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	1	Adnams	United Kingdom	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	2	The REAL Drinks Co.	United Kingdom	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	1	Jukes Cordialities	United Kingdom	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	2	Jukes Cordialities	United Kingdom	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	2	Australian Vintage	Australia	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%	1	Adnams	United Kingdom	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	2	Jukes Cordialities	United Kingdom	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	1	Vinolo Ltd.	Spain	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	2	Conviv	Italy	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	2	Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company	Denmark	N/A
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	0	GCF	Spain	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	0	GCF	Spain	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	1	Australian Vintage	Australia	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	0	Casa Emma	Italy	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	1	Triple Creek Winery	Australia	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	0	Miller Family Winery	United States	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	0	Newblood	Australia	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	0	GCF	Spain	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	1	GCF	Spain	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	1	GCF	Spain	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.