails for awhile.

In today’s newsletter:

• A cherry NO-groni for the last of those summer cherries

• Wine review: a sunny new vintage of Tomorrow Cellars Rhone Blanc

Recipe: Cherry NO-groni

If you’ve ever been a fan of a Boulevardier cocktail, you’ll love this satisfying combination of bitter, smoky and sweet in this zero alcohol cocktail. It’s a love song to cherries and the end of fresh summer fruit, and combines my favourite aperitif Novara with my top n/a bourbon Free Spirits Bourbon. Absolutely delish!

GET THE RECIPE

If you would prefer to watch the video on how to make this → CLICK HERE.

**15% OFF NOVARA Aperitif (my preferred option for this recipe) with code SOMEGOODCLEANFUN (Ships to both U.S. and Canada)

And now a word from our sponsor The Zero Proof

Ready for a spa day without the spa? Kava relaxation to the rescue! I’m so excited that The Zero Proof is now offering a variety pack of my favourite canned kava drink called Leilo. I love this option because there’s no mixing, no adding water, easy to chill and serve and it’s low in sugar! Leilo also has the best taste among the canned kava drinks - kava is pungent, but the team at Leilo told me they worked hard to develop the right balance of ingredients to maximize flavour and reduce the herbaceous aftertaste. The Zero Proof mix pack of 12 comes with four lime margarita, four pina colada and four raspberry hibiscus (margarita is my favourite - obviously!). Shop now for your Leilo Variety Pack and get 15% off.

SHOP NOW

Disclaimer: Kava is not a supplement to replace non-medicinal strategies for relaxing, or a full-time replacement for alcohol. There is the ability to develop an addiction if used heavily and daily. Use responsibly as an addition to other anti-stress strategies. 250mg of kavalectones is the daily recommended limit.

Review: Tomorrow Cellars Rhone Blanc

This is the second vintage of the Tomorrow Cellars Rhone Blanc from California, and I am so pleased I got a first taste of this one. I never fully reviewed the first vintage, so needed to do a deep dive on this one!

READ THE REVIEW HERE

That’s all for this week, have a great weekend!

-Sarah Kate

A very short newsletter today, as we head into one of the last weekends of summer!

I had the ultimate mom moment yesterday that I think you’ll all appreciate. My 18yo daughter was at a music festival a few weekends ago, and came home rolling her eyes about how gross it was that the Aperol Spritz brand had literally taken over the event. She and her friends didn’t even know what an Aperol spritz is so I explained how it’s became the unofficial drink of patio season.

Fast-forward to last night when she shared that a friend of hers had gone out for dinner with her mom and ordered her first Aperol spritz…. and the friend said it tasted like medicine. We laughed, and I explained that aperitifs were invented as digestifs, to enjoy either before or after food to help with digestion and are made with herbs and spices and natural ‘medicinal’ ingredients. She then asked me if I could make her a non-alcoholic version so she wasn’t missing out, and I almost fell over from shock. She’s never asked me to make a mocktail for her. My heart was so happy and I was practically floating to my stash of drink supplies, where I dug around and jubilantly pulled out my Lyres Italian Spritz to show her.

Sadly, we didn’t actually end up making mocktails because we had just sat down for dinner, but…..to be continued. In the meantime, today I’m sharing one of my favourite ‘aperol spritz’ versions I created in an homage to peach season.

Best Non-Alcoholic Rosé Wines for 2026

I updated the best non-alcoholic rosé wines list this week. There have been several new wines in this category this year and I’ve taste tested almost all of them, and here are the clear winners in my book. As always, if you disagree, or I missed anything, let me know!

GET THE LIST HERE

Three-ingredient Spicy Peach Aperol Spritz Mocktail

A little bit of labour involved to make spicy peach syrup from peaches (fresh or canned is fine!), but then it’s as easy as 1-2-3 (literally….the basic spritz formula is 1-2-3!). Enjoy this delicious mocktail, perfect for the tail end of summer!

GET THE RECIPE

That’s all for this week, have a great weekend!

-Sarah Kate

I went to a wedding last weekend and it was a very long evening, but I had the chance to reflect on what my night would have looked like many years ago. The wedding was for a son of my husband's coworker so we were surrounded by his peers. I would not have been on my best behaviour and probably would have embarrassed him. I'm pretty sure the evening would have ended in a fight especially with wine readily available at the table all night. This time around, I was lucky. They had pina colada mocktails at the cocktail hour, and then I really enjoyed my sparkling water until it was time for a few cappuccinos. My favourite part of the night though was really getting to know the people at our table, and I left the wedding feeling happy and tired. Of course it would have been better if the venue had had even one adult non-alcoholic option on the bar menu, but once again, never regretting choosing an alcohol-free lifestyle!

In today’s newsletter:

• Reviewing a world-class non-alcoholic rosé from Austria

• Canada Dry: an alcohol-free pinot grigio from Italy

• Another new youtube episode is here!

One item to address: Occasionally I have a sponsor for this newsletter, but that does not mean I’m paid to give positive reviews. I don’t share bad reviews very often, because there’s no point in trashing someone’s hard work in the space, but that doesn’t mean I say good things about bad wines for money. Samples are usually provided to me for free for review, but there are lots of bottles I’ve paid for myself. Many that have gone down the drain!

Zeronimo Non-alcoholic Rose

The makers of the world’s finest non-alcoholic wines have done it again. They’ve built and developed a stunning non-alcoholic rosé from Austrian grapes that rivals all the existing options in the category. A must read and a must drink even if summer is almost over, as this rosé is perfect for both summer heat or cooler temps.

READ THE REVIEW

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by The Zero Proof

I’ve been eyeing the bottle of Proxies Bellini spritz at The Zero Proof lately, so when I got my quarterly wine club delivery, I was excited to pop the cap and give it a try! I loved it. It’s so bubbly, peachy and elevated and is a really good stand-in for the real version! The TZP Quarterly Wine Club comes with four bottles, so along with the Bellini, there’s a bottle of Noughty Rouge, Saint Viviana Sauv Blanc and NEW to the zero proof is the Tomorrow Cellars Sparkling Blanc de Blanc - one of the best non-alcoholic bubblies in the category. It’s a lineup that’s absolutely perfect for a summer weekend and covers all my bases. If you want the quarterly wine club too, you can expect a curated selection like this one of four bottles ($75) or eight bottles ($135) every season.

Some Good Clean Fun readers will receive $20 OFF the eight bottle option with the code SOMEGOODCLEANFUN20. That’s EIGHT bottles a quarter for about $14 each when you average it out. What’s not to love about this deal? Get your Wine Club membership today for delivery before summer weekends are gone!

JOIN THE WINE CLUB HERE

Canada Dry: Studio Italiano Pinot Grigio

For the Canadians in the crowd, this week’s wine review is a completely alcohol-free pinot grigio from Italy. (Subscribe to Canada Dry here)

READ IT HERE

Another NEW YouTube episode has dropped

Like, comment and subscribe, ok? ;)

That’s all for this week, have a great weekend!

