Let me preface this by saying that this is something totally new to me. I’ve never even consumed, much less promoted products quite like these. I’ve been ambivalent, at best, about the No-Alc market. The whole thing seemed to me faddish and destined to disappear once ‘Dry January’ was over. Furthermore, the de-alcoholized wines we’ve tried have either been innocuous, simperingly sweet or simply undrinkable. And some of the alternative so-called ‘wine-identical’ beverages have been, well, to put it nicely, just odd. But I’m of the never-say-never school, and the full-court social media and critical scrum around Proxies finally wore me down. When their distributor asked for an appointment to present them, I took it. And you know what, I’m glad I did! These are totally unique beverages and, if you’re looking for a non-alcoholic alternative to wine at the dinner table, for whatever reason, these are well worth your money. Proxies first got my attention because they are endorsed, and even promoted by several wine-loving chefs who evaluated them as non-alcoholic alternatives that would enhance their respective cuisines. In order to pass muster, they needed to have many of the attributes of good wines, just not the alcohol. And they had to hold their own alongside their food and taste good to boot. Given those criteria, two of the Proxies I tried definitely qualified. They’re not wine- they’re created with wine grapes, teas and a variety of essences and botanicals- and understanding that is important. But as partners to your fine cooking, just like a fine bottle of wine, these are pretty damned interesting! I’m definitely bringing a few bottles home too for when I need a night off.  

Note: According to Proxies, once opened, these will last in the bottle a week or longer so if you do open one, there’s no rush to finish.

The white called Blanc Slate is a totally unique experience. Aromatic and fresh, I noted lifted hits of hibiscus flower, lychee, yellow peach, a dash of dried pineapple and cut lemongrass on a medium-full palate with a nice zingy finish. The literature says it’s based on Sauvignon Blanc grapes but, at the table, I’d certainly match it with anything with which you’d pair a Chardonnay as well. I first thought of a grilled swordfish or halibut with a fresh and spicy jalapeno-fruit salsa. Intriguing and fun.  

The ‘Big Red’ is totally cool! It tasted, well, how can I put this, like every red wine grape I’ve ever tried was blended together. Seriously! I detected notes I associate with Dolcetto, Schiava, Barbera, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Gamay and even Cabernet Franc! Wow! It’s herbal, spicy and highly nuanced on the nose and packed with black cherry, black raspberry fruit and earthy, iron-y black licorice, black pepper and cedar notes that really pop out of the glass. There’s a hint of what I think is cider vinegar in there that adds a welcome lift and freshness to the palate. I think ‘Big Red’ is a bit of misnomer in that, while certainly big in personality, it’s a little lighter on the palate than you might expect- not more than medium weight. I think that’s why the chefs like it so much. I kept a glass of this next to me all yesterday afternoon and kept returning to it, liking it more and more as the day wore on. And I couldn’t even blame the alcohol or that! In summation? It’s like Barbera and Beaujolais had a non-alcoholic baby! I like this stuff. So might you.