(not a) wine list

In honour of the end of this month I have put together a list of non-alcoholic drinks that I would happily serve myself or others. The non alcoholic space is absolutely booming which is fantastic for so many reasons but it does make it harder to navigate what is actually good or what is worth the money, especially when alot of it doesn’t come cheap. 

I have probably mentioned before that I prefer a non alcoholic drink that doesn’t try to be something its not - mainly I am referring non alcoholic ‘wines’. Maybe one day our technology will get there but alcohol removed wines are not there yet. They are so unbelievably sweet, there is no depth of flavour and any bitterness that helps lift them is gone. I can really see why wine alternatives have exploded so much as I can’t imagine wanting to launch a beautiful brand like NON and have anyone align them with the alcohol removed wines you see in the supermarkets. 

It is because of this that this list leans more into the fun, aperitif style than the drink with your dinner varieties. If I am not drinking I don’t need to be sipping something all night long, I don’t need a wine glass with sparkling water in it to feel included but I do think that having a drink on arrival helps you relax and enjoy the beginning of an event. I like to always be able to offer a delicious non alcoholic beverage when people pop over, something to enjoy over a little snack to make an occasion of sitting down and catching up.