What to Sip When You're Staying Sober

"Saicho sparkling teas are what I serve friends at home who aren't drinking - no other brand does a better job of translating the taste of the leaf. "We believe that tea is to be revered and celebrated as a cornerstone of culture and tradition," says Natalie Winkworth-Smith, who founded the company with her husband Charlie after growing frustrated by the non-alc options in fine-dining restaurants."

"Saicho uses the gentle method of cold-infusion, which helps preserve the delicacy and fragrance of their single-origin leaves. The core range includes a Jasmine tea (which makes a great alternative to champagne), a Darjeeling and a roasty Hojicha. The latter two, in particular, are very good with food. New to the range is also Osmanthus, which is brewed from oolong scented with osmanthus blossoms, a technique which imbues the final sparkling tea with a wonderful honeyed perfume. The finish, though, is dry and finely tannic."

"Saicho also releases the occasional limited edition made from super high-end tea: the most recent was the excellent Sixty Stone Mountain, which starred a rare black tea from a single plot in Taiwan. This good-looking bottle would be one to give as a present or take to a dinner party. (Caffeine content varies by style, but a single 125ml (4.4oz) glass of Saicho contains a maximum of 22.5mg, or less than half what you'd find in a cup of coffee.)"

Sparkling non-alcoholic wines often outperform still ones, with Beau Viva sparkling rosé singled out as a strong example. Sparkling teas can deliver provenance, complexity and structure comparable to alcoholic fizz, making them a sophisticated teetotal option. Saicho sparkling teas employ cold-infusion to preserve the delicacy and fragrance of single-origin leaves. The core range features Jasmine, Darjeeling and roasty Hojicha, while Osmanthus oolong adds a honeyed perfume with a dry, finely tannic finish. Occasional limited editions like Sixty Stone Mountain showcase rare single-plot teas. Saicho bottles are lightly sweetened with grape juice for balance and contain modest caffeine levels.

Read at Elite Traveler