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No & Low Drinks

Sommelier Edit’s No or Low Drinks Awards results are out.

Victoria Moore, chair judge and leading wine journalist, gives us the lowdown.

The world of no and low is very dynamic and, with more than one in three (37%) restaurant visits now alcohol-free, not one that any restaurant can afford to ignore. “People always ask about no and low,” says Carolina Seibel, assistant head sommelier at Petrus.

Like shoppers, diners tend to gravitate towards the non-alcoholic version of their usual drink, whether that’s beer, wine or spirits, yet the innovators in this space have a lot to offer. We were delighted to award two stars – the mark of an ‘excellent’ no/low drink – to Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Blå which is made from a blend of white, green and first flush Darjeeling teas. “The sparkling tea was one of my favourites today and could be a good option that I would think about showing to my colleagues,” said Marius Plesa, Head Sommelier of the Waterside Inn. While Harry Cooper, General Manager of Counter71 praised sparkling tea generally, “It’s elegant, it’s simple to serve, it ticks every box starting with flavour and working with every point after that.”

Jukes 1 – The Sparkling White and Jukes 8 – The Sparkling Rosé, both of which mimic the colour and appearance of sparkling wine in the glass but which are based on organic apple cider vinegar also won two stars for excellence and were praised for their fresh and nuanced flavours.

There’s no doubt that the trickiest category within no and low is still dealcoholized wine. “The biggest hindrance is the word wine,” felt the judges. “Because people expect it to taste like wine but without the alcohol and some of them don’t taste anything like we’d expect them to.” Nonetheless, flavours have improved considerably over the last few years and there are now some options that can work, particularly in a drinks reception environment.

Finally, don’t forget vermouth-style drinks: the Conviv Rosso was a star of this round of entries with one judge noting that the absence of alcohol was almost undiscernible.

Results

January, 2024
Product Name Score Producer Country Vintage
Adnams Ghost Ship Pale Ale 0.5% Bottle rating badge Adnams United Kingdom n/a
Adnams Ghost Ship Pale Ale 0.5% Bottle by Adnams (n/a)
Purchase
No & Low Drinks
Region: England
Subregion: Suffolk

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
Appealing aromas of hops and yellow citrus lead to a refreshing palate that feels a little lighter than the nose but is still appealing. A good serve for a drinks reception or bar area.
Peony Blush Naturally Fermented Sparkling Tea rating badge The REAL Drinks Co. United Kingdom 2023
Peony Blush Naturally Fermented Sparkling Tea by The REAL Drinks Co. (2023) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
Fragrant, smoky tea notes mingle with pomegranate and wild rose. On the palate, sweet red fruits are cut by the gently tannic white peony tea. Familiar flavours that are appealing and a sweetness that could match well with Asian-style plates.
Jukes 6- The Sparkling Red rating badge Jukes Cordialities United Kingdom 2022
Jukes 6- The Sparkling Red by Jukes Cordialities (2022) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A velvet-smooth crush of sweetly ripe red and black berries, with a savoury twist. Use this wine-coloured, effervescent drink as you would a Lambrusco and serve it with a charcuterie board or with desserts like raspberry and blackcurrant pavlova.
Jukes 8- The Sparkling Rose rating badge Jukes Cordialities United Kingdom 2022
Jukes 8- The Sparkling Rose by Jukes Cordialities (2022) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
Fragrant, pale pink and gently sparkling, like a frizzante, with well-integrated notes of grass, watermelon, green apple and raspberry. A good aperitif or bar serve, with appealing freshness and a sweet-sour finish from the cider vinegar base.
Not Guilty Pinot Grigio rating badge Australian Vintage Australia n/a
Not Guilty Pinot Grigio by Australian Vintage (n/a) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
An appealing, light white that retains a sense of vinosity and energy. A fragrant and floral nose leads to a citrussy drink with notes of greengage and a bright acidity. (2 stars)
Adnams Wild Wave Cider 0.5% rating badge Adnams United Kingdom n/a
Adnams Wild Wave Cider 0.5% by Adnams (n/a)
Purchase
No & Low Drinks
Region: England
Subregion: Suffolk

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
Tangy flavours of eating and sweetened cooking apples predominate but there's a subtle, savoury fermented note beneath the freshness. Good bubble persistence. A refreshing session drink that will go well with Scotch eggs or British pork dishes.
Jukes 1 – The Sparkling White rating badge Jukes Cordialities United Kingdom 2022
Jukes 1 – The Sparkling White by Jukes Cordialities (2022) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
Charming and nuanced. Beautifully integrated cider vinegar-based drink with true flavours and good depth. Looks like sparkling wine so good for those who want to fit in visually. Gentle fruit and pickle notes will pair with ceviche or smoked fish.
ZENO alcohol-liberated Sparkling Rosé NV rating badge Vinolo Ltd. Spain NV
ZENO alcohol-liberated Sparkling Rosé NV by Vinolo Ltd. (NV) No & Low Drinks
Region: Castile-La Mancha
Subregion: Villarrobledo

