Anti-alcohol movements in this country have been with us for decades. Some historians say they may stem from religious movements dating back to the days before this was a nation.

The late Yale University sociologist Dr. David Musto wrote a scientific analysis of prohibition movements about 30 years ago. In it, he said that anti-booze campaigns are regularly resurrected every generation.

One particularly virulent one occurred just prior to the start of the Civil War. It was so boisterous and widespread that former President Abraham Lincoln even gave speeches about it.

Several of the foes of alcohol in any form wanted to ban it completely. In one of Lincoln's speeches, he opposed banning all alcohol, saying at one point that complete prohibition "would do harm to the forces of temperance."

Indeed, that exact situation occurred after this country instituted complete prohibition in 1919. Because it was made illegal, it created a backlash. The speakeasy was one of the most popular date-night festivities of the 1920s. Alcoholism was rampant.

The current situation in which several groups are demonizing all alcoholic beverages doesn't surprise me. I have been through this sort of assault on alcohol before. Such movements normally die of their own ennui — and facts.

Such as: The number one killer of Americans is heart disease, and medical science has shown that regular daily moderate consumption of a glass of wine with meals lowers the risk of heart disease by well over 25%.

The good news is that the wine industry has been actively responding to consumer requests for lower-alcohol products. And I found one recently that is perfect for the anti-alcohol forces.

Before getting to that, however, a quick look at why previous examples of alcohol-free wine have thus far been a relative failure.

Traditional table wine is defined as the result of the fermentation of grape juice. During normal fermentation, the sugar in grape juice is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide; the latter is unnecessary to a wine's aroma and flavor.

But what is essential to wine's aroma and flavor is the alcohol. There have been numerous efforts to create a wine with no alcohol, but every effort thus far has suffered because wine lovers dislike the aroma and taste.

The best example that has ever been produced has just been released by a Napa Valley company, Trinchero Family Wines. It is called Luminara. Two reds and a white constitute the entire lineup. A chardonnay, a red blend, and a cabernet sell for $20 each.

I find the wines, which contain small amounts of real grape juice, to be fascinating.

I poured the 2023 Luminara Cabernet for two professional wine judges. Neither knew the wine had zero alcohol. Their reaction was interesting. Both liked it, but couldn't identify the grape variety. One thought it was somewhat tasty with good structure.

And both were surprised when I revealed that it had no alcohol at all. I don't consider it to be a great substitute for serious table wine, but it certainly was satisfactory.

And it has a secondary use. Later that day, I conducted a test. I opened a bottle of a Napa Valley Cabernet that I knew had 15.5% alcohol. I didn't like it very much — the alcohol was simply too high.

But when I poured 5 ounces of that wine and added about one ounce of Luminara, the blend was excellent. I'm guessing that the mixture had about 13% alcohol. It was certainly more attractive than the full-alcohol wine was all by itself, and also better than when I added an equal amount of water.

Luminara wines are definitely worth a try. You can learn more about them by visiting their website at luminarawines.com.

Dan Berger lives in Sonoma County, California, where he publishes "Vintage Experiences," a weekly wine newsletter. Write to him at winenut@gmail.com. To find out more about Dan Berger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

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