-Sarah Kate

It’s been a few weeks since I slipped into your inbox - I hope you’re all having a great summer so far! I needed a break and decided that I wanted to lean into summer vacation this year. Maybe a little too hard…

Kava gummies are a thing

I spent a week at a cottage in early July, and if you know me in real life, you’ll know I have a really hard time sitting still and relaxing. As I was packing up what seemed like our entire house, I remembered a kava brand had sent me some kava gummies to try, so I tossed them into my bag. Those first few slow afternoons I needed some help settling down into the cottage rhythm, and that’s when the gummies came in handy - quick and easy, no ‘making a mocktail’ required (or cleaning up after…). You all know I believe kava can be therapeutic in small doses, and these gummies were the perfect amount to just help me unwind on a deck chair!

La cité

I spent a few days in Montreal and the COOLEST thing happened. My friend and I were strolling along Avenue Duluth looking for lunch, when we accidentally stumbled on a BYOB restaurant that allows patrons to bring both alcoholic and non-alcoholic wine. In fact, the server pointed us across the boulevard to a depanneur (corner store) that sells wine so we could quickly procure our bottles. I had very low expectations of the dep, assuming they might have n/a beer but definitely not wine. We were in luck, however, as they had St. Regis Chardonnay in the fridge. It’s not the finest bottle in the category, but it’s cheap and cheery in a pinch. What an absolute blast to sit on a warm, sunlit patio sipping on a non-alcoholic white wine with our caprese salad. Pinch me!

In today’s newsletter:

• A review of the new Bollé Dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc

• Recipe: My spicy viral watermelon margarita & which zero proof tequila to use

• A new YouTube video: Best non-alcoholic bargain wines

Review: Bolle Dealcoholized Sauvignon Blanc

I got a big shipment from Bolle just before I went on vacation, and I couldn’t wait to dig in and try the new wines. I’m reviewing their sauvignon blanc first, because it’s a fresh white perfect for hot summer nights.

(I think I look like AI in this photo - but it’s really me, I promise! )

Read The Review Here

Sassy and spicy: A watermelon margarita mocktail

There is nothing better on a hot summer evening than a spicy watermelon margarita, and guess what? You can make it with a zero-proof tequila and it tastes exactly the same. You won’t even miss the alcohol, until you wake up without a hangover the next morning.

Which tequila would I use?

The key to this mocktail is using a zero proof tequila that doesn’t burn, because you already have spicy jalapenos to deal with. So I wouldn’t use Ritual or ISH, as they are super spicy. A tequila like Almave will get lost in this cocktail because it’s too light. I would try and use something like Monday Mezcal or Trejos Tequila Alternative because of their super smoky agave flavour profile which is strong enough to stand out in your final drink. If you’re Canadian, the HP Agave would be a perfect option for this!

GET THE RECIPE

How to perfectly cut a watermelon?

If you’ve ever wondered how to aesthetically cut up a watermelon - this is your time to learn! I posted this video way back in 2024 and it accidentally went viral (on Facebook tho..) - check it out on Instagram here. (I guess it was a creative choice to cut off the ending and not show you that you cube up the piece you pull out of the watermelon? sorry guys!)

Check out the latest Some Good Clean Fun youtube video - and please comment if you agree or disagree with my picks!

That’s all for now. Have a great weekend everyone!

-Sarah

I was dropping off something I had borrowed at a neighbours the other day, a woman who respects that I don’t drink but in the same breath defends alcohol and likes to joke about how I’m trying to convert the wicked. On this visit, she said to me “your daughter is going to drink and you’re not going to be able to do anything about it” with a smile and a nudge. Kind of like “relax sister”. It actually hurt more than her teasing me because its just another instance of normalizing teens drinking. I know…you’re probably sick of me talking about this already but as a parent it’s something I struggle with every day. The nonchalance about “teens are going to drink and we can’t stop it so we’re not going to try”. It drives me crazy because now I know how harmful drinking is for the developing brain. I’d love to hear from you about this - how did you handle your teens/kids drinking?

In today’s newsletter:

• Reviewing the new Oceano 2024 Pinot Noir

• My favourite canned options for staying cool this summer

If you missed it last week → here’s my new list of best non-alcoholic white wines for 2026

Best canned mocktails of the summer

I wanted to share some of my favourite canned options for summer, since it’s almost the long weekend and the temperature is finally rising!

1. If you like margaritas: Parch is still my #1 canned margarita because it’s just so juicy and rich in flavour. They don’t taste exactly like a classic lime margarita, but rather use unique and traditional Mexican and dessert ingredients for a twist on non-alcoholic tequila recipes. My favourite flavour is the OG Spiced Pinarita. All flavours available through Amazon.

2. If you’re looking for kava: Leilo cans and pre-mixed powder are the bees knees if you ask me. There are very few canned and portable kava options and this one does a great job of masking the flavour of raw kava with light, mostly low-sugar mocktail flavours. Also available on Amazon in a 12-pack variety case - great value for the cost!

3. If you want to try kanna: Myce kanna seltzers are new to the scene and are really delicious. They use the ancient root kanna, which is a nootropic ingredient that gently boosts your energy and mood while also relaxing you. Where kava immediately reduces your anxiety, kanna is more a social lubricant in a very very gentle way. Myce is a spicy chili lime mango flavour and it’s so delish! Available through The Zero Proof.

4. If you like wine: Giesen 0% Sauvignon Blanc Spritz cans are DELIGHTFUL! They used the much-loved Giesen sauvignon blanc wine as a base and turned it into a canned spritz so you can take your Giesen with you wherever you go. I am obsessed with these and have ordered them twice already! Available through Boisson (15% OFF with code SOMEGOODCLEANFUN) *Also available in-store at Wegmans.

5. If you want a traditional mocktail: Do not sleep on the Lyres Classico G&T. It’s crispy, herbal and citrusy just like a real G&T. Works in the can or in a glass - whatever way you want to enjoy it! Available through Better Rhodes (15% OFF your cart with code SOMEGOODCLEANFUN)

Let me know what hangover-free options you’re trying to cool off this summer!

This newsletter is graciously sponsored by The Zero Proof

To me, this is the most iconic drink of the summer. Never mind hop water (not a fan, unless you’re into beer!) - introducing Negroni Water from Lapo’s, a lightly carbonated Negroni seltzer that brings me back to my days of sipping a full-strength Negroni. The base of this crispy can is the infamous Lapo’s non-alcoholic Aperitivo, and its bold, bittersweet flavor. Crafted with the same all-natural botanicals you love, with a crisp refreshing finish. Perfect for day drinking, aperitivo hour or whenever you need an elevated non-alcoholic cocktail on-the-go!

15% OFF your cart at The Zero Proof including Lapo’s Negroni Water.

SHOP NOW

Review: Oceano Zero 2024 Pinot Noir

I couldn’t wait to open up the new Oceano Pinot Noir because I loved the new chardonnay, and pinot noir is the perfect style of red for summer. Read my thoughts and tasting notes on this California red.

