A get-together, a glass of fruit juice in hand, and everyone at the table holding wine. That scene now has a serious alternative. For this Sparks I sit down with Fleur of de Fruitslagers, the makers of Cul Sec: a Dutch alcohol-free drink that approaches the complexity of a natural wine without the alcohol. We open two bottles together, L’étable Fumé and Rouge en Voiture, and take apart how they are made.
Regenerative roots
De Fruitslagers work out of their Roze Bunker. Alongside Cul Sec they make syrups, alcohol-free spirits and condiments. Their approach reaches beyond drinks. They work with regenerative farmers who supply ingredients from ecosystems they build up rather than deplete. That choice gives every bottle a second layer of meaning next to the flavour.
Fleur explains the starting point was never imitation. The goal is a drink that stands on its own at the dinner table, not a wine that happens to be missing its alcohol.
How Cul Sec is built
Dealcoholized wine loses flavour when the alcohol is removed. Cul Sec solves that differently. Instead of dealcoholizing, it builds complexity from the ground up. The base is organic grape juice: Pecorino for the orange, Sangiovese for the red. Water-based herbal and botanical infusions follow.
Then comes a slow fermentation with kombucha and kefir cultures. Finally, small amounts of tinctures go in, just under 0.5 percent alcohol. These bring back the volatile aromatic compounds that alcohol normally carries. A light effervescence keeps the palate alive.
In the glass
L’étable Fumé, the orange, stands out for its cloudy look and floating plant particles. The nose brings dried herbs, white tea and jasmine. On the palate there is a gentian bitterness, subtle pear and the herbal lift of alfalfa and verbena. The light effervescence adds a pleasant liveliness in the mouth.
Rouge en Voiture, the red, shows smoke, hibiscus and red berries on the nose. The most striking part is the real tannin structure. That drying sensation you recognize from classic red wines. Cacao, vanilla and peppery notes add layers. The fermentation with kefir and kombucha gives a depth you rarely meet in alcohol-free.
At the table
L’étable Fumé works as an aperitif. Rouge en Voiture holds its own against pasta or Asian food. The structure is there, and restaurants now pour Cul Sec in their pairing menus alongside the wine options, not after them.
Cul Sec costs around 15 euros per bottle. A fairly priced alternative in a category where the choice usually stops at juice or soda water. For a mindful evening, or simply a weeknight, it is something to talk about.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is Cul Sec? Cul Sec is an alcohol-free drink by the Dutch makers de Fruitslagers that approaches the complexity of natural wine. Instead of dealcoholizing wine, the flavour is built from the ground up with organic grape juice, botanical infusions and a slow fermentation using kombucha and kefir cultures.
Is Cul Sec the same as dealcoholized wine? No. Dealcoholized wine starts from existing wine and strips out the alcohol, which costs flavour. Cul Sec contains no dealcoholized wine but builds its own profile, using tinctures just under 0.5 percent alcohol to bring back volatile aromas.
Which varieties are there? Two in this episode: L’étable Fumé, an orange based on Pecorino grape juice, and Rouge en Voiture, a red based on Sangiovese with a real tannin structure.
Where can I find Cul Sec? Through de Fruitslagers and the Roze Bunker, at around 15 euros per bottle. More information is at fruitslagers.nl/culsec
Listen on your own podcast platform
Prefer Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Overcast or another app? Search for Sparks by VinoVonk in your podcast app and you will find this episode with Fleur on Cul Sec.
More about de Fruitslagers
Cul Sec and the full range from de Fruitslagers: fruitslagers.nl/culsec
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