Has anyone found a decent replacement for red wine?

[Teacherteachernotapreacher]

I’ve been not drinking since April. I’m doing ok.
but currently - and I imagine it’ll get worse coming up to Christmas - I really really want red wine. I want that depth of flavour and warmth to a drink. I associate it loads with winter and being cosy
anyone found a decent replacement?
I don’t like sweet things like hot chocolate etc

Yes! Dealcoholised, not alcohol free. Big distinction. I quite like the natureo red from waitrose. Waitrose usually has a couple of dealcoholised wines. They're better because they're wine which has had the alcohol burnt off. All the antioxidant benefits, none of the horrible drug.

When I was pregnant I enjoyed Alcohol free mulled wine. But not normal red wine.

I tend to avoid them, though I did recently have a de-alcoholised white wine by Cognato, which was nice, so I'd be more inclined to try their red - can't personally vouch for it though!

What does de alcoholised mean? Alcohol level like ginger beer? Am intrigued!
hadnt thought of mulled wine as a non alco one but that’s a great idea too thanks

Basically they brew the drink as they normally would, and then they remove the alcohol (I don't know how - gentle heating would make sense, but they might not do that on an industrial level). The result is anywhere from 0% to 0.5% (which matches ripe fruit etc.), but having been made like the conventional drink, it kind of tastes closer but without the drug itself. Less sugary, fake tasting, and it has the rest of the fermented components etc.

I personally wouldn't touch an AF alternative incase it triggered me to have the real thing, AF doesn't have that warm feeling real alcohol has. I recommend a cup of ginger tea. It's warm, slightly spicy and definitely relaxing x

And for a balanced picture, I have AF regularly [not nightly, and when I do I am not inspired to consume anymore than a serving or two, unlikely when I actually had alcohol].

I enjoy the taste of the drinks and no triggering at all - actually quite the opposite! I've seen off a few cravings on occasion.

@Teacherteachernotapreacher - I like this - it’s a woody, gingery taste which gives that warm glow - I sip it over ice but it’s also nice as a long drink with tonic water. It’s only online - three spirit. They do wines too but I’ve not tried them.

The best non alcohol drink I've ever had was a hot, spicy drink, a bit like a hot toddy/mulled wine that was served at the end of a meal in Dubai. I've no idea how to make one but maybe someone from Dubai will be along soon to share a recipe with us.

Yes that’s definitely a possibility and red wine was a really big drink of mine. This is a very good point.

Liking the spicy idea - I think it’s that taste I really want. White wine has never hit the spot when I did drink. Always the red in the evening

There are some nice non-caffiene chais eg on a rooibosch base, with things like cardamom in. They are very winter- eveningy imo