Luann de Lesseps Talks New Non-Alcoholic Rosé and Her Sobriety Journey: 'I've Grown So Much'

The Real Housewives of New York City star tells PEOPLE exclusively her alcohol-free Fosé Rosé brand "was born out of my own necessity"

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Photo: Ezequiel de la Rosa

Luann de Lesseps has a new drink of choice — and it's completely alcohol-free!

While committed to her sobriety journey, the 56-year-old Real Housewives of New York City star found it challenging to find good mocktails. She eventually took matters into her own hands, creating her non-alcoholic Fosé Rosé brand.

"This was born out of my own necessity, needing something to drink with my daughter [Victoria de Lesseps] because we don't drink," de Lesseps tells PEOPLE exclusively of her beverage line, out Dec. 6. "We looked for something over the summer during COVID, a lot of people were drinking a lot, which was fine, cheers to you. But I couldn't find anything that I really wanted to drink that didn't have a lot of calories. At that time we weren't even going out, but [normally] you're at the mercy basically of the mocktail person at the bar. And usually, it's full of sugar. You don't know what you're getting."

De Lesseps "wanted to make something that was like rosé, that tasted like rosé, that is an elevated sparkling rosé but without alcohol," she says.

And just like that, the "Money Can't Buy You Class" singer's "beautiful" Fosé Rosé was born.

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Ezequiel de la Rosa

"It's low calorie, it's delicious, it has euphorics that make you feel good. It's amazing," she says. "I'm thrilled to bring this to the market because I feel like there's a void for something like this in the market."

According to de Lesseps, nobody can taste "the difference" between her alcohol-free beverage and a standard rosé. "That's what I love about it. This really is the closest you can get to a rosé, without actually drinking rosé," she says.

To get the product just right, de Lesseps reveals she "perfected the taste" over a year and eventually got it to the calorie level she desired.

"I'm working with Kin Euphorics, who are actually making the juice," she continues. "[It's] a very established brand and I'm thrilled to be working with a great partner like that and bring this to market."

A portion of the proceeds will go to The Fortune Society, a non-profit organization supporting formerly incarcerated individuals.

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Ezequiel de la Rosa

The Bravo vet's latest endeavor comes amid her continued sobriety journey.

As longtime fans may know, de Lesseps' battle with addiction first made headlines following her 2017 arrest on charges of battery, trespassing and disorderly intoxication. She voluntarily entered an alcohol treatment center thereafter.

De Lesseps entered rehab again in 2018, but she resumed drinking the following year after completing her probation requirements. She eventually quit amid the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn't looked back.

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Now, de Lesseps is "in a great place" with her sobriety as she continues to lean on loved ones for support.

"My daughter is one of my biggest supporters. I have a lot of friends and my family. It's been an incredible journey," she says. "I've grown so much, and I feel like I'm finally in a great place. It's day by day. That's all we can do, right?"

Fosé Rosé is available on Dec. 6 through the brand's official website.

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