Hojicha is a roasted Japanese green tea, developed in Kyoto in the 1920s from leftover tea stems and twigs. The roasting process transforms the grassy, vegetal character of green tea into something earthier and more complex — woody, with notes of roasted hazelnut and a delicate smokiness. Saicho cold-brew their hojicha and then carbonate it with added CO2, using a small amount of white grape juice from concentrate to round off the dryness. The result is genuinely unusual in the sparkling tea category. It's not trying to replicate Champagne — it does something different. The umami depth and the dry woody tannins are specifically tea-like, and the nori seaweed note that emerges on the palate will either intrigue or unsettle depending on your taste. For people who love fine tea, aged sake, or dry natural wines, this is likely to land well. At 18 kcal and 2.8g sugar per 100ml, it's among the lightest options in the sparkling wine alternative category. Available at Harrods and various independent wine merchants.