Why ReWines?
Worrying about my fathers safety lead me to learning more about Alcohol Removed Wines
Watching your parents age right before your eyes is tough, but I am blessed that I get to have that opportunity. Both of my parents have always been strong, active role models who loved to volunteer and help others. For 24 years, they were on the road with The Salvation Army, volunteering to help at every disaster, including Hurricane Katrina. Nothing terrified me more than when they called in front of the Super Dome in New Orleans as I was watching the chaos on television that was going on all around them. They had no idea; indeed, one of the food trucks traveling with them got hijacked. I told them to keep driving- fortunately, they did and could be there when they were needed for over six weeks after Katrina left New Orleans in ruins.
My mother cooking up rolls from scratch in the Salvation Army Canteen
My mother loves to cook and is a magician in the kitchen. I’ve seen her whip up a hot meal for hundreds using just what donations were available. Her Vienna Sausage casserole is legendary! They were asked to stay in the French Quarter and feed the rescue workers. My Dad loves to say that he always wanted to have a restaurant in the French Quarter, and he finally got one.
Salvation Army headquarters after the hurricanes
He has always loved a glass or two of wine at the end of the day, and now that he is in his 90s (they both are), all of us have been concerned about his stability and the fall risk after drinking. I have been trying for years to find a decent-tasting substitute so that he could still have his wine with his friends without worrying as much about his balance.
The Giesen DeAlcoholized Wines at Texsom
Alcohol-free wines have been around for a while, but I never found one that tasted anything like wine - it was more grape juice in a wine bottle. To be honest, it was pretty awful and not fooling anyone. I had given up, then when I was volunteering at the Texsom Wine Conference, I spotted Giesen - an alcohol-removed wine from New Zealand. Red is the hardest wine to remove the alcohol from, so I asked to try the Giesen red, and it was good! Enough that I have started drinking it on days that I don’t want to have any alcohol. My body is much happier, and I am as well. The real test was when I took it to a birthday party my parents were at to see what they thought. They never knew the difference, and I think they might have preferred it - we went through two bottles!
My mother approved of the Giesen Wines!
So, this started me on my ReWines journey. It turns out that new technologies and lifestyle changes after COVID have made many people more curious about alcohol-removed wines and spirits, and the list of what’s available is growing daily. I found a French Red at Total Wine and More that I am really enjoying. Get ready for some nothing-held-back reviews of the wines I taste and if I think they are worth the money. You might be pleasantly surprised and try a bottle or two yourself!
Thank you to Texsom for letting me volunteer for the past nine or so years - time has flown, and the knowledge I have received from you all and the sponsors, judges, and of course, winemakers has been priceless. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me!