This was a clean, bright, and semi-sweet sparkling non-alcoholic wine that I loved at first sip. I promptly ruined the experience by combining it with eggnog, but that was entirely my fault. I was making a series of informative videos about the 12 Days of Christmas and I combined eggnog with twelve different beverages. The eggnog curdled instantly and I had to chew through the entire serving. I don’t hold that against Stella Rosa, and neither should you.

I don’t have a ton of experience with non-alcoholic wines, but this is the best one that I’ve tried so far. The challenge with these beverages is making sure that they’re distinct enough from just sparkling grape juice, but not so “nuanced” that they become undrinkably sour. A fake alcohol flavor is not what people are looking for.

I found the Stella Rosa Rosé to be more rounded and full than something like a Martinelli’s (although I love a good sparkling cider). The flavors to me were very fruity and tart, but it wasn’t dramatically sweet. I was afraid that it would be syrupy or sticky in the mouth, but it drank clean, and the carbonation elevated the experience. I also loved the color of the wine, as well as the design of the bottle. Everything felt very elegant, and I’d recommend this as a special occasion beverage, or a gift to a host that doesn’t drink alcohol.

I tried it straight, and then I also tried it over ice. Both were good, but the ice would obviously make more sense in a hotter climate. The ice does dilute the drink over time, but it’s flavorful enough to hold up for quite a while.

Any other non-alcoholic wines that you’d recommend? Oh yeah, and check out the video I did with the eggnog. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.