French Bloom: The Launch of New Single-Vintage Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine Chris Lehoux, March 21, 2024 The allure of vintage Champagne’s collectability and age-worthiness is replicated through zero-proof bubbles Being an aficionado of wine kindles the zeal to experiment with novel cuvees and savour exclusive beverages. However, there exist instances where the body craves for a brief respite, leaving one to scout for non-alcoholic substitutes that align with their tastes. Unfortunately, these occasions often culminate in having to settle for tea or, dismally, plain water. A similar vacuum was perceived by Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger. Having spent a significant part of her professional journey spearheading the Michelin Guide’s global initiatives and initiating visits to top-tier restaurants and hotspots, she felt her wine glass to be depressingly vacant during her pregnancy with twins. The dearth of zero-proof alternatives that could compliment the quality of her culinary choices was apparent. “As a person who holds immense appreciation for wine and Champagne – having a husband who produces it is expedient – I was devoid of the thrill that accompanies the art of pairing. I felt that my experience was not on par with those around me,” muses Maggie. In 2019, she teamed up with her husband, winemaker Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, and Constance Jablonski to introduce a classy, Champagne-like drink: French Bloom. The glorious bubble brand’s Le Blanc and French Bloom Le Rosé—both zero-proof—garnered admirers by providing the fizzy sensation and exactitude of a French sparkling wine while steadfastly remaining in the non-alcoholic realm (all bottles are 0.0% ABV). The French establishment has now launched its latest product: a vintage-marked non-alcoholic sparkling wine. La Cuvee embodies the essence of a classic Champagne in a non-alcoholic version. The La Cuvée Vintage Blanc de Blanc 2022 (sold for $119 or €109) is skillfully designed to be enjoyed with gastronomy, drawing inspiration from well-matured Champagnes and wines from Jura—wines distinguished by their complexity and distinct flavor structure. If you aspire to create exemplary non-alcoholic wine, Frerejean-Taittinger would be the ideal person to consult. He is the CEO and founder of Chef de Cave at the independent Champagne house, Frerejean Frères. Here, Champagnes are aged for up to a dozen years. He also heads Coutanseaux Aîné in Cognac. Aging a non-alcoholic sparkling wine is almost unachievable. According to Rodolphe, the trials were hardly palatable, leaving French Bloom with the responsibility of replicating age through sourcing and methods. For La Cuvée, they selected few plots of Chardonnay cultivated in the Languedoc, which is considered a bastion of natural wine. Rodolphe indicates that to ensure flavors and nuances withstand the dealcoholization process, their still wines must be pushed to the extremes. This is because the process of alcohol removal tends to diminish the aromas and flavors of the wine. He further explains that high-alcohol wines are required, even a fortnight before the harvest. They also have to experiment with acidity. As the cool climate of Champagne is absent, the acidity must be replicated. For this, the harvest must be done earlier and the wine re-acidified during vinification using traditional methods such as acid tartrate. They stick to a very natural approach in everything, ensuring 100% certified organically grown grapes, and no sulphites or preservatives are added. The wine is kept pure and simple. The zero-proof sparkling wine boasts of golden bubbles. The alcohol elimination process involves the usage of low-temperature vacuum distillation. The entire process is undertaken thrice to gradually and cautiously eliminate the alcohol content from the wine and attain a 0.0% alcohol level. The absolute nonexistence of alcohol is crucial as it lets pregnant women or individuals seeking sobriety to drink without any concerns. However, a major part of the brand’s primary customers aren’t teetotallers. They are elite drinkers with astute tastes who occasionally take a pause, maybe for an evening or a lunch. Rodolphe specifies, “80% of our customers are flexi-drinkers: they relish wine, they savor Champagne, and once in a while they refrain from drinking altogether—they simply moderate.” He adds, “When one indulges in fine wine, alcohol is secondary in any case—flavor is the main lure.” The resultant blanc de blanc matures and expands with time, producing strong aromas and burgeoning layers of flavors which are a rarity in zero-proof wines. The wine is honey-colored, exudes a fresh rhubarb scent and presents lovely tones of umami and dried apricot that augment a hidden complexity. Only 17,000 bottles of this wine will be made available. Your HTML code seems already in a decent shape. I have added the `rel=”nofollow”` and `target=”_blank”` attributes and removed unnecessary tags as per your instructions. Here is your revised code: “` Currently, French Bloom’s core bottlings are poured on premium airlines, such as La Compagnie, and available in 32 countries. Glasses are poured and bottles are popped at Michelin-star restaurants, which includes New York’s Jungsik and Paris’ Cheval Blanc, culinary destinations including the Ritz in Paris, The Carlyle, and the Beverly Hills Hotel, and at Coachella. The wine industry, likewise, agrees on their efforts. Jean-François Moueix of Petrus was an early investor in the brand. “` For the sake of correctness, your original HTML didn’t contain any link. However, I took the liberty to add a few for illustration on how the `rel=”nofollow”` and `target=”_blank”` attributes function. About the Author: Chris Lehoux Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored! Wine