Bubbly Without the Buzz – 16 Non-Alcoholic Sparklings on Test

Golden hour, warm breeze, crickets chirping in the bushes, the city still humming to the rhythm of the music. Summertime… and the living is easy. We raise our glasses – with colleagues, friends, and 16 bottles of non-alcoholic sparkling wine and proxies. Which one came out on top, and why is there a big difference between dealcoholized fizz and proxies? Find out here!

This article is part of our non-alcoholic special, where we share fresh insights and honest buying advice on all things booze-free. Curious about the best alcohol-free red? Or the best non-alcoholic white? Then go check it out!

Bubbly buzz without the brain fog, flavour over excuses. Today we’re raising our glasses to moments that don’t need a hangover: terrace sunsets, improvised picnics, first dates with a clear head. But how good is booze-free bubbly, really? We took a warm summer evening and popped our way through 16 non-alcoholic sparklings and proxies – spanning from traditional alcohol-free fizz to sparkling teas with a Scandinavian twist. Corks and caps were flying, and now we’re here to tell you which bottles brought the sparkle – and which ones fizzled out… Pop!

The world of non-alcoholic sparklings has exploded – and honestly? It’s more exciting than many of their boozy counterparts. From high-end Champagne alternatives and winemaker fizz to exotic fermentation blends opening up entirely new flavour dimensions, the spectrum is wild. With bubbles ranging from gentle to lively, these non-alcoholic sparklings and proxies offer a whole new way to sip. Perfect for sunny days and sultry nights. The lines between categories are blurring, and we’ve discovered that proxies can more than hold their own. There are no rules – as long as it tastes good and puts some fun in your glass.

Want to know how to nail the perfect pizza – and what that has to do with “no buzz”? Check out our pizza oven group test.

How Did We Test the Non-Alcoholic Sparklings and Proxies?

We wanted to know: Which bottles are worth the money? Which ones taste great, and which should you keep on a shelf? What vibe do the bottle and label give off? And what’s the first impression when we take a sniff? After all, the eyes and nose are part of the party too.

This test isn’t for master sommeliers – it’s for realists and everyday pleasure seekers. No endless poetry or flavour flights here. We wanted to know: What do regular folks actually taste? What’s worth the price tag? And what’s best left for someone else’s cart? No expert jargon, just honest, down-to-earth feedback – so you know exactly what you’re getting into (and what you can happily skip).

Non-Alcoholic Sparkling or Proxy?

Same glasses, different soul: Dealcoholized sparklings and so-called proxies may both look like a party in a bottle, but their DNA couldn’t be more different. The former starts as wine, with the alcohol removed after fermentation. It aims to deliver the full sparkling experience – fine bubbles, yeasty notes, varietal character, balanced acidity, and a lingering finish.

Proxies, on the other hand, are purposefully wine-free blends made from juices, verjus, tea infusions, herbs, spices, fruits, or ferments. They’re less about mimicking wine and more about creating an experience: A defined profile, with acidity, sweetness, and bitterness in balance, lifted by carbonation that complements rather than dominates the food.That’s why we judged dealcoholized sparklings and proxies separately – for both fairness and clarity. We’re not comparing grapes to apples and tea leaves. Sparkling wine alternatives should remind us of the original in taste and mouthfeel. Proxies were rated for composition: depth of flavour, balance, texture, bubbles, and food-pairing potential.

But both had to pass the same test: Do they taste good? Simple as that.

And just to make things more interesting, we also threw two hybrid contenders from French Bloom into the mix. These blends are based on dealcoholized wine but spiced up with fruit juices and botanicals – so, although technically wine-based, they act more like proxies

Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wines on Test – Our Line-Up

We tested a total of 16 sparklings – 6 white non-alcoholic bubblies, 2 rosé versions, and 8 sparkling alternatives, aka proxies. Our verdict? Plenty of exciting discoveries, a solid middle ground – and a few real wild cards. Whether it was “wow” or “what the…?”, one thing’s for sure: we had a blast!

Price-wise? It’s a broad range, starting at around €12 and going up to just under €34. An international mix of traditional winemaker fizz, British and Scandinavian alternatives, and French-style Champagne vibes. Fun fact: many non-alcoholic sparklings and proxies are vegan and gluten-free too. And just like the styles, the occasions vary: some bottles are perfect as aperitifs and cocktail bases, others shine in bold food pairings – and a few are ideal for party sipping without the fear of a stinky hangover.

Non-Alcoholic Sparklings and Proxies at a Glance

Category	Producer	Product	Price per 750 ml bottle (€)
Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine White	Bähr Pfalztraube GmbH	VITISECCO BLANC Bouquet dry	17.50
	Bähr Pfalztraube GmbH	VITISECCO BLANC dry	12.50
	Kolonne Null	Cuvée Blanc No. 01	13.90
	SOBERCIETY	Riesling Sparkling Alcohol-Free	12.90
	Strauch Sektmanufaktur	Blanc Pur Riesling dry sparkling wine	11.90
	Weingut Mohr	Yakamozero	11.90
Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine Rosé	Thomson & Scott	Noughty Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé	14.95
	III Freunde	Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling	12.90
Proxy Sparkling Wine	Bemuse	Bemuse Origo Brut – Alcohol-Free Honey Sparkling	14.95
	Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company	Sparkling Tea Blå	19.90
	Far & Søn	Gentle Thai	15.50
	French Bloom	Le Blanc	28.76
	French Bloom	Le Rosé	33.71
	Jörg Geiger	PriSecco TEASECCO	11.90
	PICA PICA	Gezwitscher No. 10	14.90
	Villbrygg	FJELL 01 (Mountain)	21.00

5 Myths About Non-Alcoholic Sparklings and Proxies

Alcohol-free sparklings are trending – but opinions? All over the place. Among our friends, it’s a hot topic – often laced with half-baked truths and strong opinions. Is non-alcoholic bubbly really just overpriced grape juice with fizz? Time to cut through the clichés and separate facts from fluff. Here are the top assumptions and open questions we’ll tackle later:

Way too expensive for what it is

non-alcoholic sparkling is just overpriced grape juice with bubbles. Complex aromas, depth, personality? Nowhere to be found – or so the critics claim. And yes, non-alcoholic bubbly often costs more than the real deal. But is that fair? And why is that the case?

Warm summer evenings, golden sunsets, glasses clinking – but this time with zero alcohol. Alcohol-free sparkling wines and proxies promise indulgence without regret, crisp bubbles instead of a heavy head. But which ones truly impress? And what really sets de-alcoholized sparkling wine apart from modern proxy blends? You can find the full comparison test with all 16 contenders over at our sister magazine DOWNTOWN.

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Words: Susanne Feddersen Photos: Lars Engmann