For most of Steve Goodman’s adult life, wine wasn’t just a career — it was his passion.
So as a wine consultant and researcher at Adelaide University’s Business School, he couldn’t wrap his head around the logic of alcohol-free wine.
But then his wife Julie was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and all that changed.
“Out of nowhere, no or low alcohol (NOLO) went from a research interest to something we actually needed to embrace,” Dr Goodman said.
“[Before that], even as a dedicated wine consumer and someone with a great interest in wine, the topic of NOLO wine, I really couldn’t wrap my head around.”
Wine had been one of the couple’s shared passions, but chemotherapy meant Julie had to eliminate all alcohol from her diet.
Suddenly, it became Dr Goodman’s mission to help improve Australia’s NOLO offerings.
“I’ve become hell-bent on trying to find something I can pour into a glass for her that she will enjoy,” he said.
A booming industry
In a short span of time, NOLO products have gone from niche to mainstream, with room still to grow.
Out of all NOLO products, Dr Goodman said he believed NOLO beer had been the most successful at replicating the same taste as the alcoholic version.
“Wine is lagging behind quite a bit,” he said.
“The majority haven’t managed to capture that mouth feel yet, hence the research we are involved with now.”
Working as part of a NOLO trial facility, Dr Goodman is helping the industry bridge the gap between NOLO and standard wine.
The facility is a $1.98 million initiative between the South Australian government and the University of Adelaide.
“Industry is starting to take it seriously and putting some significant dollars and research into it,” Dr Goodman said.
Making a NOLO wine
Creating a NOLO vino that can pass as real wine is a tough ask, as alcohol is key to the overall taste and mouth feel when drinking wine.
But many businesses are still keen to give it a go.
Australian wine has 5 per cent of the global NOLO market share, with more companies popping up across the country.
Ben Mellows started Polka Drops in South Australia in 2021.
“I saw an opportunity for more brands that were doing more than just removing the alcohol,” he said.
Mr Mellows wants consumers to think of NOLO as its own type of product, rather than expecting it to taste like traditional wine.
“It is very difficult, with wine so much of the flavour is contained within the alcohol,” he said.
“We utilise Australian botanical extracts to create the different flavour notes.
“We strive to create something that is going to give people the same taste experience.
“[But] we don’t necessarily want to compare ourselves directly to wine, we want to create a category that sits on its own.”
The business has found success in the booming industry, but with greater demand for products, comes greater competition.
“We hadn’t anticipated the amount of new entrants,” Mr Mellows said.
“I think we are still at the beginning of this.
“The more competition there is, the better the product gets.”
A jump in NOLO consumption
So how much NOLO is Australia drinking?
Tim Carroll is the director of merchandise and buying for Endeavour Drinks Group, which encompasses brands like Dan Murphy’s and BWS.
“Across our retail stores, we have nearly 400 different products now available … [and] around 10 per cent of our customers purchased a zero or low-alcohol product in the last 12 months,” he said.
“This range has proven itself to be an enduring part of the modern drinks landscape.”
Thirst for knowledge
Katie Spain spends her days tasting and writing about all things beverages for several national publications.
She said she had noticed huge engagement whenever she wrote about NOLO.
“They are desperate for information,” she said.
“People are looking for alcohol alternatives that are really great, so when I post something that is genuinely good, they want to know where it is and where they can get it from.”
But Ms Spain said despite the growth in the sector, there was still room for improvement.
“Anything with bubbles seems to be quite enjoyable … but for still wine, I think there is still a way to go,” she said.
“There is a lot of research going into it, so I have no doubt that there will be some really wonderful options out there in the future.”
Searching for ‘the holy grail’
For now, Dr Goodman is still searching for the perfect drop and is hopeful he’s not far off.
While his wife Julie has now finished chemotherapy and her health is stable again, NOLO continues to be her wine of choice.
“It is a bit of a search for the holy grail, but it is out there and is getting closer,” Dr Goodman said.
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