Leitz Zero Point Five is the first German UnWine we’ve reviewed on Social Unbuzz. It’s also known as “Eins Zwei Zero” in Europe, which is translated as one two zero. This branding is very similar to the alcoholic version of their traditional wine and I love the direct reference to the 0% ABV. From a branding perspective, they get a 10/10. But will this non-alcoholic pinot noir taste as great as the branding looks? Check out our review below. TLDR? Skip to the rating.
About Leitz
The Leitz family history reads much like that of traditional wineries. It started with an original winemaker who passed on their land and wine making expertise from one generation to another. If you truly love the history behind the grapes, the Leitz family story is definitely one to read. In short, the Leitz family has been producing wine in Germany since the 1700’s. They’ve steadily expanded their land and the variety of wines they produce. To date, they have a whopping 130 HA equivalent – in regular people measurements that’s larger than 300 football fields. The most interesting part of their story was their desire to stay true to the qualities of the land, which ultimately determines the taste of the wine. In professional wine terminology, this is called the “Terroir”. It’s easy to lose sight of the characteristics of each parcel of land as a business expands. It’s great to see them utilize each distinct region of their land for specific qualities of wine.
It is so important to create alcohol free alternatives, to give people the opportunity to enjoy the taste of wine – without consuming alcohol. Our dealcoholized Pinot Noir appeals to people who appreciate the taste and complexity of wine …. By removing the alcohol, we also remove the metabolism-slowing down and dehydrating effects associated with it, as well as the many risks brought about by being under the influence of alcohol. Another advantage of the ZERO-POINT-FIVE is, that the same plant compounds that provide health benefits in wines with alcohol have also been found in abundant quantities in alcohol-free wines.
Leitz-wein.de
How does Zeitz remove the alcohol from their wine
Leitz uses a more modern spinning cone technology to remove the alcohol from the wine. The Spinning Cone technology also uses vacuum, but instead of the wine sitting in a vat, the wine is spun in a circle. The spinning motion uses centrifugal force to further separate the alcohol from the wine. Since the technology is newer, I expect not only the wine to be pricier, but also to taste better. This is how Leitz explains it on their website:
The technique: To remove the alcohol from our wine, we have used in this case the SCC – a Spinning Cone Column. To preserve the natural Pinot Noir flavours, we have chosen this modern technique. It allows us to extract the alcohol under extremely low pressure and temperature (around 35°C). No flavours will be lost through the treatment of the wine through the dealcoholisation process. With our knowledge on the technique, we can produce a “real” ZP5 – the ZERO-POINT-FIVE Pinot Noir – real taste without concerns.
Leitz-wein.de
Zero Point Five Pinot Noir First Impressions
I loved the dark black bottle Zero Point Five came housed in. It wasn’t only beautiful, but made me feel like I was about to enjoy a traditional bottle of wine – not just a wine substitute. The label also had some traditional wine qualities. However, they did make subtle design choices to make it very clear this UnWine had “0” alcohol. The label was dark gray, with a white outlined number 0 printed front and center. Although subtle, It was very clear that this wine was non alcoholic even if you didn’t take the time to read the label. Having looked at the other alcoholic wines in their line, this design falls in line with the other wines in the category.
What does Leitz Non Alcoholic Pinot Noir Taste Like?
The ZERO-POINT-FIVE Pinot Noir offers an original character that is clean and fresh with notes of red currant and cherries; you will also detect a nicely embedded tannic structure and an almost dry finish, which is remarkably long. Of course, an alcohol-free wine never will give the same depth, structure, and weight as a wine with alcohol, but this is extremely close to it and it is simply an alcohol-free wine tasting wine.
Leitz-wein.de
Our first pour of Zero Point Five was very reminiscent of a traditional wine pour. The red was deep and clung to the glass slightly. The aroma was surprisingly alcoholic in nature without the sourness. I had to double check the label to make sure this was truly non alcoholic.
With regard to the taste, I have to agree with the description – clean and smooth. This UnWine was really good – the flavors were notably of a pinot. The musk that’s typically associated with red wine was also there, and so was the dry taste in the mouth. The only way to tell that this was non-alcoholic was the missing viscosity you find in typical wines. Although it was smooth, the wine was also very thin – almost like diet wine? The flavors didn’t linger and were gone quickly. However, the lingering dryness differentiates it from just a juice.
Leitz Zero Point Five Pinot Noir Rating and Review
Despite the missing viscosity, we still award this UnWine 5 Sips! It’s our new favorite and a must try! The wine flavors were there and so was the taste and overall experience. I would argue this wine was smoother and better tasting than some of the cheap wines you find at local convenience stores. The spot on taste plus lack of alcohol makes this a win in our books. We’d happily reach for a glass of the Leitz Zero Point Five Pinot Noir instead of a traditional bottle of red.
Leitz Zero Point Five Pinot Noir Details
Nutritional Breakdown: 20 Calories / 118ml, Total Fat <0.5g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 10mg, Total Carbohydrate 5.4g, Includes 4.9g Added Sugars, Protein <0.5g, Calcium 110mg, Iron 1mg, Potassium 90 mg.
Ingredients: Dealcoholized wine, sucrose, carbon dioxide, sulfites.
Food Pairings: Impressive. We recommend pairing this alcohol-free Pinot Noir with roast or game; it´s a nice option for grilled fish, or a Lamb Biryani. Enjoy!
Serve: Chilled to 53.6 ℉
Price / bottle: $20.00
At $20 / bottle, this UnWine is a bit pricey. Especially when you consider the cost in Germany is only 10€. However with the taxes, transport costs, and retailer markup – it sounds about right. We’re interested in tasting a more expensive American Wines to see if it stacks up. Let us know if you have any recommendations for us to try!
Where to buy Leitz Non Alcoholic Pinot Noir
We purchased the Leitz Zero Point Five Pinot Noir at our local whole foods. It’s actually the only non-alcoholic wine in this line carried by Whole foods. You can also purchase it online from a number of Non-Alcoholic Wine retailers like boisson.co. Get $20 off your first order of $75 with the link below:
Do you enjoy Leitz Zero point five pinot noir as much as us? Let us know in the comments below.