January’s Alternative Wine of the Month – Verjuice!
Diana Groom, Tour Host
Already hitting those Dry January blues? Why not try something different and go for January’s Alternative Wine of the Month, our non-alcoholic Verjuice.
This is an exciting product for Woodchester Valley, with our first release Verjuice made from our 2024 Green Harvest which came about as a result of the less than optimal conditions of the 2024 season. The extended flowering period of the cool and wet 2024 season led to uneven ripening of some of the fruit, resulting in a green harvest of our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from some of our vineyards at Woodchester.
The green harvest is when unripe grapes are picked early in the lead up to harvest to help the remaining fruit ripen and is common practice in vineyards around the world. The grapes are picked at high acidity levels and low sugar levels and then filtered and bottled as grape juice with no fermentation. The name verjuice means 'green' juice.
It may not be alcoholic, but Verjuice is a drink with substance. It has body and packs a lot of flavour on the palate. It is delicious in a mocktail and is the perfect accompaniment for your Dry January.
In our Tasting Room, we love to put Verjuice over a proper tonic and ice with a twist of lemon. The citrus notes complement the crisp acidity of the Verjuice, while balancing out that rich depth of flavour.
With the growth of the Low and No movement, it is exciting to have an alcohol-free product in our range
Verjuice has also been used as a flavour enhancer in sauces and dishes as far back as ancient Roman times. It is experiencing a revival in the culinary world and is ideal to replace wine or lemon juice in cooking as well as being a great ingredient for cocktails & mocktails!
Verjuice can also blend seamlessly into your favourite salad dressings and marinades, or can act as your cooking stock. We recommend pairing it with freshly shaved parmesan risotto or steamed mussels with garlic toast.
We also recommend pairing it with a new booking of a vineyard tour in February to celebrate the end of Dry January. See our extensive list of tour options here and book your Valentine’s Day experience early!
With the growth of the Low and No movement, it is exciting to have an alcohol free product in our range
Check out Verjuice and some recipe recommendations here.