READ THE REVIEW

This is the last newsletter for a few weeks - I’m taking an extended break for the summer and running away to the peace and quiet of Northern Ontario for awhile!

Have a great summer!

-Sarah Kate

In today’s newsletter:

• The big reveal: The best non-alcoholic white wines of 2026

• A few n/a options I dumped this month

• Consumers choice: new research into what you actually want in a non-alcoholic wine from Oddbird’s Dr. Mihaela Mihnea

Drink or Dump:

Misty Cliffs Chardonnay - of all the wines I had this past month, this one was actually not bad so I wanted to share because it’s not on the best white wines list. It’s cheap and cheery - a little too heavy on the pineapple and tropical notes for my liking but the mouthfeel is bang on. It’s low in sugar, and has a bit of an essence of a cheaper standard wine which is at least a step up from essence of grape juice. Better Rhodes, $22.

And some of the non-alcoholic drinks I’ve dumped recently:

Empress 1808 Purple Gin zero-alcohol version is probably one of the worst gins I’ve ever had. In fact, it’s so bad that it doesn’t even taste like a gin. It’s more like a rum, with cardamom and allspice and some definite molasses notes. Maybe I was just off that day, but I would still suggest passing on this bottle. It doesn’t have a bite to it. The purple colour is not worth the price!

Butter Chardonnay & Butter Sauvignon Blanc are absolutely gross. It’s literally like they’ve taken butter extract from the baking section and mixed it with grape juice. I know this brand is known for their buttery California wines, but when you take a mediocre wine and remove the alcohol and add flavourings, this is what you get. Don’t buy it!

What do consumers want from non-alcoholic wine?

I attended a Dry Atlas webinar with the fascinating Dr. Mihaela Mihnea, the head of R&D at Oddbird. Here is my recap on the learnings they’ve uncovered about what consumers like you want from a non-alcoholic wine. This is a lot of industry talk, so skip it if you aren’t a wine nerd like me.

READ IT HERE

Today’s newsletter is sponsored by The Zero Proof

BEAU VIVA isn’t just a pretty face. Born in the South of France, this non-alcoholic bubbly rosé is inspired by the Mediterranean way of living. It tastes like a fresh Provence rosé but is one of the only sparkling rosé wines that is truly 0.0% ABV. Despite it’s zero alcohol content, the flavour isn’t lacking. Beau Viva delivers strawberries and cream with a dry finish and a creamy mousse. The choice for anyone - sober, curious, mindful or pregnant. Cheers! 15% OFF Beau Viva at The Zero Proof with this link

SHOP NOW

The List: Best Non-Alcoholic Whites of 2026

This list was a big undertaking, as I hadn’t actively updated my favourite n/a whites in over a year and so much has changed in the landscape of non-alcoholic wines.

The most interesting thing happening is the gap between real, premium wines and everyone else is becoming more obvious. I’ve tasted some pretty great options over the past year, but only two or three really stand out as chateau level bottles. This has a lot to do with the new Solos technology - an aroma recovery system that really allows the character of the original wine to remain in place. My prediction is we’re going to see more brands using Solos and really creating a conversation about how these better quality wines fit in on hospitality menus.

Non-alcoholic white wines have started to become very homogenous in flavour, so while there are a lot more than 11 wines that taste good, the ones on this list really stand out for me. They’re unique, original and are what I would want to drink if I was choosing a non-alcoholic wine, but still wanted to have the wine experience.

So go ahead and dive into the new list and as always, let me know what you’ve tried and whether you agree with my choices!

GET THE LIST

That’s all for this week! Have a great weekend,

-Sarah Kate

In today’s newsletter:

• Kim Crawford illuminates the dealcoholized wine category - finally!

• Using a new kava spirit for a pina colada mocktail

• The interview: Kim Crawford’s Chief Winemaker Dave Edmonds on the journey to make non-alcoholic wine

The Ultimate Kava Colada Mocktail

Pina colada mocktails are delicious but some would say they are missing the relaxing effect of alcohol. Kava is known for its ability to immediately reduce anxiety and help you to chill out - but keep you clear headed. Enter Kavayn, the new kava-based spirit, and their absolutely mouthwatering Pineapple Coconut flavoured option. I couldn’t resist making a blender drink with this one and it turned out to be an elite level frozen drink that I will be making on repeat this summer!

*Note - kava can be harmful if taken in large quantities regularly so use moderation; do not take kava if you have Parkinson’s.

GET THE RECIPE

15% OFF for Some Good Clean Fun subscribers on the Kavayn shop with code CLEANFUN

Review: Kim Crawford Illuminate Alcohol-Removed Sauvignon Blanc

She’s giving sauvignon blanc and I’m here for it! If you’re missing your KC sauvi b, now is your chance to grab a bottle of the new dealcoholized version. Read my thoughts on this fresh summer white from the wine brand that made New Zealand sauvignon blanc a household name.

Available online through Total Wine (sorry - no promo code available!)

READ THE REVIEW

The Interview: Dave Edmonds, Chief Winemaker for Kim Crawford

I chat with Dave Edmonds, Chief Winemaker at Kim Crawford, about the winery’s perspective on making dealcoholized wine and how it adds to the experience of their infamous New Zealand sauvignon blancs.

Read The Interview

If you missed the Canadian newsletter this week - here’s a link to read at your leisure!

That’s it for this week! Have a great weekend everyone,

-Sarah Kate

In today’s newsletter:

• A very surprising n/a rosé in a can

• Reviewing the new vintage for the Zeronimo Grüner Veltliner

• Oceano has JUST released their new vintage and you’re the first to hear a review of the chardonnay

• An interview with Oceano founder Rachel Martin

Last weekend was the first weekend we could eat outside, which meant I was looking for a rosé dupe I could drink out on the patio. I was sent some cans of non-alcoholic sparkling rosé from an Oregon-based winery called Underwood so I decided to pop the tab on one of those. I had really low expectations because it’s canned wine, but I was truly blown away by how “winey” they are. I had to double and triple check it was actually 0.5% ABV and not just a “low alcohol rosé”. The smell was bang on and it had that very specific taste of a liquid with alcohol in it which is very unique and hard to nail. I don’t know how else to explain it, but I’m HOOKED on these. I believe they’re available at Whole Foods nationwide and/or you can find a store that carries them near you on the Underwood website “Wine Finder”.

Review: An updated Zeronimo Grüner Veltliner

There’s an updated review for the Zeronimo Grüner Veltliner - the original vintage was a very nice, light white but the 2024 vintage released this past fall is incredible and worth investing in a bottle.

READ IT HERE

*Available now through Better Rhodes - 15% off your cart with code SOMEGOODCLEANFUN

Review: The new Oceano Zero 2024 Chardonnay

The brand new Oceano Zero Chardonnay is here and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it because they are one of the first n/a wine brands to use the new Solos technology in the U.S..

READ IT HERE

The Interview: Rachel Martin, founder of Oceano Zero

Ladies and gentleman, the iconic Rachel Martin on leadership in the n/a space, the potential for non-alcoholic wines and how she turned a pandemic problem into an award-winning brand.

