I first found the Chateau del ISH brand through a blog by Zero Proof featuring their must-try non alcoholic wines. The Chateau del Ish was listed among their top recommendations. Unfortunately, Chateau del ISH isn’t available locally, so it had to be ordered from their online store or through another non-alcoholic wine website. As inconvenient as it was, I understand the cost of being distributed everywhere. It’s especially true when you’re launching a new brand. Does Chateau del ISH warrant a try amongst an ever-growing sea of UnWines? Read on to find out. TLDR? Skip to the rating.
About Chateau del ISH
Our first thoughts when on the name “Chateau del ISH” was that it was a pretty clever play on words. I loved the reference to the French word “Chateau” which is found on many traditional wine labels. Giving the impression that the product is delicious or “ del ISH” is a pretty direct way to attract new customers. However, after some research, we were surprised to find out that the brand of this UnWine is called “ISH”.
ISH was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2018 by Morten Sørensen. Morten wanted to make it easy to say “yes” to going out for drinks, and “yes” to a productive day after. That’s how ISH was born, a mindful drinking company focusing on providing the best non-alcoholic experiences.
The ISH range gives you the freedom to choose. It doesn’t have to be 5 o’clock somewhere for you to enjoy your wine moment. Bubbly for breakfast? We say go for it! You can blend our spirits with your favorite mixers to create those classic cocktails – buzz-free. Or, you can use them in conjunction with other spirits, allowing you to simply reduce your alcohol consumption. You can also grab our premixed canned cocktails for on the go, wherever you are and wherever you’re going. Easy, right?
ISHspirits.com
Although the non alcoholic brand is from Denmark, this particular unwine is produced in Germany located just south of the border. It’s not too surprising that this non alcoholic wine is produced in Germany. Not only is it a larger country (more growing land), but it is also located in an area with better and warmer grape-growing conditions.
Wine Dealcoholization process
This UnWine was produced with a vacuum distillation from fermented grapes. The machinery to vacuum distill is pricey so only a select number of wineries can actually produce non alcoholic wines using this method. Non alcoholic drinks such as Heineken 0.0 and Leitz Zero Point Five both use this dealcoholization method.
In short, the wine is pressurized with a vacuum seal, then gentle heat is applied to separate the alcohol from the rest of the liquid. The resulting liquid is then blended with different aromas and flavors to achieve a true non alcoholic wine taste.
The grapes are harvested and pressed directly, inoculated with a yeast culture and fermented in steel vats. Following fermentation the wines are gently de-alcoholized in a proprietary vacuum distillation process in order to maintain the distinct properties of the grapes.
Chateau Del ISH Sparkling White First impressions
I’ve always loved the “naked” wine cork look. It’s a bit like a modern farmhouse interior design style. It looks clean, but not sterile. The style also has a touch of earthiness to the look. Typically, after wine corks are inserted, the cage is secured on to make sure the bottle doesn’t pop prematurely. Foil is wrapped around the cork and cage to protect them from dust and debris. If you’ve ever worked in a warehouse – dust gets everywhere and is never in short supply. The resulting design with a contrast glass bottle, wood cork and metal cage appeal to me.
What does Chateau Del ISH Sparkling White Taste Like?
Manufacturer Tasting Notes: With a honey-forward nose and notes of citrus, green apple, pear and peach our blend of Pinot Blanc and Silvaner grapes is considered a demi-sec, medium sweet sparkling wine that transforms on the palate to a wonderful, refreshing acidity.
Award Notes: Lifted lime with balanced acidity and hints of sweetness. Dry with a fresh, clean finish.
We tasted this alongside the Fre Sparkling White we reviewed earlier, just so we could have a comparison. Overall the bubbles for the Chateau del ISH were much smaller and had a fizzy sensation in the mouth. Instead of a sour smell, we were met with more of a sparkling wine aroma – lots of bubbles tickling the nose and a little bit of white wine scent. The taste was fruity but not sweet. The best part was that you almost couldn’t tell this was non-alcoholic because both the taste and texture were spot on. The bubbles really help to give this UnWine a realistic mouth feel.
Chateau del ISH Sparkling White Rating and Review
Ultimately, this UnWine deserves 3 Sips. It’s a good alternative drink. The reason this doesn’t get full ratings is because of its price. At a price point twice as much as some of its competitors, it’s very hard to recommend this over some of the other options on the market. Plus, although we did enjoy it, there was no distinguishing factor that sets this UnWine apart from others. For sparkling wine, it would be great to have a memorable taste that commemorates the occasion you are drinking to celebrate.
Chateau del ISH Sparkling White Details
Nutritional Breakdown: 70 Calorie / 12 fl oz, Total Fat 0g, Sodium 0g, Total Carbohydrate 16g, Protein 0g
Ingredients: Alcohol-removed wine, grape must, rectified concentrated grape must, carbon dioxide, ascorbic acid.
I found the ingredients very interesting. To get the flavor of the wine so perfect, they start with dealcoholized wine, then add back two different types of wine “juices”. They finish off by adding CO2, giving it that trademark “sparkling” wine taste.
Awards: IWSC Bronze 2021 (This award is literally printed on their label – so it’s hard to miss.)
Maturation: Est. 2 Years (Our bottle had an expiration date 2 years out)
Food Pairings: Works well with light fish, shellfish, or spicy Asian food.
Serve: Also excellent as a Champagne alternative when celebrating small and big life events.
Price: $25 / bottle
Where to buy Non-Alcoholic Sparkling White Wine
We ordered directly from the US Website for Ish. The delivery was prompt and we had no issues.
It’s also available from a non-alcoholic wine store, Boisson. Get $20 off your first order of $75 with the link below.