Top sommeliers are raving about this alcohol-free alternative
Top sommeliers are our go-to when we’re looking for genuinely good wine tips. Whether it’s the very best snack-and-wine pairings or the tastiest wines on a budget, they know where to find them. But sommeliers don’t just have a nose for wine—they also know their way around other drinks to serve alongside a meal. And this is an alcohol-free alternative that top sommeliers are raving about: Van Nahmen fruit juices.
Well, sommeliers aren’t the only ones who are fans of the special drinks from Van Nahmen—they’ve been on the menu at three-Michelin-starred restaurant De Librije for years. We’re big fans at home too. I first tasted Van Nahmen years ago, of all places at a wine fair, and was completely blown away. How delicious was this! The reason Van Nahmen was available to taste at a wine fair isn’t surprising. The originally German company makes fantastic grape juices, such as Riesling, made from—yes, you guessed it—the ‘wine grape’ Riesling!
Just as special as the wine of the same name
And those delicious grapes (goodness, Riesling really is such a fantastic grape) grow in Van Nahmen’s own vineyard. In any case, the fruit for all their juices comes from their own region, and they press and process it themselves, preserving the unique characteristics of the fruit in question in the juice. The Riesling fruit juice is made with at least as much care as a winemaker uses to make ‘regular’ Riesling. From selecting the grapes in the vineyard and determining the optimal harvest time to sorting them. And so, just like the wine, the fruit juice delivers an incredible flavour experience. One sip and I was immediately sold. The floral aromas and flavours of apple, lime and peach… wonderfully fresh and incredibly pure. And absolutely delicious with food (fish, pasta with chicken).
You immediately understand why sommeliers are so pleased with it. They can offer guests at the table a genuinely delicious alcohol-free alternative with the same wine experience as those who do drink wine. Try it at home, I’d say. A bottle of Van Nahmen Riesling Grape Juice costs €7.95.
Delicious with Gorgonzola
The other juices are delicious too, such as Frucht-Secco Traube, made from organically grown grapes. Lovely and sweet, but thanks to its light acidity and delicate mousse, wonderfully refreshing too. It’s great when you feel like drinking something different with your cheeseboard—this Traube is especially delicious with blue cheeses such as Gorgonzola. And ice cream, a dessert that’s a killer for almost every wine, works beautifully with it too. Or how about a little strawberry tart?
Bring on summer!
And the best for last: Van Nahmen Raspberry Rhubarb Nectar. A juice made from rhubarb. Without raspberry, by the way—the name refers to the type of German rhubarb used for this juice. If you’re still looking for a summery alcohol-free rosé look-a-like, I’ve found it for you! Enjoy it well chilled, or serve it the way they do in restaurants: as a spritzer with sparkling water or, if you do fancy some alcohol, with sparkling wine. GI-GA delicious, believe me! And it costs less than six euros per bottle.
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