READ THE INTERVIEW

That’s all for today! Have a great weekend,

-Sarah Kate

Something really important came up this past week in regards to functional ingredients and adaptogens, so I want to share just a quick note about it.

My teenage daughter has always had a ‘yucky tummy’ from anxiety and such over the years, but over the past few weeks she’s been really sick - unable to eat for days and experiencing extreme nausea. A blood test identified some thyroid related issues. She’s a senior in highschool and has been under extreme stress, so as a believer in holistic and natural medicines, I’ve been feeding her low-dose ashwaghanda gummies since February. We both thought it was helping her better manage stress. Unfortunately, after the blood test results, I put two and two together, did some research and discovered ashwaghanda can often trigger dormant thyroid-issues and/or affect thyroid function.

The reason I bring this up is because adaptogen and functional drinks are all the rage right now, and almost all of them have ashwaghanda in them. This is a good lesson though that herbal ingredients are not as harmless as we think. Most mocktails with adaptogens only use an ineffective microdose but if taken frequently it could have a cumulative affect you may not be able to foresee.

So, ‘stay safe’ might be an appropriate sign off for today! :)

If you missed last week’s newsletter, I sent out the best non-alcoholic options under $25 for both the U.S. and Canada (apparently, we’re officially in a recession now?).

An elite strawberry limoncello mocktail

It’s strawberry season and two years ago almost to the day, I made one of my best, most tastiest aesthetic mocktails I’ve ever made. It’s a Strawberry LimonZERO Spritz Mocktail and it combines fresh pureed strawberries with Pallini Limonzero and non-alcoholic sparkling wine for an absolutely delicious chilled alcohol-free drink. You can watch the Instagram video here for simple instructions or visit the recipe page for more details (including how to get the perfect pureé for your drinks).

GET THE RECIPE

Wine Review: Blast from the past

I decided to revisit some oldies but goodies, since The Zero Proof’s new quarterly wine club box just arrived on my doorstop (woohoo!) with four bottles of non-alcoholic wine (plus a cute little bonus gift!). There are two wines in it that I love and two sparkling rosés for Rosé May.

The first is Lautus Chardonnay, which has been a classic go-to in my rotation for awhile. Just like their award-winning Savvy Red Blend, the wine is produced and dealcoholized in South Africa with a spinning cone and it’s a good quality wine for the price. When I wrote the original review in 2023 I didn’t have a lot of great options to compare it to but even now in 2026 it still holds up to scrutiny.

Read my full review here!

Oddbird GSM is another great oldie but goodie and a fantastic option for a summer red. Although I like the Oddbird Addiction better, the GSM is really really popular and I’m sure many of you have already tried it. It’s juicy and full-bodied and tastes like a real grenache syrah mouvedre blend from the south of France.

Read the full review here!

And of course, since it’s Rosé May, there are two non-alcoholic sparkling rosés to try in the TZP box.

But… I don’t want to give away the entire experience for you - you’ll have to order The Zero Proof’s quarterly wine club box and be surprised yourself!

Check out all the details here - 15% off for Some Good Clean Fun readers as always!

MORE DETAILS HERE

That’s all for this week - have a great weekend!

-Sarah Kate

Everyone in my neighbourhood is getting a pool suddenly (which is strange because I live in a very urban neighbourhood full of tiny yards and tiny homes). My husband is certain it’s because you can’t bring alcohol to the public pool and everyone wants to drink poolside - well, he doesn’t realize the lengths that myself and my other wine mom friends would go to, to sneak our wine into the public pools we brought our kids to on a regular basis (eek). I cringe so much when I think about my behaviour and what could have happened on my watch, but thankfully didn’t. I think I dodged a bullet by not having my own pool to be honest. Anyone else or just me?

Speaking of summer patio fun, in today’s newsletter:

• A new crispy cool Chardonnay for summer from Bolle

• Best non-alcoholic wines under $25

Thank you to The Zero Proof for sponsoring today’s newsletter - all opinions are my own!

Wine Review: Bolle Chardonnay

It’s crisp and it’s giving summer patio! I’m reviewing Bolle’s new still chardonnay today. Read on to see whether this dealcoholized white will be on my new summer favourites list!

READ THE REVIEW

But first, a word from our sponsor The Zero Proof

I think Saint Viviana Sauvignon Blanc is by far one of the best non-alcoholic white wines of our time. It’s crisp, it’s full of grassy, lemony flavour and it’s also low in sugar. If you’re a fan of sunny sauvi b’s and you’re trying a dry night on the patio, you will absolutely love this option - which is also only $23 per bottle! Shop now for 15% OFF Saint Viviana Sauvignon Blanc at The Zero Proof.

SHOP NOW

Bargain Bin: The Best N/A Wines Under $25

I think we can all agree that budgets are tight right now, and when grocery prices and gas prices are going up, mindful drinking options are not a priority. But…you don’t have to give up your non-alcoholic wines just yet. Here are twelve options that are under $25 but have a premium taste. (Note: a Canadian list will be available next week via our Canadian newsletter but many of today’s options are also available in Canada for similar price point)

GET THE LIST

That’s all for this week, have a great weekend everyone!

-Sarah Kate

My daughter is heading to prom next Friday and we’ve had a lot of conversations about how strict the schools are these days about bringing in alcohol. Gone are the days when you could just slip a mickey in your handbag (#genx).

The biggest issue for me is the after-party, and the parental consent around the frat house keg party. A friend of mine has even offered to drive her kid and kid’s friends to drop them off. The full acceptance of alcohol in our teens lives seems to be almost status quo now and to me this feels like society is going in the opposite direction. I know they’ll all be going off to college in the fall, and making their own choices then, but it’s sad we’re not fighting harder to help them make the right choices now. I’d love to hear from you if you’re going through the same thing.

In today’s newsletter:

• The n/a sparkling wine stores can’t keep in stock: reviewing St Buena Vida sparkling chardonnay

• Leftover sparkling wine? Try this vermouth spritz!

*If you missed the new Canada-specific newsletter, click here for this week’s issue.

Review: St Beuna Vida Non Alcoholic Sparkling Chardonnay

This fun non-alcoholic bubbly is a great find even though it’s on the pricey side. Read my review of St Buena Vida Non Alcoholic Sparkling Chardonnay.

READ IT HERE

Recipe: Savoury Vermouth Spritz Mocktail

Life might be like a Greek tragedy at the moment, but this non-alcoholic cocktail with a Greek n/a vermouth is not. This was one of my first mocktail ‘faves’ when I gave up alcohol because it’s so easy and tastes a little bit like Greek wine. It’s a great patio drink for those long summer evenings under the stars.

GET THE RECIPE

That’s all for this week! Have a great weekend everyone,

-Sarah Kate

Yesterday, I sliced two of my fingers open while putting the finishing touches on my photo for the El ChipiNo mocktail recipe below. Despite bleeding all over my new studio, I persevered and got the shot. Life lesson - don’t ever try and open a bottle of hot sauce with a paring knife pointed downward.

