About This Drink
IYLIA is a Spanish brand positioning itself at the premium end of the alcohol-free market, and this Sparkling White is built on Muscat — a grape that survives dealcoholisation better than most because its aromatic intensity does a lot of the heavy lifting where alcohol would otherwise add weight. The result is a wine that leads with the nose: peach blossom, orange flower, a suggestion of honeyed sweetness. It is unmistakably Muscat from the first sniff. In the glass, it is pale gold with a lively stream of fine bubbles. The palate is lighter than the nose promises — citrus, tropical fruit, a restrained effervescence — and the sweetness reads as floral rather than confected. There is not much body here, but that is true of most dealcoholised sparkling whites; what IYLIA gets right is the balance, keeping the acidity present enough to stop it feeling flat or cloying. Vegan, gluten-free, and with no added preservatives. The brand sells primarily in the US market for now, with UK availability listed as coming soon at the time of writing. If you are after something for a celebration that does not want to read as an obvious soft-drink substitute, this holds its own in a flute reasonably well.






