In the glass

  1. Appearance

    Pale straw yellow and clear.

  2. Nose

    Lemon curd leads, with mineral notes and a subtle saline impression adding definition to the citrus-led aroma.

  3. Palate

    Rounded lemon and pear flavors give the palate an approachable shape. Gentle sweetness sets an off-dry tone, balanced by refreshing acidity; the fruit has enough presence to support that acidity and maintain freshness.

  4. Finish

    Citrus and mineral flavors continue after swallowing, with a delicate saline edge. Freshness carries through the close, giving the wine satisfying persistence.

How wine-like is it?

Recognizable Riesling fruit and acidity, with a mineral-saline close, give the glass a familiar varietal character.

Structure

  • Off-dry
  • Rounded

The wine

Citrus and mineral notes give The Substitute Riesling a satisfying close. They remain after swallowing, with a delicate saline edge and freshness that carries through the finish. Persistence is a strength here, even though the flavors themselves stay straightforward.

Gentle sweetness rounds the lemon and pear fruit without losing the refreshing acidity that gives the palate definition. The off-dry profile feels agreeable because there is enough fruit to meet that acidity; neither element has to carry the glass alone. Rounded texture makes it approachable, while the fresh balance keeps the sip engaging. That combination gives the wine its appeal, with its straightforward fruit profile held together by a fresh balance.

The clear, pale straw pour opens with lemon-curd aromas, mineral notes and a subtle saline impression. Those accents carry a recognizable Riesling character from the aroma into the finish. It is an enjoyable, easygoing glass whose fruit, sweetness and acidity work comfortably together. The limited complexity remains apparent, but the citrus-mineral persistence gives the simple profile a satisfying conclusion.

The bottle

Production Dealcoholized

Evidence Bottle verified

Production type describes how it is made, not how it tastes. What this classification means.

Method Undeclared

Research notes

The Riesling front label explicitly states alcohol-removed wine and less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. Germany and Riesling are stated in the retailer's origin details. No product-specific removal machine is named.

Verified facts

Evidence: Bottle verified · 5 sources

Sources See something wrong? Submit a correction.

  • Not disclosed Method Undeclared

Where to buy

Package

750 ml

Typical price

$16.99 / 750 ml

Availability observations
PackageObserved listingPriceUnit price
750 mlObserved at The Zero Proof$16.99

Checked 10 Oct 2026

In stock

$16.99
Availability

The Zero Proof single-bottle listing was in stock on 2026-10-10.

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

Bottle / can
750 ml

Sources & verification

Facts checked Oct 2026 4 primary sources Method: not disclosed Conflicts: none Show details Hide details

Source links leave this site and open in a new tab.

Evidence at a glance

  • Bottle verified8 facts
  • Producer documented1 fact
  • Secondary source1 fact
  • Retailer sourced2 facts

Sources

  • Bottle / can label Bottle label

    • Nutrition
    • Package
    • Country
    • Calories
    • Sugar
    • Ingredients
    Bottle verified
    6 notes
    Nutrition
    Per 150 ml: 27 kcal, total fat <0.5 g, trans fat 0 g, carbohydrate 6.8 g, total sugars 5.3 g, protein <0.5 g. The panel’s 11% daily value beside total sugars is preserved in the photo but not interpreted.
    Package
    Made from Riesling grapes. Distributed by The Zero Proof Holdings, Inc., Atlanta, GA 30318. Lot 0201001. Best before 12/09/2027 retained verbatim because date order is unspecified. Label sensory and pairing language is producer copy, not Karl Hill’s tasting evidence.
    Country
    Physical bottle states DEALCOHOLIZED WINE FROM GERMANY.
    Calories
    Physical panel states 27 calories per 150 ml, five servings per bottle.
    Sugar
    Physical panel states 5.3 g total sugars per 150 ml but provides no added-sugars row. Earlier retailer claim of 0 g added sugar is not treated as label-verified.
    Ingredients
    Grapes, concentrated grape must, carbon dioxide, dimethyl dicarbonate, sulphites.
  • Bottle / can label cdn.shopify.com

    • Production
    • ABV
    Bottle verified
    Note
    Production
    Inspected the pictured front label; alcohol-removed wine is explicitly printed.
  • Producer thezeroproof.com

    • Availability
    Producer documented
  • Producer thezeroproof.com

    • Barcode (EAN/GTIN)
    Secondary source
  • Retail listing thezeroproof.com

    • Price
    • Volume
    Retailer sourced
    2 notes
    Price
    Current listing, not the editor's actual purchase price.
    Volume
    The Zero Proof lists 750 mL.

See something wrong? Submit a correction.

Product record history Sourced changes and open disagreements. Prior claims stay on the record when sources conflict.
  1. ReviewedReviewed and published.

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