What’s on tap:

• Can’t decide between a mockarita or an aperol spritz? Now you don’t have to! Two new mocktails for May are here - one for beginners and one advanced mocktail so pick your own adventure

• It’s Aperol spritz time so here is your definitive zero proof aperol list

• More disappointment: Another rosé wine I dumped

And some other news - I just launched my first long-form video on YouTube and I’m pretty excited about it!

You can watch it here at Some Good Clean Fun on YouTube.

Tequila and Aperol sitting in a tree..M-I-X-X-I-N-G

No-one is really reinventing the wheel when it comes to mocktails. You can look up any cocktail recipe and alter it for a mocktail - or in most scenarios, some food blogger has realized mocktails are trendy and has already done it for you. What I love to share though are the drink recipes that work really well with zero-proof spirits and the actual n/a products that make it work. So here are two really delicious mocktail recipes for you to experiment with this May.

The 212 No-Yorker

The 212 is a classic cocktail named after the Manhattan area code. And also because the ratio is 2:1:2 for the ingredients. It’s a tequila and aperol mashup that you will love if you like Palomas - with a small tweak to make this a really lit non-alcoholic cocktail.

GET THE RECIPE

El ChipiNO - a fiery aperol marg mashup

You will love this if you like both spicy margaritas and bitter cocktails. The El Chipilo is a perfect storm of mezcal, aperol and angostura bitters. I’ve tweaked it to be just right for a mocktails including our beloved All The Bitters Aromatic Bitters.

GET THE RECIPE

Best Non-Alcoholic Aperols List

It’s Aperol spritz time and this is one of those classic cocktails that’s really great as a mocktail because of the depth of flavour, especially if you use high-end non-alcoholic sparkling wine like Society de la Rassi or Zeronimo Sparkling Select. Check out this list of the best non-alcoholic aperol and aperitif options for all your spring and summer patio drinks!

GET THE LIST

Dumped: Nozeco is no bueno

Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the original Nozeco non-alcoholic sparkling wine, it is actually a fan favourite in the UK and Canada and a lot of people say they like it. I didn’t like it because I don’t like elderflower but it does add nice aromatics to the formulation and I can see the appeal.

That’s the reason I was expecting something at least half decent when I opened the Nozeco still rosé but it was night and day. This was the worst offender of rosé wines I’ve ever tasted.

The aroma is peach and white flowers, which carries through to the palate. It actually tastes like peach juice - a fun and fresh peach juice I would serve to children. It does not taste like wine.

I do not recommend this bottle. Let me know what YOU think! Comment below or instead - head to Better Rhodes and get a bottle of Wander+ Found Rosé or Giesen Rosé. Both are much better options if you’re looking for a rosé.

Cheers!

Correction: last week I indicated that you can get the Lapos spritz cans at Trader Joes, but that is incorrect. Lapos’s new lineup is now available in-store at Target nationwide!

No newsletter next week while I catch up on administration, and so I can get my taxes done! Yuk!

Have a great weekend,

-Sarah Kate

My good friend Sarah, aka the Sober Sherap and founder of Sober Adventure Collective, just celebrated her sixth soberversary and aside from wishing her a big congratulations, I wanted to share something she and I recently talked about.

Sarah and I have totally different stories about our relationship with alcohol - hers is not mine to tell, but we have both survived half a decade of healing and learning to live without the world’s favourite vice. I’m five and half years into my new life, so we’re at about the same stage in this new chapter. Independently we’ve both come to the realization that being alcohol-free isn’t something we have to think about anymore - it's just a way of life. At the beginning, it’s a lot of work to figure out how to navigate life without drinks at every corner. But now I almost never dwell on alcohol or even think about not drinking, other than when I’m working on your content.

So my message today is that it’s not forever - the discomfort at not being able to grab a drink whenever you want one goes away and becomes an afterthought.

But if you’re really really itching for a glass of wine, that’s where I come in recommending a glass of something non-alcoholic. Or a margarita mocktail from our Cinco de Mayo collection?

On that note, in today’s newsletter:

• Cinco de mayo is almost here, so I blind-tested 13 non-alcoholic tequilas and ranked them for you from best to the ones I dumped

• A review of Bolle Sparkling Rose, the #1 rose on my best n/a rose list

• For my Canadian friends, a new list of the best non-alcoholic gins in Canada

Best Zero Proof Tequilas for your Cinco de Mayo Mocktails

Let’s shake up some margaritas on May 5, hangovers not included. Here is my new list of best non-alcoholic tequilas ranked from best to less good - with several of the ones to avoid included! **Note for Canadians - I’ve indicated on the list which ones are available in Canada via Upside Drinks.

GET THE LIST

Need a recipe to get started? Here’s a collection of my favourite Cinco de Mayo mocktails!

But first, a word from our sponsor The Zero Proof

This might be a sponsored part of the newsletter, but I have to say, once again The Zero Proof has knocked it out of the park with new n/a products and they don’t have to pay me to say that. I just received a box of the new canned Lapo’s spritz mocktails - four new styles - and they are absolutely delicious. There’s a Limoncello Spritz, an Amaro Cola, a Mandarino G&T and a Negroni Water. They also have a new Amaro zero proof spirit available only at Whole Foods at the moment. The Amaro Cola is my favourite of the new styles. Bitter and sweet with sarsaparilla and gentian blended together for a very elevated adult n/a bev. All Lapo’s spritzes available now at Target and Whole Foods or online via The Zero Proof website (15% discount with this affiliate link).

EXPLORE LAPO'S

Wine Review: Bolle Sparkling Rose

The Bolle Sparkling Rosé is a classic non-alcoholic sparkling rose that was awarded 93 points from Wine Enthusiast - one of the highest ever awarded an n/a wine by a traditional wine professional. Let’s break down why this bubbly is sweeping the category.

READ IT HERE

🇨🇦 NEW Newsletter just for Canadian Content

I hear you loud and clear - there’s a difference in availability of n/a products north of 60. If you’d like to receive our new bi-weekly newsletter focused on what’s new in Canadian-only options, please click this button to subscribe.

SUBSCRIBE HERE

Best Non-Alcoholic Gins in Canada

It’s almost outdoor patio season across Canada, and nothing hits like a crisp gin & tonic after gardening all afternoon. Non-alcoholic versions of this classic cocktail are great as long as the zero proof gin is strong. Here’s our list of the best options available for you right now in 2026!

GET THE LIST

That’s all for this week! Enjoy your weekend,

-Sarah Kate

I was at a ladies night dinner last Friday night and of course, I brought my own bottle of non-alcoholic wine so I could feel included (Tomorrow Cellars 2024 red blend if you must know!). I endured some secretive eye rolling behind my back when I asked for a wine glass too, but other than that no-one seemed to give my drinks another thought. I was seated next to a French woman who was eventually intrigued by my choice of wine and asked for a sample. You can probably imagine what her reaction was - she loved the smell, but thought it tasted like “fruity juice”. I wasn’t surprised or offended because if you’ve been drinking regular wine for several hours, your tongue is numb and your brain doesn’t like the ‘missing’ alcohol. So, I know it doesn’t actually taste like fruit juice, but if you need a reminder about tastebuds and alcohol, I’ll direct you once again to one of my old articles ‘The Paradox of Taste & Alcohol’.

