The cellar
Compare bottles
Find the differences that matter to your glass. Compare flavor, structure, alcohol, and how each bottle was made.
The short version
Where they differ
Declared alcohol
- Bottle 1<0.5%
- Bottle 20.45%
- Bottle 3<0.5%
Documented method
- Bottle 1Reverse osmosis
- Bottle 2Spinning cone
- Bottle 3Spinning cone
Structure, side by side
From our tastings. Each mark shows an assessed level, with the same scale for every bottle.
Sweetness
190+ CellarsNot assessed
2Darling CellarsNot yet tasted
3FreNot assessed
Body
190+ CellarsNot assessed
2Darling CellarsNot yet tasted
3FreNot assessed
Acidity
190+ CellarsBright acidity
2Darling CellarsNot yet tasted
3FreNot assessed
| Field |
2 Darling Cellars |
3 Fre |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste | |||
| Record Differs | Tasted | Research record | Tasted |
| Score Differs | 80/100 |
Research record | 78/100 |
| Verdict | 90+ Cellars Lot 230 is a South West French dealcoholized sparkling brut from Souvignier Gris: under 0.5% ABV, 25 calories, around $13 a bottle. | Research record | Apple, pear, lemon, and light floral notes meet lively bubbles, moderate acidity, and a clean but short finish. |
| Flavor Differs | Bready, Green apple | Research record | — |
| Sweetness Differs | — | Research record | — |
| Body Differs | — | Research record | — |
| Acidity Differs | Bright acidity | Research record | — |
| Likeness | A dry sparkling brut in a smaller frame: bready, green apple, and a brief citrus close. Lower in body than a traditional brut, and cleanly cut. The likeness is the dryness and the bread, not the depth. | Research record | — |
| Alcohol & production | |||
| Alcohol level Differs | <0.5% | 0.45% | <0.5% |
| Method Differs | Reverse osmosis | Spinning cone | Spinning cone |
| Product facts | |||
| Origin | South West France | Darling, South Africa | St. Helena, California (Napa County), United States |
| Price Differs | Under $20 | Price unknown | Under $20 |
| Evidence | |||
| Sources | 4 sources | 3 sources | 3 sources |
| Last verified | 2026-10-03 | 2026-10-21 | 2026-10-21 |