You've Got To Taste This

I love the conviviality a couple bottles of wine brings to a dinner party, or the way a glass of champagne brightens a summer wedding — but sometimes vino just doesn't cut it. Maybe you're pregnant. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Or maybe you're on medication that makes you go wa-wa if you chase it with anything alcoholic. Or maybe, like me, downing a glass of wine has the following effect: you turn bright red, start itching, and experience an uncontrollable desire to fall fast asleep.

There are a couple reliable alternatives. Cranberry and seltzer. Cola. A glass of water. But far, far better is Vignette, a fancy new soda made from wine grapes. You know, grapes like pinot noir, chardonnay, and so on, except instead of turning said grapes into wine, the folks at Vignette stop at the juice stage and add a little sparkle. The little bottles are so adorable you almost worry that they'll look better than they taste, but one sip and you'll roll your eyes back in your head and make like an Herbal Essences commercial. Really.

The Pinot Noir's got a rich, grapey flavor that hints of dark cherry, while the Chardonnay is light and crisp on the palate, with just a suggestion of grapefruit (ie. not like it's namesake wine at all, but appealing nonetheless). My favorite flavor, however, just might be the Rosé, whose subtle floral-strawberry aroma made me want to tip my head back and guzzle. Do any of you know of other drinks that are so good you don't miss the alcohol?