Also… great news!!

ZERONIMO is back in the U.S. The full line is now available at Better Rhodes so now you can use the SGCF 15% discount for some savings on these precious bottles that have been out of stock for so long. The Leonis Blend is the best of course, but the Zweigelt (red) and Sparkling Select are priced much lower and practically as good as the Leonis. The Sparkling is actually #1 on my sparkling wines list. Use code SOMEGOODCLEANFUN when shopping at Better Rhodes to apply the discount.

Weekly Wine Review: Kolonne Null Review

Rieslings are notoriously great for dealcoholizing but they’re also few and far between for fans of the varietal. Read my review of this classic German riesling from Kolonne Null who uses a surprisingly easy strategy to craft great dealcoholized wines.

READ IT HERE

Rhubarb Margarita Mocktail

It’s spring, and guess what I’ve been waiting all year for? Rhubarb! Many years ago I created the perfect rhubarb mockarita and I still use this recipe every spring. If you’re a fan of sweet and tart drinks, without alcohol, you’ll love this one!

GET THE RECIPE

That’s all for this week, have a great weekend everyone!

-Sarah Kate

• NEW Best Sparkling Rosé Roundup

• How to store and consume your n/a drinks

But first, a quick story to share with you today.

I haven’t had Leitz Zero Point Five Pinot Noir in a really long time. When I first tasted it in 2022 I thought it tasted like sundried raisins and was not a fan, despite everyone around me saying they loved it. I recently hosted Passover and my mother-in-law forgot the kosher wine and the sparkling grape juice (for the kids). Leitz pinot noir was the one bottle I had handy that I thought might be palatable for my teens in lieu of grape juice, so we subbed that in for our seder (of course I had Zeronimo on hand, but wasn’t wasting a $60 bottle on people who wouldn’t appreciate it).

Surprise…My kids actually almost spit the Leitz out because it ‘tastes too much like wine’ and my husband AND brother-in-law shared they thought it was pretty nice and tasted like a good red wine. My brother-in-law even asked for a second glass! In full transparency, I also enjoyed it and was surprised at the improvement.

The lesson here is that wine is an agricultural product so each vintage will taste different even when it’s a non-alcoholic wine. Additionally, wine producers work on improving their products as the years go by, so things do get better. I say try, and try again, to find things you like! You might be surprised.

One last thing:

LAST CHANCE: PLEASE VOTE FOR SOME GOOD CLEAN FUN TO WIN A SANS BAR ACADEMY AWARD!

(Winners are selected by your votes, so I would be so grateful for your support! Voting closes April 11)

Best Sparkling Rosés for Spring Entertaining

I know - Easter is already done and gone but let’s look ahead to Mother’s Day and all the bridal showers on the horizon. Here is the new guide to the best non-alcoholic sparkling rosé wines for 2026! *Note for Canadian readers: some of these products ARE available in Canada, but I will be creating a Canada-specific list next week as there are some gems not available in the U.S., so please stay tuned!

READ IT HERE

The Spring Edit
Sponsored by The Zero Proof

Breezy picnics, open window moments and al fresco dining are right around the corner (even though I'm freezing in my new unheated office!). Here's a curated selection of spring sips for any occasion! 15% OFF your order (no code needed).

SHOP NOW

How to properly store and consume non-alcoholic drinks

I was recently at a sober friends house for dinner and margarita mocktails when she pulled out several dusty bottles of n/a spirits she had bought almost two years ago. We were talking about how long the n/a tequila would last after opened, and she was surprised to find out there’s a shelf life on this stuff. So, if you’ve always wanted to know ‘How long will this bottle last?’ or ‘can my n/a wine stay out on the counter?’, this guide is for you!

READ IT HERE

That’s all for this week! Thanks as always for reading and supporting Some Good Clean Fun!

-Sarah Kate

I was chatting with a friend of mine earlier today (hi, Lindsay!) and she was sharing a conversation she had with a younger client she is sober coaching. This woman was worried about having 20 people over for Easter and potentially just hiding her bottle of Nozeco out of the way of the mimosa bar. My friend suggested that instead, she can take this as an opportunity to be an elevated hostess and put out both alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines (after all, 1 in 4 people globally are reducing their alcohol). I concur - inclusive hospitality is when alcohol and alcohol-free have equal billing. It will make you a better hostess. So if this is something you’re worried about, I got you! Here is our list of best non-alcoholic sparkling wines for your Easter mimosa bar.

In today’s newsletter:

• Richard O’Brien, GM of Giesen, shares the secret of their success

• TZP has a new functional bundle and I can’t wait to try it

• Launch of Tomorrow Cellars 2024 Red Blend

**Sorry to anyone waiting for the Bolle sparkling rosé review - I promise, it’s coming soon!

The Interview: Giesen spills the secrets behind their 0% success formula

Giesen has taken the world by storm with it’s 0% alcohol wines from New Zealand. Their 0% Sauvignon Blanc is probably one of the best still whites without alcohol to pair with your Easter ham and fixings. I got the once in a lifetime chance to talk to Giesen GM Richard O’Brien, who spoke with me about how they carved a path for their wines before most of us even knew dealcoholization was a word.

READ IT HERE

Kanna is the new kava is the new alcohol…

I’m so excited because I just ordered the new Calm + Balanced functional bundle from The Zero Proof - my nerves are frazzled from everything going on in the world right now. The bundle not only refills all my empties but includes a new functional drink called Myce using something called kanna. Kanna is similar to kava - an ancient plant used for thousands of years for spiritual, healing and social purposes. I’ve been wanting to try it for months, plus I was out of Aplos and Dromme, two functional bottles I always have on hand. So, if you’re an interpid explorer of the functional drinks realm, and needing some relaxation, look no further than this amazing bundle. Plus - I want to hear from you if you’re trying kanna, and we can compare notes!

15% OFF Your Calm & Balanced bundle with this link - no promo code needed!

SHOP NOW

It’s BAAAACCCKKK!!!

The reason February and March have been so dismal is because Tomorrow Cellars 2023 Red Blend was out of stock. 😫 But, just in case you missed it, this past Wednesday Tomorrow Cellars released the new 2024 vintage and it’s really delish!!! SGCF readers got a sneak peak before anyone else.

READ THE REVIEW HERE

You can also head over to Tomorrow Cellars and ADD TO CART. You know the drill: 15% OFF with code GOODCLEAN15 (applied to your whole order including red blend, sparkling blanc du rhone or the still blanc).

That’s all for now! Have a great weekend everyone!

-Sarah Kate

One of my absolute favourite non-alcoholic red wines has been out of stock since early February, but great news. Tomorrow Cellars is back with a new vintage of their popular Red Blend and you dear reader, are the FIRST to hear about it.

