Sandford Orchards make Red Zero by fermenting cider properly from heritage Devon apples, then removing the alcohol rather than just pressing juice and carbonating it. That process matters: the tannin structure and orchard character that Dabinett and Farmers Glory bring to full-strength cider doesn't disappear when the alcohol comes out. The result pours a warm clear gold. There's genuine apple on the nose, ripe and slightly caramelised rather than the thin, watery impression some dealcoholised ciders give. On the palate the sweetness is present but not cloying, and the Dabinett tannin gives it a little grip that keeps it from tasting like posh squash. The finish is clean, with the sweetness fading before the apple character does. For a category where thin and unremarkable is the norm, this punches above it. The cider drinker in your group is more likely to be satisfied here than with most AF options.