"The Rise of No & Low – Why Women Are Leading the way in Lower-Alcohol Winemaking | Platinum Magazine

Drinking less is no longer unusual – it’s the norm for many of us, especially at this time of year. Although I must confess I never do Dry January as my birthday is on 16th January and champagne will always be poured - instead, October is my sober month.

As of May 2025, 53% of UK adults reported enjoying a no- or low-alcohol drink in the past 12 months. The no/low market was worth an estimated £380 million at the end of 2024 and is forecast to more than double to £800 million by 2028. Within this, no-alcohol wine is growing by 8% year-on-year (IWSR / The Drinks Business). I have faith in the potential of this category, and at my corporate tastings, I always include alcohol-free options.

Why?  Health, wellness, and balanced diets are all part of the picture. Movements such as “mindful drinking” encourage moderation rather than abstinence.  Socially, it’s now perfectly acceptable to order a premium alcohol-free option at a restaurant or bar. And the choice has never been more stylish, from zero-proof spirits to beautifully made sparkling wines.

A new trend I love is “zebra-ing”: alternating each alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one, e.g. swapping the second glass of wine for a glass of alcohol-free wine.  

Maggie J. Frerejean-Taittinger – French Bloom

I first met Maggie nearly five years ago at the London Wine Fair’s non-alcoholic section. There, ahead of me, was a striking, tall and elegant woman with long brown hair and a radiant smile. Maggie was there to market her new venture: French Bloom. We connected instantly. She told me how, while working with the Michelin Guide, she was constantly dining in extraordinary restaurants but often didn’t want to drink alcohol. That challenge sparked the idea of crafting sophisticated, food-friendly, alcohol-free sparkling wines with zero sugar.

The passion grew deeper when she became pregnant with twin boys and discovered how limited the options were for high-quality alcohol-free drinks. In 2019, French Bloom was born, a beautifully crafted, organic sparkling wine made in France, designed to pair with luxury dining.

Today, Maggie is Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer and the face of her brand. At a recent Paris wine show, I asked her where she draws her inspiration. Her answer? The terroir of Limoux in southern France, with its oceanic climate, rich limestone and clay soils, and temperatures 2–3 degrees cooler than the Mediterranean side. This cooler precision, she says, is the perfect foundation for French Bloom’s elegant wines.

French Bloom has since gone global. Their La Cuvée Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2022, at £109- £130 a bottle, is the world’s most expensive alcohol-free wine, crafted from organic grapes and French oak, with no sulphites and no dosage. Alongside it, the French Bloom Blanc £29 (crisp apple, pear, mineral freshness) and French Bloom Rosé £29 (delicate red berries and floral notes) showcase what alcohol-free wine can be: complex, elegant, and utterly stylish.

Amanda Thomson – Thomson & Scott, “Noughty”

Amanda was one of the first voices to sing the praises of non-alcoholic wine, long before it became fashionable. What began with sparkling has since grown into a full range, most recently including a red wine that is redefining expectations in this space. Her drive and vision were recognised earlier this year when she was named Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 by The Drinks Business.

Her story is an inspiring one: once an Arts Broadcaster at the BBC, she left media to study for her Wine Diploma at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu School in Paris. This gave her the skills to create her own non-alcoholic wine and her brand, which has gone from strength to strength.

Today, her wines are found in some of the world’s most glamorous destinations, from the Mandarin Oriental to Raffles. Her flagship brand, NOUGHTY, is one of my personal favourites. The Noughty Sparkling Chardonnay (just £9.50 at Sainsbury‘s, Waitrose, Majestic) is a crisp, joyful fizz with notes of melon and lemon. With only 14 calories per glass, it’s the perfect answer to a hangover-free celebration.  

I can’t discuss non-alcoholic wines without mentioning Kylie Minogue! Kylie’s 0% Prosecco Rose is a crowd-pleaser , and you will see me picking up a bottle at the supermarket for £6 at Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsburys. It’s very accessible with notes of rose, strawberries and cream! I actually really like this, and so do many of my other wine friends.

Indéya Passfield – Tread Softly South Australia’s Tread Softly is a brand with a conscience: certified sustainable, naturally lighter in alcohol (around 9–10% rather than the usual 13–14%) and backed by a tree-planting initiative that has already regenerated over 1,400 hectares of land with more than two million trees.  

Indéya Passfield is Global Marketing Manager and is helping to bring Tread Softly to the UK stage. Over a glass of rose wine in London, I found Indeya so easy to talk to, she is fun, refreshing and loves travel and art.  

She also spoke frankly about navigating a male-dominated industry: “For a long time, I felt I had to adapt myself to fit in – but now I realise the most powerful thing I can do is show up exactly as I am.” I love her grit and authenticity.

Indéya’s approach to drinking is: “I usually take Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off wine, then enjoy a glass on Thursday and one or two at the weekend. I drink frequently, but not a lot – lighter styles like Tread Softly or the zero-alcohol Pinot Grigio fit perfectly.”

The Tread Softly 9.9% Pinot Grigio (£11.99 Virgin Wine) is crisp with lemon zest and pear whereas the 0% Pinot Noir(£10 Waitrose) delivers juicy red fruits and spice. Serve the Pinot Noir slightly chilled: I recommend 20 minutes in the fridge for the freshest result.

These sit firmly in the low-alcohol range, offering an elegant choice at 9–10% ABV designed for those who want to “drink better, not more.”

Elizabeth x Written for Platinum Magazine, January 2026