When Tomorrow Cellars winery first launched their non-alcoholic 2023 Red Blend in the summer of 2025, it was a dynamite addition to the non-alcoholic red wines category and immediately made my list of best non-alcoholic red wines. Made with petite sirah in California, the red blend was full of dusty tannins and structure for days.

The former Red Blend was iconic because it was crafted in partnership with Ian James Blessing, the founder of All The Bitters. Adding bitters to non-alcoholic wine has been a long-time ‘hack’ for lovers of alcohol-free wine to add mouthfeel and complexity. Tomorrow Cellars brought this idea in-house to create a delicious red wine that hit all the right notes for me.

Since it sold out in January, we’ve all been waiting patiently for the new vintage and it’s finally here!

The 2024 Red Blend is a bit of a departure from the original wine, as the winery (still in partnership with Ian Blessing) has developed a deeper more nuanced liquid with noticeably more botanicals. And just a reminder that wine is an agricultural product that isn’t made in a tank, so the grapes are gonna taste how the grapes are gonna taste from one year to the next.

Aroma

This non-alcoholic red wine legitimately smells like real wine. On the nose there are big juicy notes of dark cherry, leather and spice just like a complex red wine.

Taste

Where the previous wine was drier and more tannic, this new blend is soft and supple and smooth with a hint of bright acidity. It’s a lot more juicy with prominent tart cherry notes, cassis and some softer dusty tannins. It’s not as dry as the first vintage, but its well-balanced with the fruit. If you like Luminara’s Napa blend, you will definitely love this bottle. I think it’s a better version of the Luminara, with slightly more structure, and a soft, dry finish. You could almost compare it to a merlot with it’s soft juicy flavours.

Mouthfeel & Texture

Petite sirah notoriously has a lot of body, but when you dealcoholize red wine this is the first thing to go. The 2023 Red Blend was a little on the thin side (which did not bother me at all!) but with the new blend they’ve tried to add a little bit more heft with the addition of slightly more of the botanical extracts, now at 2% of the overall volume. It’s still on the thinner side, but arguably, a nicer smoother experience than the first vintage.

Overall

As a wine person, I was hoping for more complexity (maybe some pepper or smoke to round out the juicy cherry) but I think this is a very consumer friendly bottle that everyone across the wine drinking spectrum will love.

Tracy Sweeney, co-founder of Tomorrow Cellars, says that they contemplated adding some pepper to the extract but it didn’t feel quite right.

“We took what nature gave us. 2024 was a hotter growing year so the wine is riper and the tannins a bit softer,” she explained.

One of the biggest complaints about European style non-alcoholic wine is that it’s too sour or too thin - with Tomorrow Cellars 2024 Red Blend, they’ve crafted a European Merlot-style wine that drinks like it’s from California. Just delicious!

Score: 95 points

WHERE TO BUY TOMORROW CELLARS

15% OFF Tomorrow Cellars 2024 Red Blend with code GOODCLEAN15 at TomorrowCellars.com

SHOP NOW

Today is the first official day of Spring but over here we already had fake spring and are into winter number two. But…I still had rosé on my mind because we’re heading into Easter and Mother’s Day and need some fun pink bubbles to celebrate with. I got you covered! Two new bubblies reviewed today, and one is YUM and the other is ho-hum.

A little bit of a different newsletter today - it’s March Break for us, and I decided to take some time off to spend with my kids so the reviews are right here in the newsletter, no need to click away. Enjoy and happy sipping!

It’s time for some bubbly rosé

Traditionally made sparkling rosé starts as a base wine, then goes through a second fermentation to create bubbles, most famously in the bottle as in Champagne-style production.

With dealcoholized sparkling rosé, the process is a bit different. A finished rosé wine is made first then the alcohol is removed. The challenge is always preserving aroma and structure after the alcohol is stripped out, so producers will adjust acidity and sweetness. The liquid is then carbonated to introduce the bubbles, which also enhances flavour and aroma.

Missing Thorn Sparkling Rose

As you know, I loved the Missing Thorn red blend and was really looking forward to trying the new sparkling rosé vintage. Missing Thorn is produced in California by winemakers Aaron Pott and Stephanie Honig who utilize native varietals to develop wines without alcohol that both reflect the region and dealcoholize well.

This is their newest sparkling rosé vintage using California-grown Zinfandel which is a perfect varietal to use for both a rosé and a dealcoholized wine.

Aroma

On the nose, just a slight hint of strawberry jam and grapefruit.

Taste

This bottle was extremely chilled when I first opened it and I initially didn’t think there was much more than notes of blackberry and stone fruit and some acidity. But then, when the wine started to open up and warm up just slightly all of sudden, zing! A nice vein of minerality and a hint of salinity appeared and YUM! Balanced really nicely with the fruit and medium acidity.

Mouthfeel & Experience

The bubbles are well-formed and crisp, but the mousse didn’t stick around for long - it did start to round out a little, but that didn’t detract from the experience.

Overall

If you are patient and let this wine breath, you will be rewarded with a great non-alcoholic bubbly that really reflects the winemakers passion for terroir and nuance. It’s a very nicely made, well-rounded sparkling rosé that will be a crowd-pleaser and will pair well with brunch or lunch fare.

Score: 95 points

Where to buy Missing Thorn: Most retailers have the old sparkling rosé still in stock, but the Missing Thorn website has the new version - make sure you are buying the sparkling zinfandel.

Kolonne Null Sparkling Rosé

If you caught last week’s newsletter, you’ll have read that I did not like the Kolonne Null red wine. So I had high hopes for the sparkling rosé because the sparkling category is always a little easier to get right. I STILL have not had a chance to try their riesling and apparently that is their best one.

Regardless, here are my thoughts on the Kolonne Null sparkling rosé. This sparkling rosé is crafted from European grown syrah and grenache, and can boast that it is certified vegan, gluten free and organic. For the sugar-curious, there is 4.5g/150ml (5oz) serving - slightly on the higher side.

Aroma

Fruity with a hint of a funk - interesting!

Taste

It’s lightly sweet with a hint of aromatics, strawberry, brioche and plums with medium-minus acidity. I really liked that there was no ‘citrus’ in the profile which is nice because the acidity is coming through from the tart fruit instead. It has a really well balanced juiciness but no complexity at all. I’m not a winemaker, but it’s pretty common knowledge when you at have added sugar in dealcoholized wine, it’s always going to homogenize the natural flavours.

The biggest turn-off was the chemical taste. It’s just a tiny hint of something artificial but it ruined it for me.

Mouthfeel & experience

There is a very fine mousse that sticks around for most of the glass instead of dissipating as it warmed.

Overall

This is more of a European style sparkling rosé than Missing Thorn. I wished for more complexity and deeper aromatics, and as mentioned, was really disappointed with the hint of something artificial in both the taste and smell.