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
The judges were unanimous in their support for this sparkling rosé. Think rhubarb, cranberry and unripe strawberry with a hint of vinosity - and it's not over-sweet. Ideal for a large reception but would also make a good by the glass option. (1 star)

Champion Award: Best for Group Dining
Conviv Rosso rating badge Conviv Italy 2022
Conviv Rosso by Conviv (2022) No & Low Drinks
Region: Lombardia
Subregion: Milano

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
Very impressive vermouth-style drink that showcases the aromatic complexity of peels, barks and herbs that you find in the real thing. Very good depth and a silky texture. Serve cold and neat as a digestif or long with tonic with olives or tapenade.
BLÅ rating badge Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company Denmark N/A
BLÅ by Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company (0)
Purchase
No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
This sparkling tea would make a good aperitif serve to replace a glass of champagne, or sit well on a pairing menu. Complex and sophisticated, with notes of camomile, elderflower, yuzu, jasmine, hay and, of course, tea,

Champion Award: By the Glass
Nozeco Still Rosé rating badge GCF Spain N/V
Nozeco Still Rosé by GCF (N/V) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
There's a lot going on in this still rosé: a fragrance of sweet florals (reminiscent of Swizzels Parma Violets), notes of pot-pourris and candied tinned fruit. Some of the panel preferred it mixed with soda as a spritzer. Not quite a star.
Nozeco Bucks Fizz rating badge GCF Spain N/V
Nozeco Bucks Fizz by GCF (N/V) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A simple and vigorously sparkling drink with notable levels of residual sugar and very confected flavours. This might be put to use as a cocktail base.
McGuigan Zero Sauvignon Blanc rating badge Australian Vintage Australia n/a
McGuigan Zero Sauvignon Blanc by Australian Vintage (n/a) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A fresh sauvignon blanc that would work well by the glass. It's simple but attractive, with notes of river rocks, grass and yellow and green citrus.
Zeero Sangiovese rating badge Casa Emma Italy 2021
Zeero Sangiovese by Casa Emma (2021) No & Low Drinks
Region: Chianti
Subregion: Emilia Romana

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A slightly tarry nose, with notes of earth and wild berries, leads to very dry, bitter tannins.
B1654 Sparkling Chardonnay rating badge Triple Creek Winery Australia 2021
B1654 Sparkling Chardonnay by Triple Creek Winery (2021) No & Low Drinks
Region: South Australia
Subregion: Barossa Valley

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
With a touch of nougat on the nose and subtle notes of peach, butter, apple and lemon this is recognisable as a chardonnay and would pair nicely with poached salmon. (1 star)
Hand on Heart Chardonnay rating badge Miller Family Winery United States 2020
Hand on Heart Chardonnay by Miller Family Winery (2020) No & Low Drinks
Region: California

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A chardonnay that tilts for the palates of those who like deep, golden wines hung with vanilla and caramel flavours. Very strong flavours of old butter and butterscotch popcorn.
Newblood Rosé rating badge Newblood Australia NA
Newblood Rosé by Newblood (NA) No & Low Drinks
Region: Riverina

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A saline rosé that scored just below a recommendation star, but the judges found the acidity dominated the flavour.
Nozeco Peach Bellini rating badge GCF Spain N/V
Nozeco Peach Bellini by GCF (N/V) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
An intensely-coloured drink with a strong perfume of peach candy and tropical fruits and a sweet-sour tingle like Haribo tangfastics. Might work in a "bottomless brunch" style bar environment but the judges felt there are better bellini alternatives.
Nozeco Sparkling Rosé rating badge GCF Spain N/V
Nozeco Sparkling Rosé by GCF (N/V) No & Low Drinks
Region: n/a
Subregion: n/a

Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A sparkling rosé that will appeal to those who seek sweetness and a poppy style of drink. A mingle of strawberry and cherryade flavours with good overall balance. (1 star)
Nozeco Spritz rating badge GCF Spain N/V
Nozeco Spritz by GCF (N/V) No & Low Drinks
Judges’ Tasting Notes:
A good alternative to an Aperol spritz, this has subtle notes of bitter orange and a savoury finish. Neon-bright! Good for a fast-paced bar environment where it can be poured over ice and a slice of orange for a quick serve.

Other award categories

Aromatic whites

Entry Deadline: 17 January, 2025
Results Due: February, 2025
Entry Price: £149
More Details
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