Doppio Passo, 'Rosso Alternativa' 0.0%, NV

'One-Liner'
A generous Italian red without the booze – ripe blackberries, juicy cherry and Mediterranean herbs with a soft, rounded finish.

Tasting Note
Bright ruby red with violet highlights, opening with generous aromas of blackberry, ripe cherry and blueberry alongside fig and a gentle herbal note. The palate is soft and mouth-filling, with juicy dark berry fruit joined by cassis and sweet cherry. There is a touch of natural sweetness through the middle, balanced by fresh fruit and a subtle savoury edge rather than heavy tannin. Mediterranean herbs add a little extra character as the wine opens in the glass. Smooth, rounded and easy-going on the finish, with blackberry and cherry lingering behind.

Country: Italy
Region: Puglia
Sub-Region: n/a
Grape(s): n/a
ABV: 0.0%
Friendly: Vegan, Vegetarian

Awards & Critics' Scores
Mundus Vini – Gold Medal

The Story
Doppio Passo built its reputation around the ripe, generous red wines of southern Italy, particularly Primitivo, so Rosso Alternativa sets itself a fairly ambitious task – keeping that warm, dark-fruited personality while taking the alcohol away. The wine is first made conventionally before passing through spinning cone columns, a gentle dealcoholisation system that separates and preserves the volatile aroma compounds before removing the alcohol. Those aromas can then be returned, helping retain the blackberry, cherry, fig and herbal character of the original wine. The result is deliberately fuller and softer than many alcohol-free reds, with the fruit-forward personality associated with southern Italy still firmly at the centre.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Tuscan pork ragù with pappardelle
- Vegetarian: Roast aubergine with spiced tomatoes and whipped feta
- Vegan: Salt-and-pepper tofu with charred tenderstem and lime