Credit:
Reviewed / Tim Renzi
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Avaline
Pros
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Clean, transparent ingredients
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Easy to find in stores
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Money-saving subscription option
Cons
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Sparkling wine lacks depth
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Not all wines available for subscription
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It doesn't look like the healthy wine trend is going away any time soon. With its minimal ingredients, organic grapes, and unique flavor profiles, more folks are making the switch to consuming better-for-you bottles.
And celebrities are not missing out on the fun. Cameron Diaz, along with business partner and friend Katherine Power (founder of fashion site Who What Wear), founded Avaline in 2020 (back when we could all use an extra glass). Both new to the alcohol industry, they set out to produce wine that promised organic grapes, clean ingredients, and accessibility to all.
So what is "clean" wine, really? And is it worth buying for your dinner parties and solo indulgences? We gave Avaline wine a try to find out.
What is Avaline?
Avaline was co-founded by Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power, who both wanted their own healthier wine alternatives.
Diaz and Power decided to launch this brand after realizing that most wine bottles don't offer much transparency when it comes to ingredient labels, since wine isn't regulated by the FDA.
The co-founders wanted to create a wine brand that offers peace of mind, with ingredients that are as clean as the food they eat and household products they use—without being difficult to find in stores.
Avaline offers a variety of different wines, from reds like Merlot and Syrah to whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier, plus rosé and sparkling bottles.
Every product is made from organic grapes and free from additives like sugars and colors. Sulfites are kept to a minimum—under 100 parts per million—and all wine ingredients are approved by the National Organic Program, steering clear of common questionable ingredients.
But Avaline doesn't label itself as natural wine, per se. Although that term's definition varies depending on who you ask, natural wine typically undergoes spontaneous fermentation (i.e. using native yeasts instead of store-bought), avoids added sulfites, and often forgoes filtering—which results in a cloudier bottle. (More on natural wine details here.)
What we like about Avaline Wine
We enjoyed sipping the red and white Avaline varieties during testing.
The clean, transparent ingredients
Learning about the lack of FDA regulations in wine while we tested Avaline was definitely a shock. It can be unsettling to know that your go-to weekend glass of vino might be riddled with unrecognizable additives, especially if you try to be mindful when shopping for things like healthy snacks and clean laundry detergent.
Avaline wines go back to the basics, sticking to bare-bones, organic ingredients that offer you peace of mind while you're unwinding at the end of a long day.
The reds and whites are tasty
During testing, we tried six Avaline wine bottles: the white blend, red blend, rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and sparkling wine.
We found the red and white bottles to stand out the most. The Sauvignon Blanc is very drinkable, with a fuller body than many we’ve encountered in the past. As the description states, it's on the dry side with citrus notes, which makes it sippable and not too sweet.
The white blend is crisp and light with subtle floral notes, a great pairing for a seafood dish or crisp salad.
The Cabernet Sauvignon has a lighter body than other Cabs that we're used to, but it's still tasty—especially when paired with dishes like chicken, roasted veggies, and pizza. The red blend has a similar lightness to it, with fruity notes from the featured Syrah grapes.
There's a money-saving subscription option
While you may be excited about trying additive-free wine, you may not be excited about paying more than your standard cheap bottle from the grocery store. Luckily, Avaline offers wine subscriptions that can save you money and automatically ship preferred bottles right to your door.
The subscription program offers a 15% discount and free shipping on every case of wine, which can reduce bottles to as little as $20 each. Subscribers can then choose to have bottles delivered every one, two, or three months, and can easily skip or delay shipments along the way if plans change.
Subscribers also have first-access to any new releases from Avaline, and can expect to receive free gifts from the brand throughout the year.
It's easy to find in stores
Unlike a lot of organic wines with an online subscription, these don't require shipping rates and wait times before you can pop open a cork.
Avaline wines are available in retail stores in 47 states across the country, and the site offers an easy-to-navigate store locator so that you can plan your wine shopping trip accordingly.
What we don't like
The sparkling Avaline wine lacked a certain mouthfeel we were looking for.
The sparkling wine lacks depth
Unfortunately, Avaline's sparkling variety didn't wow us.
Although the bottle pours very bubbly, it doesn't have that key effervescent mouthfeel that we expect from a prosecco or cava. While the flavor mimics a dry champagne, it lacks some depth.
That said, if this bottle is already part of an Avaline set or subscription box, we don't think it's a total wash. It would be a great match for mimosas and bellinis, or for sipping on a summer afternoon when you’re not looking for anything too forward.
Not all wines are eligible for subscription
If you fall in love with one of Avaline's specialized wines—like the Merlot or Grenache Blanc—don't expect to see it arrive monthly at your doorstep. Currently, the only bottles available for subscription are the white, red, Cabernet Sauvignon, rosé, and sparkling.
The other wines that are currently offered on the site—including Syrah, Penedès Tinto, Bobal, and Viognier—are not eligible for the subscription. And you won't find these in stores, either: They're online exclusives.
Should you buy Avaline Wine?
The lack of potentially harmful additives in Avaline wines make it a great choice for health-conscious sippers.
Yes, if you care about the ingredients in your vino!
If you're mindful about avoiding additives when it comes to everyday meals and skincare, it only makes sense to carry that ethos to your drinking habits, too.
Avaline wines offer peace-of-mind in every bottle, plus the convenience of choosing between shopping in-person, online, or through a regular subscription. And they taste great, so you can feel confident bringing them along to your next dinner party with friends.
If you're looking for more traditional "natural wines," check Mysa for a wider selection of bottles from small growers that use low-intervention farming, organic grapes, and native fermentation.
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