Your Sober-ish Somm: Why I Usually Choose Wine Without Alcohol...

Why I Usually Choose Wine Without Alcohol

When people find out I'm a sommelier, there's often a moment of confusion when I tell them that, these days, I actually drink non-alcoholic wine more often than 'traditional' wine...

It's a fair reaction, I guess.

Wine has been at the centre of my career for years. I've worked in many wineries and restaurants (and still do, from time to time), completed my WSET Diploma, judged local and international wine competitions and spent countless hours talking to producers about vineyards, vintages and winemaking. I still find the world of wine endlessly fascinating.

So, you might ask, why would someone who genuinely loves wine choose to drink it without alcohol most of the time?

The simple answer is that, somewhere along the way, I realised I enjoy the experience of wine just as much as I ever did. I just don't enjoy the effect alcohol has on me as much as I used to.

That wasn't a sudden decision though. It actually happened quite gradually, almost without me noticing.

There was a time when opening a bottle of wine in the evening felt like a fairly ordinary part of life. In fact, it still can be. For me personally, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with enjoying a good glass of wine, and I certainly don't believe people should be judged for choosing to drink alcohol.

But over the last few years I started paying more attention to how I felt the next day.

Not dramatically worse. Just... slightly less myself.

Sleep wasn't quite as restful. I found it a little harder to get going in the morning. My concentration wasn't as sharp, and small frustrations sometimes felt bigger than they really were.

When you work in hospitality or the wine trade, I suppose it's easy to accept those things as normal.

But then, after some personal reflection, I changed those long-held beliefs.

Running a business has probably accelerated that change.

My days rarely fit neatly into a nine-to-five routine. One morning I might be speaking to a producer in France before breakfast. Later I'll be training restaurant staff, responding to customers across Canada (hello, multiple time-zones) or jumping on a call with partners in the UK. Some evenings are spent judging wines, hosting tastings or planning the next stage of Somm Zero. Needless to say, my days are varied, and often pretty demanding.

I enjoy all of it, of course, but it also means I need to be mentally present far more often than I need to be drinking alcohol.

And as I approach turning 40, there's also an undeniable shift taking place, too. The older I've become, the more I've realised that feeling consistently good is worth protecting. Health (both physical and mental) is more important for me these days.

And yes, a great night's sleep isn't particularly exciting to talk about, but it's become one of the things I value most - and one of the things I notice a lot, if it doesn't happen! Which for me, I have learned, is often directly related to whether I have or haven't consumed alcohol.

So yeah, getting older has a way of changing your health-related priorities, I guess.

I'm certainly thinking more about long-term health than I did in my twenties. I'm more interested in building habits I can sustain than chasing a short-term buzz. And as I prepare to start a family soon, that perspective has undoubtedly become even stronger.

None of that means I can't enjoy traditional wine.

It just means I choose my moments more carefully, and enjoy better wine less often, and with more intention. A fairly subtle shift perhaps, but one that works for me.

Also, one of the unexpected benefits of drinking less alcohol has been noticing how much steadier I feel.

People often focus on hangovers, but for me the bigger difference has been consistency.

I sleep better, for sure. My mood is more stable.

I'm more resilient when things inevitably don't go to plan.

Running a business is rewarding, but it can also be stressful. There are difficult conversations, unexpected problems and long days that don't always end when you'd hoped they would.

And I've found that reducing alcohol helps me deal with those moments with a clearer head. 

It's not a magic solution. Probably not even a revelation to most! But it's simply one of the choices that helps me be the version of myself I want to be.

Yet the interesting thing is that I don't feel as though I've given anything up. Far from it, actually.

Ten years ago, choosing not to drink wine often meant missing out - settling for sparkling water or a sugary soft drink while everyone else shared a bottle.

Today, thankfully, that's no longer the case.

There are now many producers making genuinely exciting alcohol-free wines. Wines with freshness, texture and character. Wines that still speak to their grape variety and terroir. Wines that reward curiosity in exactly the same way traditional wine does.

As a wine lover, that's what excites me most.

I still get to explore different regions. I still compare vintages and producers.

I still think about food pairing, serving temperature and glassware. I can still be a 'cork-dork'...

The conversations haven't changed.

But the alcohol has.

That doesn't mean I never drink traditional wine.

I absolutely do.

When I visit producers, judge competitions or share a special bottle with friends, I'm still just as likely to appreciate a beautifully made Barolo or a crisp Chablis as I ever was.

If anything, I probably enjoy those moments more now because they're more intentional.

I've just kind of stopped drinking wine simply because it's there...

So now when (or if) I choose an alcoholic bottle, it's because I genuinely want that particular wine, in that particular moment.

And there's something rather satisfying about that, in my humble opinion.

People sometimes ask whether I'd describe myself as a 'sober sommelier'...

I wouldn't. Not necessarily.

That label doesn't feel right for me. And I don't think people should have to choose to choose a 'black or white' existence, if that isn't right for them.

I'm simply someone who loves wine enough to appreciate that alcohol doesn't have to be the defining feature of the experience. In fact, often it can lead to the opposite.

Some weeks I won't drink alcohol at all (I'm a big fan or a Sober October reset before the holidays). Other weeks I might share a good bottle with friends over dinner (or on the sofa with my labradorite, Barkley).

Neither choice feels contradictory to me. Both fit comfortably with how I want to live.

So if there's one thing I hope people take away from our mission at Somm Zero, it's this.

Wine has always been about bringing people together.

It's about conversation, hospitality, generosity and sharing a meal and moments with people you care about.

Alcohol has traditionally been part of that story, for many of us, but it doesn't have to be the only way to enjoy it.

Nobody should feel pressured to drink. Period.

Equally, nobody should feel judged for choosing to, either.

We're certainly not here to tell people how to live. Far from it.

We're here to make sure that, whatever your reason for reaching for an alcohol-free bottle—or indeed an alcoholic one—you have genuinely great options in that moment.

Because that's what wine has always been about.

Choice.

And the freedom to enjoy it in whatever way feels right for you.