As a young adult moving to the San Francisco Bay area, I learned wine from the tasting rooms of Napa Valley. From the start I learned Merlot would trigger a migraine, so I stuck to Cabernet for twenty years. Then Cabernet, even in the smallest amounts, became a guaranteed instant nap followed by a hangover headache. Lately I've limited myself to Italian wines; I've been told the difference has something to do with histamines. Whatever it is, that's the thing I'm sensitive to in New World wines.
But it feels weird to be critical of the wine when the family is sharing a bottle, which is most often Cabernet. And I do love a good Cabernet. So I play games of pre-hydrating, aerating for 30 minutes, and drinking the smallest glass. It's a dice roll with unpredictable results, mostly fails.
This sachet gave Cabernet back to me. I placed the sachet in the glass, set my timer, and swirled it off and on for five minutes. The wine needed time to open up anyway. Then I retrieved the sachet and set it aside on a tea rest before sipping. The wine now had a smoother, more refined texture while keeping the expected taste spot on. I repeated the process for a *gasp* second glass, following directions and swirling for ten minutes this time. Not only did I not require an instant nap, but I awoke the next morning with zero reminders of my indulgence.
Due to my own sensibilities, I am not ready to pull one out at the restaurant, but ALKAA lets me enjoy sharing a bottle with the family without having to ask like a bougie snob, "Is it Italian?"
PS: I also tried the sachet with whiskey and had the same result. I am overjoyed.