Bonus Read: Why NA?

Wine Travel Beyond the Socials

The last few weeks I’ve been sharing a non-alcoholic wine/beverage in my reviews, in part for those participating in Dry January, but also because the category is not only growing but fascinating. I’ve also been honest that in general, non-alcoholic wines/drinks are not my thing. That said, like any wine (here’s looking at you Gewürztraminer) I’m going to keep trying. I do see their appeal to the non-alc segment of the market and can see a place for them in my routine too. For me that might be “day drinking” at the pool ahead of a night where I know I’ll be enjoying wine with friends, but still want to feel like I’m cocktailing by the pool. Or on other occasions it might be what I choose after a night popping corks with colleagues when I’m ready to cut off the alcohol but still continue with the social fun. They can also offer up that ritual effect on an NA night. But for the NAs to make their way into my life, I need the bev to not only be drinkable, but also good. And one such brand I’ve found recently, JUKES. (You can check out my review in the last issue.)

JUKES is not a non-alcoholic wine, rather it’s a premium, non-alcoholic drink designed for gastronomy and meant to be “reminiscent” of wine. In other words, it’s not de-alcoholized, nor is it selling itself as wine and that in and of itself is refreshing. It’s also low in sugars and additives - a big bonus in this category. JUKES is the creative by-product of London wine critic, Matthew Jukes which has since been backed by Champagne Billecart-Salmon for distribution. It’s been such a hit in the UK and Paris that it landed on the menus at Michelin-starred L’Arôme and Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris. Now, that’s some big pull for a non-alc beverage.

Curious? I was too. And so I made a call, which Matthew Jukes and Mathieu Roland-Billecart answered. Here’s what they had to say about their new premium non-alcoholic beverage, the product’s ability to pair with meals, and their frank thoughts on the non-alcoholic “wine” category.

Kristy: What was the inspiration behind JUKES?

Matthew Jukes (MJ): My inspiration was the desire to make an alcohol-free drink that could replace wine at all times and with the same degree of complexity, from the perfume to the palate and the finish, a drink that would provide indulgence, satisfaction and deliciousness while pairing beautifully with food and retaining a focus on well-being and freshness.

Kristy: When did you begin making it? Were there several trials in coming up with the final product?

MJ: The idea came to me in 2017. I spent all of 2018 refining the recipes and designing the equipment to make JUKES, then all of 2019 creating the packaging with Barber Osgerby, building the Arch where we make our drinks and assembling the team. We made our first commercial batch in November 2019, soft-launched in late 2019 and went public in January 2020.

Kristy: What was the initial reception in the marketplace?

MJ: In one word: incredible. We quickly won listings in my favorite hitlist of the top 25 restaurants, wine clubs, and wine retailers in London, where we are based. However, this excitement was short-lived when Covid took hold. We immediately pivoted to B2C, and the reaction from consumers, thanks partly to some fantastic reviews in newspapers and magazines, was fabulous.

Kristy: Why a sparkling beverage vs sparkling wine?

MJ: We do not make wine. We make drinks that mimic wine as a substitute. As a wine writer and taster for 38 years, I believe it is impossible to make de-alcoholized wine taste like the real thing. This is why I have gone down a completely different and unique path with JUKES drinks, which are complex macerations of organic apple cider vinegar with a large number of fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and flowers. These recipes are extraordinarily precise and complicated, and this imbues the drinks with stunning layers of flavor that cannot be achieved in de-alcoholized products. The interest in the drinks is enormous because they are so different from anything else, and they have the confidence of many chefs and sommeliers.

Kristy: Do you think peoples’ tastes and preferences changed?

MJ: Our drinks are genuinely dry, unlike so many others. People’s tastes have pivoted from slightly sweeter flavors to luxurious and rewarding drinks that are truly dry - those without sugary sweetness on the palate. This is why they work so well with fine food. The sweeter drinks will always survive, but I suspect they will inhabit the bar space as opposed to restaurants.

Kristy: How much product are you making each year?

MJ: We have three main JUKES drinks: Jukes 1 The White, Jukes 8 The Rosé, and Jukes 6 The Red. We also make two further drinks for limited release: Jukes 2 The Bright Red and Jukes 5 The Crisp White. In addition, and in much smaller quantities, we make a single-note drink called Jukes Sparkling Pinot Noir. This is the only product that uses grapes. We use Pinot Noir grape skins which have been pressed to relieve them of their juice for wine. We simply macerate these skins using the Jukes method to make a single note (i.e. one ingredient) version of JUKES. There is no fermentation or alcohol, just maceration or cold-soaking. I created this limited-production drink in 2021, and we make it each year during the harvest.

Kristy: JUKES is very clearly not a non-alcoholic wine by definition. Why not make a non-alcoholic wine with grapes?

MJ: I am naturally skeptical about de-alcoholized wines as we don’t make wine, but a wine substitute. I find it unnerving that one would make a wine and then spend time, money and energy ‘removing the alcohol’, and then plugging the gap with sugar. I personally don’t like the results, so this is a route I have ever considered.

Mathieu Roland-Billecart (MRB): The NA wine produced at the moment does not align with our sustainability values and I am not a fan of the sugary taste either. However, I strongly believe that JUKES offers the best proposition in the premium NA segment. It relies on innovative blends that are low-calorie and low sugar, meeting the demand of the most discerning clientele.

Kristy: What is something you think people don’t know about NA drinks that they should know?

MJ: With regard to JUKES drinks, I am so proud that something so delicious has such low calories and sugars. The fact that they are considered part of a healthy regime is extremely exciting. It is very rare to find anything in life that tastes delicious and is considered top-quality from a gastronomic perspective, yet it is thought of as a drink suitable for health spas and sports clubs, too.

Kristy: What’s your favorite food (and most unique to you) to pair with your NA sparkling wines?

MJ: JUKES pairs with all manner of world cuisine because every drink has a backbone of organic apple cider vinegar. This means that even the spiciest or hottest of chili dishes, sweetest marinades or glazes, or tricky ingredients like artichoke, tomato, fennel, spinach, olives, mint or ginger (and many more), all work with JUKES. In fact, they are amazing. Vinegar has the incredible ability to cut through any challenging ingredient, and for this reason, chefs love our drinks, and a few even cook with our elixirs! In addition, I write recipes each month for our consumers to cook at home – each one perfectly matches JUKES.

MRB: I quite enjoy the No. 8 alongside charcuterie or cheese, it is ideal.

Kristy: Are you working on any NA projects?

MJ: JUKES is always working on new recipes and even a few bespoke flavors for special customers. We never stop innovating.

Kristy: In three words, how would you describe your NA sparkling wines drinks?

MJ: Refreshing, thought-provoking and delicious.

Kristy: Who is your typical audience for NA sparklers?

MJ: Our audience cares about one thing above all others: great taste. After this, the healthiness, the beautiful packaging and the food-pairing abilities are all important, but I am someone who has devoted my whole life to great taste and this is the most important factor. I am so pleased that this is what our customers report, too.

MRB: JUKES is for eco-minded people with discerning palates, who find themselves reducing their alcohol consumption or eliminating it altogether, for however long.

And there you have it. I always appreciate raw honesty. And that integrity shows in the product too. I may not be consuming non-alcoholic products in place of wine on the regular, but on the occasion I do, I won’t turn down a JUKES and it’s one I’m happy to order if I see it on a menu. (But that said, in the spirit of raw honesty, if I’m at a Michelin restaurant, I’m still ordering wine!)