In the almost nine (!) years since we swung the doors open, we’ve seen the world of non-alc wine alternatives soar from strength to strength. With the arrival of Bynomeans – a trio of zero-ABV botanical tisanes – there’s now another worthy entry to the canon. The seeds for the project were planted at Yellow, Sydney’s feted plant-based fine diner in Potts Point, where founder Tim Grimes tinkered with all manner of teas, fruits, herbs, spices, vinegars and fungi to create food-friendly drinks that sacrifice nothing in the way of intricacy.
Make no mistake – these aren’t trying to replace or replicate wine, but they’re drinks of undeniable interest, with aromatics and requisite texture to burn. The Pinot Gris hall all the structure of white tea and kombu, with verjus adding prickly acidity and peaches, thyme and curry leaves sculpting the perfume. To channel the Provençal palate in the Rosé, meanwhile, Grimes used banana skins for oiliness, along with strawberries, rose petals and cloves; the result is a rounder, somewhat reductive fruit profile that goes great guns with just about any seafood dish around.
Lastly, there’s a Pinot Noir that calls mainly on cranberries and fig molasses for the primary notes, then builds around those with cabernet vinegar, porcini mushrooms and vanilla for thwacks of acid, umami and oak. Straight to the Esky!
Thursday night, February 26, Tim will be slinging samples of these beauties at Newtown HQ between 5-7pm. A perfect, guilt-free, post-work pick-me-up, indeed.