ZERONIMO Wine: The First Ever 98 Point Wine To Be Dealcoholized Is Now Available In The U.S.

May 16, 2024: In partnership with Ocean Beach Brands, Heribert Bayer proudly announces the U.S. debut of ZERONIMO wine, the world’s first-ever dealcoholized 98 point rated wine. ZERONIMO offers a premium alcohol-removed red and sparkling wines that are raising industry standards and embracing innovative dealcoholization technology. The ZERONIMO brand originally debuted in Central Burgenland, Austria in July 2023.

From Katja Bernegger, second generation winemaker at Heibert Bayer, “When I looked more closely at non-alcoholic alternatives during my pregnancy, I realized that there were no options satisfying my wine palate nor did I have any stunning pairing partners for great dishes. So I thought to myself, ‘Can it be done better?’ ZERONIMO is the solution we have all been looking for - and I am very eager to introduce the wines to the US”.   

According to Joshua James, owner of Ocean Beach Brands, "Everyone knows that good NA wine in the U.S. is extremely hard to find. I made it my primary mission to find the best dealcoholized wine in the world in 2020, when I took a year off drinking and put my 22 year F&B career on hold. This family in Austria has done it!  ZERONIMO Leonis Red Blend and Sparkling White Wine is by far and away the best dealcoholized wine I have tasted in the last 4 years of actively searching”. 

Small but mighty Austria makes world class wines from Blaufrankisch and Gruner Veltliner

The family owned winery, now led by winemakers Katja Bernegger and Patrick Bayer, crafted ZERONIMO Leonis Blend from their most popular red wine, a native varietal blend of Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is aged for two years in new French oak barrels with grapes sourced from over 70-year-old vines that reach 30 meters down. Recently, this blend was awarded 98 points by Peter Moser in the Falstaff wine guide. 

The innovation behind dealcoholized wine 

When Katja and Patrick initially set out to dealcoholize the Leonis Blend, they discovered it was no easy feat. As Patrick describes, "Ultimately, with alcohol-removed wines, you have the naked truth in your glass”. Removing the alcohol concentrates the wine and deeply affects the sensory perception of acidity and other aromas. Therefore, the team leveraged a highly aromatic dealcoholization process using vacuum distillation and a patented aroma recovery method to preserve the authentic noble aromas of the wine which are: sweet dark cherry, forest floor, oak spices, and fig leaf. 

With a great product at hand, the question still remained: Are people willing to pay the price necessary to craft such a high-end non-alcoholic wine? Nine months after its launch,the answer became clear. With four ZERONIMO wines in their catalog, Heribert Bayer had to quadruple their quantities. The wine’s dry, flavor-rich, and multi-layered tasting profile appeals to AF drinkers and alcohol drinkers alike. Finally, it is the perfect option for wine lovers and those who are seeking old-world style wine that pairs exceptionally well with food. 

Feedback from U.S. leaders 

With the rising popularity of their new product, Katja and Patrick saw great potential to meet the desires of non-alcoholic drinkers and wine lovers in the US. A major proponent of this decision was Joshua James, well-renowned career bartender and owner of Ocean Beach Café - NA Bar + Bottle Shop in San Francisco. After tasting the ZERONIMO wines, he immediately knew that his mission of finding the best AF wine in the world had come to an end - and he was excited  to share it with the masses. 

Katja adds, "Joshua's passion for the AF wine category and his emotional reaction to the ZERONIMO wines have  made it clear from the start that he would be part of the ZERONIMO family. We are delighted and extremely excited to have Joshua as our U.S. partner  for ZERONIMO."

From the West Coast to the East Coast – Where to find ZERINOMO wines

In addition to Joshua's support, ZERONIMO also caught the attention of Douglas Watters and Alex Highsmith, founders of famous non-alcoholic drink shop Spirited Away in New York City.  Beginning June 1, ZERONIMO Leonis Blend 2021 and ZERONIMO Sparkling Select will be available at Spirited Away’s June Showcase in limited quantities. The shop will also host a tasting event on June 8 from 2:00-4:30 ET, where Joshua James will be presenting.

Currently, the two mentioned wines are on their way to the US. ZERONIMO Leonis Blend 2021 (375 mL: $38.00 | 750 mL: $69.40) and ZERONIMO Sparkling Select (750 mL: $39.30) are available for pre-order today at zeronimowine.com and will be available nationwide in the U.S. beginning in August. The quantities for the launch of ZERONIMO are limited. 

More info on zeronimowine.com
Wine data sheets: ZERONIMO LEONIS BLEND and ZERONIMO SPARKLING SELECT

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