Wine in an Alcohol-free Future

The year 2020 has changed a lot, and  the world’s drinking habits are no exception.

Although one might have thought that numerous quarantines would drive anyone to the point of excess, it seems that consumer habits have moved in a rather unexpected direction; when it comes to booze, less has become more – or even absent altogether. In a year that’s left us figuratively high and dry, why have consumers (and producers) shifted their drinking patterns to the latter?

To answer that, we need to ask the professionals.

On the wine side of things, Freixenet released its first line of non-alcoholic sparkling wines in 2011. Kinga Schonpflug, the brand’s international marketing manager, reveals that the decision was inspired by consumer demand, which the brand discovered after running numerous research studies. “[Since 2011], the category has been growing, with 53 percent accumulated growth in the past five years according to IWSR 2019, and interest in non-alcoholic products has continuously increased,” she says.

On the on-premise side of things, the topic of non-alcoholic booze hits close to home for Miguel de Leon, beverage director at Pinch Chinese. De Leon reveals that his husband’s sobriety had always made him aware of the product gap. “”Not everyone wants a juice or a soda, and not every bar is going to have accommodations,” he explains, citing that former consumers of alcoholic products are familiar with – and often miss – the taste perceptions of tannins, bitterness, viscosity, and dryness, which are frequently absent in juice and soda-only substitutions. This desire for inclusivity inspired de Leon to expand his program and look into non-alcoholic beverages for his program.

Mixologist Chris Cardone echoes de Leon, citing that providing guests that don’t drink with similar experiences to those who do is essential. “Someone’s choice on whether or not to drink alcohol when going to a restaurant or bar shouldn’t have a huge impact on their experience, and offering a person who chooses not to drink options is so important in today’s world,” he says.

A delicate balance

At Freixenet, winemaker Yoko Sato reveals that the company uses a dealcoholization process to create their booze-free wines, meaning the wine undergoes a fermentation and vinification process, then a dealcoholization process is implemented to remove the alcohol. “[This process] is much more expensive, laborious and complicated than an [alcoholic] wine,” Soto reveals, explaining that post-vacuum dealcoholization, the wine must then be “reconstructed” to regain its aromas, tastes, and sensations.

Soto also explains that alcohol is one of the world’s best preservatives and, without its presence, production is even more meticulous. “Without alcohol, you have an extremely vulnerable product,” she says, citing that the company works at extremely low temperatures (close to 0ºC) and bottles quickly to ensure freshness and preservation. Additionally, shelf life is a challenge; contrary to alcoholic wine, dealcoholized wines’ shelf life is just two years.

“A dealcoholized wine is a very delicate and complex product with high production costs. That being said, it has great potential,” Soto says, citing new consumer reach as one of its greatest advantages, despite the logistical headaches. 

Seedlip was founded in 2015 by Ben Branson, a self-taught distiller with a strong background in farming. An interest in the art of non-alcoholic distillation, coupled with a subpar booze-free drink experience in London, led him to dive into the world of non-alcoholic spirits production. Today, Seedlip is one of the largest non-alcoholic brands on the market.

Branson notes that when Seedlip launched in 2015, the majority of bars, restaurants, hotels, and retailers were not interested in non-alcoholic products at all. However, just a few years later, things have monumentally changed. “Today, there are supermarket shelves dedicated to no and low alcohol options, bar menus dedicated to it, 100-plus products to choose from, a dynamic ecosystem of venues, communities, literature, retailers, producers, investors and societal groundswell all driving at changing what we drink,” he says. Branson notes that he doesn’t have just one target customer for Seedlip, as it can be enjoyed by every type of drinker.

“Seedlip was crafted with the cocktail experience in mind,” explains Branson, who notes that the beverage allows for the same “theater, care, and ritual of crafting a cocktail”, even when alcohol is not present. “It is fundamentally about inclusivity and good hospitality – no matter the reason or duration you’re not drinking.” Branson finds that his clients’ most common reasons for moderating alcohol include health/religious reasons, pregnancy, or designated driving. His top markets include California (Los Angeles and San Francisco), New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, and Portland.

