The Best Wines to Bring to a Holiday Party (And Their Alcohol-Free Alternatives)

There’s going to be plenty of cheer and revelry this holiday season, with many glasses being hoisted and clinked. I’ve got a solid handful of recommendations for your sipping pleasure, with non-alc alternatives which share similar traits. Don’t forget, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing when having a night out; even if you’re planning on imbibing on the boozy side, you can always switch off with these zero-proof gems over the course of an evening (see my genius ‘smart partying’ idea I outlined in last year’s edition of this column). With a little pacing, your morning after might actually be a good one. 

If you like Nino Franco Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut… 

I reached out to Maia Pearson, the lead sommelier at Cambie Village’s buzzy Elio Volpe, someone who guides hundreds of diners each week through wine options that dovetail well with the restaurant’s casual, Italian fare. ‘Tis the season for bubbles, and when asked on direction for something fizzy, she went right to Nino Franco Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut ($36). “Nino Franco is an iconic Prosecco house, one of the oldest in the region,” she tells me. “Theirs were some of the first Proseccos to be sold outside Italy.”  With salty snacks and fried foods, the wine shines with vibrant green fruit and slight pastry notes.  

…try Oddbird Spumante Glera 

Of course, there are many of her guests who would like to scratch that Prosecco itch without the alcohol component. Pearson has something up her sleeve for them, as well. By the glass, she pours Oddbird Spumante ($24): a wine that’s been ‘liberated from alcohol,’ made from Glera grapes in the Veneto region of Italy—just like Prosecco! According to her, “it’s bright, fresh, aromatic, with loads of apple blossom and citrus; it’s everything you want in a Prosecco sans booze, and I’ve yet to taste a more delicious non-alc bubble.” 

If you like Dormilona Yokel Rosé… 

Erik Mercier is a wine importer and co-proprietor of Juice Imports, a Western Canadian company focused on wines that fall under the umbrella of organic, biodynamic, sustainable and natural. He’s also one-half of a Vancouver power couple, his partner being Lauren Sundstrom, a local personality and content creator many know from Instagram and TikTok, who focuses on trans rights, sustainable fashion, beauty and more. In fact, they’ve recently joined forces to start a Patreon, sharing their respective and collective passions. When I caught up with Mercier to get a couple of their recommendations, he didn’t hesitate on wine: “Dormilona’s Yokel Rosé ($51) is a Grenache-based wine made by Josephine Perry in West Australia. It’s all watermelon and rosehip with a saline edge.” Find it at private wine stores like Liberty Wines Commercial Drive, Darby’s in Kitsilano and New District in Dunbar.  

…try Cultivate Tea’s Organic Crimson Rose 

Their zero-proof option took a little more thought. “We love single-ingredient, single-origin beverages, so finding an inspiring non-alc is particularly tricky. Cultivate’s Organic Crimson Rose Tea ($22), when served chilled, is surprisingly vinous. Its juicy florality is perfectly balanced by subtle phenolics,” he shares. “We serve it from a wine bottle to complete the illusion.” 

If you like Domaine du Nozay Sancerre… 

I sat down with Dave Henderson, a local wine representative, who sells wines under the banner of Crush Imports, and non-alcoholic beverages as Soft Crush. If there’s anyone who can navigate both sides of the refreshment coin, he’s the guy. The first thing we tucked into was a Sauvignon Blanc: Domaine du Nozay Sancerre ($48) from the Loire Valley in France. It’s crisp and flinty, with all the citrusy goodness like lime, lemon, and pink grapefruit we expect from the variety—and I love the cheeky tiny pinch of sea salt in there, too. 

…try Brochet Zero Sauvignon Blanc 

Often non-alc wines taste like sugary, non-descript grape juice, but the Brochet Zero Sauvignon Blanc ($19)? “Oh yeah, this definitely tastes like Sauvignon Blanc,” Henderson exclaimed. “And it’s organic, which isn’t overly common with non-alcoholic wines—so that’s admirable, too.” Hailing from France’s Loire Valley, just like that Sancerre above, think muddled lemon, gooseberry and a nice little rub of lime leaf. 

If you like Hommage du Rhône Côtes-du-Rhône… 

Also from France, this time on the red side of things, we head to the Rhône Valley, home of earthy, fruit-laden Grenache-Syrah blends like Les Grande Serres Hommage du Rhône Côtes-du-Rhône, a BC Liquor Stores bargain at $18. Peppery purple and black berry fruit is seasoned by warm baking spices like cardamom and cinnamon; it’s a good, rich red to chew on. 

…try Noughty Rouge Dealcoholized Syrah  

Staying with Syrah, but venturing to South Africa, Noughty Rouge Dealcoholized Syrah ($28) is not gloopy and sweet—something I find a little too common with non-alc red wines. It has brambly dark berry fruit, and—huzzah!—actually tastes like Syrah, which Dave echoed upon tasting. “It even has that bacon component Syrah can carry.” A hangover-free red wine with a lashing of bacon? Count me in. 

Now, beyond our rosé wine recommendation, these wines can be found widely at BC Liquor Stores. For the non-alc options besides Cultivate Tea, which is definitely worth a visit, try places like Bevees in Port Coquitlam, Welk’s on Main Street, and Mocktails or the Drive Canteen on Commercial.  

Incidentally, last time I was at Drive Canteen, I tried their non-alc Ready to Drink Margarita, a small bottling composed of Spiritless Jalisco 55 Non-Alcoholic Tequila, Crossip Non-Alcoholic Citrus Spirit, lime juice, and cane sugar. It was mighty complex and delicious—highly recommended shaken, over ice. Of course, if you’re looking to get a little lit for the holidays, those Cutwater Tequila Margarita cans at BC Liquor Stores. While tasty—be warned—turns out those single Margarita cans chime in at a lofty 12-percent alcohol.

As they say, and as always during the season, enjoy responsibly.