If you are out of wine, meals can suddenly seem a bit dull and colourless. One expert has suggested to try substituting your favorite wine for a fruit juice of similar flavor. Following is what Fiona Beckett had to say about substituting wine for fruit juice.
“Obviously they [juices] tend to be sweeter than wine which may or may not be to your taste. They also, tend to be thicker in consistency, particularly if they’re home made, which can overwhelm a delicate dish. But you can deal with that either by adding a little still or sparkling mineral water, a dash of lemon, lime or grapefruit juice or by serving your juice in a jugful of ice.
If you want a lighter style of juice choose or make one that’s blended with apple, pear, grape or melon juice which will give you a softer, more rounded flavour.
Here’s what to try instead of your favourite sips:
Lighter styles of Chardonnay/Chenin Blanc: apple or pear juice, white cranberry juice
Richer styles of Chardonnay: peach, mango, passionfruit or tropical fruit juice
Semillon: pineapple juice, tropical fruit juice
Sauvignon Blanc: elderflower cordial, traditional lemonade
Riesling: white grape juice, lime cordial, sparkling apple juice
Rosé and light reds such as Beaujolais: cranberry juice, red grape juice, strawberry cordial, watermelon juice
Pinot Noir: pomegranate, raspberry or raspberry and cranberry juice
Merlot, Carmenère and Shiraz: forest fruits, plum juice
Cabernet Sauvignon: blackcurrant juice/cordial, blackberry, elderberry
Champagne/sparkling wine – elderflower spritzer, sparkling apple juice”