Score: 89 points

That’s it for today! Have a great weekend everyone,

-Sarah Kate

Happy Friday party people! It’s almost spring and I couldn’t be more excited to crack into some spring drinks like sparkling rosés and aperol spritz-style cocktails. But first…we must pay tribute to the patron saint of Ireland next Tuesday with some non-alcoholic options that will make you dance a little jig!

In today’s newsletter:

• Wine Review: Buyer beware - Three major fails this week

• Beer Review: New St. Pat’s brews from Athletic Brewing

• Shimmering Shamrock Easy St. Pat’s Recipe

• My St. Patrick’s Day Story

Emerald Cliffs: A new nitro stout for Leprechaun Day

I’m so excited to share another beer feature from guest contributor Laura Silverman, founder & CEO of Zero Proof Nation. Laura wrote our stouts roundup a few weeks ago, but has another instalment of St. Patrick’s Day beers for you, featuring Athletic Brewing’s two latest special releases.

READ IT HERE

Not a beer fan?

If you’re not so into beer for St. Patrick’s Day - how about some interesting hop-adjacent options? The Zero Proof has a great collection of alternative drinks that aren’t trying to mimic beer, wine or spirits. Two ready-to-drink options that stand out for me that are good for March 17 or any time of year are HOPWTR and Brause Craft Malt Soda. If you haven’t tried HOPWTR, you’re missing out. It’s an adaptogen-infused sparkling water made with hops - kind of like diet beer, but better. And Brause is a malt soda from Germany. Malt soda is unfermented barley malt and hops - beer flavour without the alcohol. Brause makes two flavours (Apple & Date) and are a decadent treat better than a dark stout!

Shop for both of these options at my The Zero Proof portal - 15% OFF your order!

SHOP NOW

Shimmering Shamrock Recipe

Here’s an easy and fun mocktail if you’re one of us (*wink*) and toasting to the life and death of our good Saint Patrick.

GET THE RECIPE

Buyer Beware: Three bottles to avoid

I’ve been popping bottles all week, working on some new wine reviews for spring and thought it would be a good idea to share a few I opened that ended up being major fails.

1. Wild Idol Sparkling Rosé

This is the absolute worst non-alcoholic sparkling rosé I’ve tasted in a long time. I was fooled by the branding. I couldn’t believe in 2026 that this product is even selling on a premium non-alcoholic retailer site. I looked at the label and dealcoholized wine is not even an ingredient. Water, grape juice, carbon dioxide and stabilizers are the main ingredients. So, lesson learned that even the nicest branding can often throw you off the scent of a terrible option. Don’t be fooled by marketing.

2. Kolonne Null Red

While I don’t want to say this non-alcoholic red is truly terrible, it’s still not a great wine. When a red wine smells like sun-dried raisins or cooked grapes, it never bodes well for the taste. This is a super dry red, but the palate just doesn’t have the complexity most people are going to be looking for in a dealcoholized wine - especially a red. It’s mainly one note (stewed fruit is the only way to describe it) with no secondary or tertiary layers. I didn’t enjoy the taste and even the dry dusty tannins didn’t redeem the experience. Overall, another disappointing red that I had high expectations of. However, I’ve heard that Kolonne Null does really nice white varietals so will be tackling those reviews in the coming weeks.

3. Worst Offender: Riunite Zero Red Semi-Sparkling

This was perhaps the worst non-alcoholic red wine I have ever had. Even worse than the options the grocery store used to hawk in 2019. It’s supposed to be a zero-alcohol lambrusco, which is traditionally a sparkling red wine that is absolutely delightful when done right (a real hidden gem in the wine world). Riunite, the parent wine, is a basic American-style sweet lambrusco which was popular in the 1970s. I didn’t think it could get worse but remove the alcohol and you have nothing but sticky juice with carbonation. If you see this in your Total Wine, pass right on by. It’s not even worth the tenner.

—> All of the recent Some Good Clean Fun wine reviews (April 2025-current) are slowly being moved back to the website, where they used to live pre-Substack. You can find them all here!

Next week: a review of the new Bolle Sparkling Rosé!

Growing Up Irish: Rethinking St Patrick’s Day Rituals

Six years alcohol-free and I can’t pretend St. Pat’s isn’t tempting. But growing up in a half-Irish household, March 17 was more than what was in our glass.

MY STORY HERE

That’s all for this week! Have a great weekend everyone,

-Sarah Kate

In today’s newsletter:

• a review of Proxies Big Red (wine reviews now free again for all subscribers)

• perfecting the alcohol-free Guinness Espresso Martini mocktail

• revisiting the best whiskey dupes

Don’t forget to VOTE for Some Good Clean Fun for the Sans Bar Academy Awards. We are nominated in two categories a) Best Media Coverage and b) Culture Ambassador. It’s a long-time dream of mine to be able to attend this awards ceremony and it would be even more epic to win an award. I’m grateful for your support!

Today’s newsletter is graciously sponsored by The Zero Proof

Review: Proxies Big Red

According to founder Charlie Friedman, this bottle from Proxies has a ‘cult following’ and now I kind of understand why. Read my review and tasting notes for this bodacious take on red wine…and completely alcohol-free!

Read It Here

A wine club that’s worth it

True story: I would never have tried Proxies Big Red if it wasn’t for the TZP Wine Club membership. But thankfully, it was included in my most recent quarterly delivery, and surprise surprise, I actually did discover something new. This could be you! The Zero Proof launched the TZP Wine Club membership in 2025 so they could offer a curated, quarterly box of either four or eight wines to people who want to try something new and not have to think about it. With a mix of exclusive releases, and smaller batch selections alongside bestsellers, each box is different. My recent deliver not only had two bottles of Proxies Big Red, but two bottles each of Oddbird Sparkling Rose, Les Marées sparkling blanc de blanc (review here) and Kolonne Null Riesling (review for that coming up next week). A great selection for any occasion and a quantity to keep my wine-rack stocked!

JUST FOR YOU: Some Good Clean Fun readers get $20 OFF an 8-pack mixed or red TZP Wine Club membership with code SOMEGOODCLEANFUN20.

SHOP NOW AT TZP

Guinness 0 Espresso Martini

If you’re in the mood for something kind of Irish and missing your espresso martinis, this recipe will have you regretting not trying this sooner. The creamy texture, the bitter stout plus the heat of whiskey married with real espresso is a pretty good dupe for the experience of having a real cocktail. Sure, it doesn’t burn going down, but if that’s your thing - just make this with real alcohol.

GET THE RECIPE

Are you making this recipe ⬆️ and asking WHICH WHISKEY??

Whiskey is really hard to make zero proof, almost as hard as red wine. The ethereal quality of peat and smoke and alcohol that dances over your tongue and burns going down is difficult to recreate. Real lovers of whiskey will say none of the new zero proof options are even close. Formerly, HP Single Malt was the only one that made the grade but they’ve changed their formulation and it tastes like soap. But aside from that, it’s worth revisiting this short list of my top picks for zero proof whiskey so you can make the Guinness Espresso Martini above.

GET THE LIST

That’s all for this week! Have a great weekend everyone!

-Sarah Kate