Ask anyone doing Sober October what they miss most and it's not the pub. It's the Friday night glass of wine on the sofa. The big glass. The “I've earned this” moment.
I know. I was a big wine drinker. Not a disaster, just a bottle here and a bottle there, and Saturday mornings so foggy you'd need a lighthouse to find the kettle.
Good news: you can keep the ritual. Here are five alcohol-free wines that make a night in feel like a night in.
The Friday red: Noughty Organic Red
Noughty's organic red is dealcoholised to under 0.5%, so you keep the depth. Low in sugar at 2.5g per 100ml, organic, vegan and halal.
Pour it into a big glass. Swirl it. Say “oaky”. Nobody knows what that means anyway, including me.
The crisp white: ZENO White
Love a Sauvignon Blanc? ZENO's white is made from Viura and properly zingy: mango, passionfruit, green apple and a bit of elderflower. And it's got texture. Lots of alcohol-free whites feel like flavoured water. This one doesn't.
The celebration fizz: Pierre Zéro Sparkling Chardonnay
Payday? Friday? Survived the family WhatsApp group? Pierre Zéro Sparkling Chardonnay is a full bottle of French fizz at a true 0.0%. Fruity, floral and brilliant with fish and chips.
The one to impress: Noughty Sparkling Rosé
Hosting the in-laws? Noughty Sparkling Rosé is organic and 0.0%. BBC Good Food named Noughty the world-leading alcohol-free alternative to champagne. Leave the bottle where your mother-in-law can see it.
The just-one-glass: Pierre Zéro Merlot 20cl
Sometimes a whole bottle is a commitment issue. The Pierre Zéro Merlot 20cl pours one generous glass of 0.0% French Merlot. No open bottle staring at you all week like the Terminator.
How to do it properly
Use the good glasses. Chill the whites and fizz. Have it with food. And give it a full glass before you judge it. Your taste buds have been hanging out with the real stuff for years. Give them a minute to catch up.
The deal bit
Wine gets our best deal: any 6 bottles of wine or spirits get 10% off, 12 get 15%. Or build a wine box. For everything else, see our Sober October guide.
The serious bit
Every bottle shows its exact ABV, and 0.0% means zero. If you're worried about your drinking, your GP is a great first call, and the NHS website has support too.
