Cabernet Sauvignon
78/100
The short takeA light alcohol-removed Cabernet with a little more body than the thinnest nonalcoholic examples. Chocolate gives the finish some character, though the palate would benefit from greater depth and fullness.
Tasted Karl HillHow we score
In the glass
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Appearance
Deep red with a garnet tint.
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Nose
Blackcurrant and cherry, with hints of blueberry and a subtle chocolate note.
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Palate
Light-bodied and somewhat thin, though with more substance than some nonalcoholic reds. The texture remains lean rather than rounded or full.
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Finish
A subtle chocolate-like note emerges toward the end, adding interest.
How wine-like is it?
Some red-wine character remains, including a cocoa-like note toward the finish. The body has more substance than some nonalcoholic reds, but still feels thin for Cabernet Sauvignon.
Structure
- Light body
- Lean
The wine
The chocolate note is modest, but it gives Ariel’s Cabernet Sauvignon its most interesting turn. It appears quietly in the aroma and comes through again toward the end of the sip, adding character to a wine whose main limitation is a lack of depth on the palate.
Deep red with a garnet tint, it offers blackcurrant and cherry on the nose, with hints of blueberry. Chocolate is a subtle part of that aromatic picture. The sip itself stays light-bodied and lean. There is a little more substance here than in some of the thinnest nonalcoholic reds, though it remains somewhat thin and never takes on a rounded or full texture.
The finishing chocolate note adds interest, but it cannot supply the fullness missing from the palate. That leaves a mixed impression: a dark-fruit nose and a small point of character at the end, with limited depth in the sip itself. A little more substance and roundness would help this dealcoholized Cabernet feel more complete. As it stands, the chocolate gives the closing moments some appeal, while the lean texture keeps the overall impression modest.
The bottle
Evidence Producer documented
Research notes
Ariel is made from fermented California wine with the alcohol subsequently removed. Lohr's producer statement for the refreshed Ariel range explicitly names reverse osmosis. The tasted vintage was not specified; the credited producer photograph depicts its 2023 bottle.
Where to buy
- Package
750 ml
- Recorded price
CA$18.49 (750 ml) — Upside Drinks, Canada (observed 2026-10-18)
Prices and availability are independently observed and may change. Retailer listings do not imply endorsement. A different package is labeled as a different format. Reader-service exceptions and commercial links are identified above; neither affects scores, rankings, classification, verification, or editorial coverage.
Product facts
- Producer
- Ariel Vineyards / J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
- Origin
- California, United States
- Base beverage
- California Cabernet Sauvignon wine
- Bottle / can
- 750 ml
Sources & verification
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Evidence at a glance
- Producer documented8 facts
- Retailer sourced1 fact
Sources
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2 notes
- Country
- Producer documents California estate vineyards and production by J.
- Base beverage
- Producer identifies Cabernet Sauvignon from its California Central Coast estate vineyards.
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Note
- Production
- Producer documents fermentation and subsequent alcohol removal.
Product record history Sourced changes and open disagreements. Prior claims stay on the record when sources conflict.
- ReviewedReviewed and published.
- UpdatedCatalog record updated from sourced research.
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