An Exquisite Alcohol-Free Wine Loved by Michelin Star Chefs

The REAL kombucha range is an intriguing one for many reasons. For starters, this is a wine that is made without a single grape in sight! It’s also incredibly expressive and flavoursome, yet low in sugar and calories, with a crisp acidity and sparkling texture that is rare to find in a non-alcoholic wine. Sounds pretty unusual, right? We take a look at what goes into a bottle of REAL kombucha and why sommeliers and chefs across the country are going crazy for it.

Kombucha wine is actually fermented loose-leaf tea. And, as there is little to no sugar in tea (unlike there is in grape juice for regular wine production), there’s not a lot to convert into alcohol during fermentation. The result is a naturally low alcohol wine that sits between 0.2 and 1.2 % ABV (although, REAL sits at just 0.5%, making it a non-alcoholic wine). Unique live cultures are used during fermentation that leave a trace of residual sugar in the end product, giving a nice balance of acidity and fruity flavours in the final blend.

Much like wine produced from grapes, these wines not only take on the flavours and characteristics of the teas they’re produced from, they’re also heavily influenced by the climate and terroir of the region the tea was grown in. For instance, a kombucha wine made from oolong tea grown in the Fujian province of China will be vastly different in style and flavour to one that’s made from oolong grown in Chiayi County, Taiwan.

Using tea as the key ingredient, you get a wine with a refined and sophisticated palate, along with plenty of acidity from the organic acids that occur during fermentation. It’s these complex flavours and crisp texture that make these wines so ideal for pairing with food, as well as enjoying as a refreshing aperitif.

REAL use only the finest loose-leaf tea they can source to produce premium kombucha. With over 150 types of tea from around the world currently in their brewery, the team at REAL are constantly experimenting with flushes from different plantations to see which yield the most interesting results when transformed into wine. All character notes come directly from the tea fermentation – just like they do from grape juice fermentation in regular winemaking – so any slight variance in the tea or yeasts used in the blend will affect the resulting wine.

Tea Master, Will Battle, and Founder of REAL, David Begg, are in charge of selecting and tasting the most highly sought after teas for REAL. Only interested in young tea leaves and ‘first flush’ darjeeling (which is tea talk for the very first pick of the harvest), Will ensures the leaves they use are always plucked when tender and fresh, as this is when you get the purist flavours coming through and are able to produce a wine that truly embodies the terroir it came from. David then chooses the final tea selection based on quality and flavour profile.

REAL Royal Flush is named after the fragrant first flush Darjeeling tea it’s made from. Grown in the Indian city of Darjeeling, in an area referred to as Queen of the Hills, this first flush is said to be the ‘Champagne of Teas’. It produces a delicate yet sparkling wine, not dissimilar to a Prosecco in texture, with notes of white peach, rhubarb, blackcurrant and spice. While REAL Dry Dragon is more like a Sauvignon Blanc in its flavour profile. Expect enticing herbaceous and citrus aromas, followed by tart grapefruit and sweet lemon on the palate.

REAL sparkling fermented tea actually started its life on the wine menus of some of the finest Michelin star restaurants in the UK. It was the sommelier at Heston Blumenthal’s world-famous The Fat Duck who first took notice and added REAL to their prestigious tasting menu as their non-alcoholic wine offering.

The high acidity of these wines make them ideal for pairing with rich and fatty foods, as it cuts through the fat to create a refreshing balance on the palate. Their sophisticated flavours also make them a great match for many delicacies, and you’ll often find them paired with light fish dishes and oysters.

Low and no alcohol wines, in the past, have had a reputation for not being taken seriously, so it’s quite something that these wines not only feature on the wine menu of a place once voted ‘Best Restaurant in the World’, they are recommended as pairing suggestions for six of the dishes on The Fat Duck menu! REAL can also be found in over 50 other Michelin star establishments since its launch in 2017, so we’re thrilled to be the first online retailer to be able to add them to our own wine range.

When it comes to pairing with Dry Dragon, think of what you would pair with a full-bodied Chardonnay or clean and crisp Sauvignon Blanc. It has those Savvy B style savoury nuances, making it fantastic with umami flavours like asparagus, as well as shellfish, green vegetables and fresh green salads. Royal Flush, on the other hand, is fuller with fruitier flavours, so pairs very well with white fish, white meat and creamy sauces.

Well, it’s refreshing, for one thing. Both Dry Dragon and Royal Flush are best treated like a dry white wine or a sparkling wine when it comes to serving – chilled and served in smaller wine glasses or flutes, as these thinner glass designs keep wines cool and crisp for longer. The narrow glassware will also drive those floral and fruity character notes to your nose, just as they would with a wine made from grapes.

But the really great news about REAL sparkling fermented tea is that, not only is it delicious and food-friendly, it’s basically guilt-free! It’s low in calories, low in sugar, non-alcoholic, gluten-free, allergen-free, sulphate-free and all natural, with no added flavours – making it pretty perfect for a cleaner lifestyle! Some even drink kombucha for gut health, as the fermented tea contains live cultures that can aid digestion. And to top it all off, the refined flavours and Champagne style make these wines an exciting alternative for non-drinkers at a dinner party, rather than having to stick to uninspiring soft drinks.

So, whether you’re entertaining non-drinking guests, fancy pairing a bottle with your own cooking, or simply curious to see what a wine made from tea tastes like, we say give it a go!