CURIOUS RED: A Curious Departure for Non-Alc Curious Elixirs as They Drop ‘Sumptuous Syrah’
The Hudson Valley-made Curious Elixirs brand has established a loyal following for their non-alcoholic bottled cocktails. Packed with functional and adaptogenic ingredients, the brand typically drops one new flavor per year. This year they’ve mixed it up venturing into the wine-adjacent realm with Curious Red—a.k.a. “Sumptuous Syrah”—a deep magenta, chillable, sippable red made with California Syrah grapes, mood-boosting South African kanna, ashwagandha + passion flower. Red wine might be a stretch, but chilled it’s surprisingly good + 10 mins in, you’ll feel the relaxing effects. We’re into it. - SDP
THE MOOD: Kicking back | Pre-dinner drinks | “Wine” for your cookout/BBQ | Fourth of July
THE PICK: Curious Red by Curious Elixirs
THE PRICE: 4-pack $55 ($13.75 per bottle) or 12 pack $115 ($9.58 per bottle) + $10 off your first online order
THE BACKSTORY: Sumptuous Syrah 2026, Curious Red's first vintage, is a dry, medium-bodied nonalcoholic red wine crafted with California Syrah grapes and 24 meticulously sourced ingredients, infused with ashwagandha, kanna, and passionflower to soothe the body, open the heart, and calm the mind. — Curious Elixirs
WHY THIS ONE? One of the issues I have with non-alc drinks comes down to body and what we call “mouthfeel.” So it’s a real plus that Curious Red, crafted with California Syrah grapes, is familiarly close to a medium-bodied wine. The flavor profile is a little earthy and even a touch of vinegar at first approach, (something I equate more with a kombucha or natural wine,) but at first sip you get notes of blackberry, oak, and peppercorn and a sufficiently complex flavor profile that it doesn’t disappoint.
I tried it at room temperature but vastly prefer it chilled, the way I might reach for a chilled Lambrusco or Gragnano with a casual pizza or Italian dinner in summer. Tasting Curious Red at the Bar Convent with founder J.W. Wiseman was fun as he pointed out the ashwagandha and passionflower, known for their calming, stress-supporting vibes, and mood-boosting kanna make this an excellent sip to wind down and take the edge off at the end of the day.
GIRL DINNER OR SNACK TO PAIR: Sumptuous Syrah 2026, Curious Red's first vintage, works as a dry, medium-bodied non-alcoholic red wine you could sip on a porch this summer or pair with dinner or your cookout. Give me some kebabs, chicken or steak off the grill and a glass of this. I’d be content.
This week’s non-alc/wine rec comes to you fresh from the Bar Convent Brooklyn beverage industry trade faoir where founder Susie Davidson Powell was on a mission to find a new favorite for summer 2026. | Photo + video: SDP/The Dishing.
