As Dry July kicks off, a new survey has found 53% of Australian drinkers intend to participate in a dry period, with 70% of Millennials intending to do the same.  

The survey, carried out by YouGov on behalf of Giesen Wines, also revealed that Millennials have been at the forefront of exploring non-alcoholic beverage alternatives, with 88% having tried such alternatives, including non-alcoholic wine, beer, spirits, and mocktails (75% had tried non-alcoholic wine).  

Furthermore, Millennial men (89%) expressed a greater likelihood of having tried non-alcoholic alternatives, as well as consuming them more often than any other group (56%). Men were also twice as likely as women to be drinking more non-alcoholic alternatives than 12 months ago. 

Interestingly, almost one in three (31%) Millennials said that they typically drink non-alcoholic alternatives on a date night, which is significantly higher than for all other generations. 

Non-alcoholic alternatives were also more popular with alcohol drinkers than non-drinkers. The survey indicated that 80% of alcohol drinkers have tried non-alcoholic alternatives, compared to 57% of non-drinkers. Of those who have tried non-alcoholic wine, one in four (25%) said they drink it very often and quite often.  

Giesen Wines Chief Winemaker Duncan Shouler said: “When it comes to alcohol, Millennials not only moderate more with their commitment to dry periods, but they also drink more non-alcoholic alternatives than other generation.

“In 2022, the global market for non-alcoholic beverages grew by 7%. Millennials are driving this demand, but the Australian research has also highlighted that men are embracing non-alcoholic drinks, which we find fascinating.” 

Giesen announces sparkling release

Giesen Wines has marked Dry July by revealing its new 0% alcohol Sparkling Brut. The effervescent, fruit-driven sparkling wine has been produced using a blend of varieties and crafted with grapes from the Waipara region in the South Island of New Zealand.

As with all Giesen 0% wines, it’s first made with full-strength wine, before innovative spinning cone technology is used. This removes the alcohol at low temperatures to retain the fruit purity. The Sparkling is low in calories too, with just 14 calories per 100ml serving, one of the lowest calorie sparkling wines available. 

“We’re excited to launch our 0% Sparkling Brut across the globe” said Shouler.

“New Zealand wine lends itself extremely well to sparkling wine styles, due to the purity of fruit flavour and great natural acidity. We also know that sparkling wine is one of those products that continues to be in demand, no matter how the rest of the alcohol industry is performing. Add to this the biggest global trend in the alcohol sector, moderation. With the addition of our Giesen 0% Sparkling Brut, we have a no-alcohol wine for every occasion.”   

This is the sixth variety to be added to the award-winning Giesen 0% wine range, including Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Rosé, Merlot, Riesling and now Sparkling Brut.  

It will be available in Australia and New Zealand from September 2023. 

Elegant launch for new non-alcoholic sparkling

Giesen Wines celebrated Dry July and the upcoming launch of its sparkling 0% wine with a breakfast event at Reign at the QVB.

The full 0% wine range was served with breakfast bites, paired by sommelier, Louella Mathews. Mathews also spoke about the trend for non-alc beverages in the bar and restaurant scene, and discussed the intricacies of adding these drinks to the traditional drinks list. 

As guests enjoyed tasting through the wines, including the Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Rosé and Merlot, nutritionist and author, Lyndi Cohen (the Nude Nutritionist) spoke about her sober-curious experiment. She shared her mindful drinking journey and how 0% beverages have helped her moderate.  

Guests left with a bottle of the 0% Riesling, which recently won Gold at the World Alcohol-Free Awards. 

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