© Tost
| More producers are offering drinks that don’t make non-drinkers feel left out.

Schonpflug cites driving, work nights, and pursuit of a more health-conscious lifestyle as major forces behind Freixenet’s clients’ choice to not drink alcohol. “Alcohol-free wine is no longer just for pregnant women and non-drinkers,” she explains. Freixenet’s top markets for their line of non-alcoholic wines include Germany, the UK, and Spain, with rapidly growing expansion in the US. Cardone has found that surprisingly, his younger clients have been the ones choosing to drink less (or not at all).

Sales patterns

After running a supplement department and smoothie bar, mixologist Jessa Talermo used her nutrition background (and love of local and seasonal ingredients) to create Amrita Beverages: Free Spirits. “My end goal with Amrita is to provide a really fresh, organic, healthy beverage that tastes amazing and also helps replace that ritual of ordering a cocktail,” she explains. Talermo notes that she has consistently had as much business with her non-alcoholic beverages as she has for beverages with alcohol.

Additionally, Talermo finds that the pandemic has also caused people to shift to non-alcoholic options. “I believe people are finally waking up to how important it is to care for yourself in a really deep and meaningful way,” she says. “I have had more clients request AB: Free Spirits as a way to make their cocktailing healthier or their ritual more substantial.”

De Leon notes that the sales patterns for non-alcoholic products are pretty come and go in New York, though certain times of year (de Leon cites Dry January and Sober Summer) remain strong. Like Talermo, Branson notes that “societal shifts” are forcing a recalibration of consumers’ relationship with alcohol. “In turn, elevated non-alcoholic options have never been more in-demand, as people are increasingly more mindful of their health and well being, and closely monitoring the kind of food and drink they consume,” he says. Branson finds that the increased interest in non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails has been a “gradual yet sustained climb”, and the desire for these products are moving far beyond simple Dry January resolutions.

Into the future

Schonpflug is confident that non-alcoholic drinks are here to stay. “The global non-alcoholic wine market is expected to grow, as low and non-alcoholic wine is increasingly popular, primarily driven by the health conscious millennials making up 25 percent of the current population,” she says. Additionally, Schonpflug cites large boosts in popularity in countries where alcohol is banned (Egypt, Iran, Libya, etc.). Branson finds that the rise in moderate and health-conscious lifestyle choices will continue to cause the category to expand, and “hopefully with only more high-quality options”.

Talermo agrees that what’s happening in the non-alcoholic sector is just the beginning, and also hopes that it will improve tenfold. “There are some really great products on the market right now, but not that many that really blow your mind,” she says, citing a void that only time can correct. “I believe that talented [bartenders/producers] will be able to create real magic.”. In the interim, she suggests how you like to eat and drink outside of alcohol, then following those similar guidelines to find great booze-free options. “If you like simple and clean, stick with simple and clean. If you are more adventurous, you can get experimental.”

Talermo notes that it’s imperative to pay attention to ingredients, as some products “look cool and might taste great, but the ingredients are subpar.”.

However, Cardone is not as persuaded, though mostly in the realm of specific brands and products. “It’s hard to say. Tastes change so quickly, and new ideas keep coming out. Who knows what other options non drinkers will come up with in the near future?”

Like Talermo, de Leon is also convinced that alcohol-free is here to stay. “Of course there’s a future for items like these. They help us redefine our relationship to substances like alcohol, and allow us to shift the needle culturally so that bars and restaurants become judgment-free spaces,” he says. De Leon hopes that the comparisons [with alcoholic beverages] will stop, and that the non-alcoholic space can claim something of their own.

“A few colleagues and I are throwing around the idea of AF: alcohol-free, but still fun AF.”