The no- and low-alcohol segment has seen steady growth thanks to a rise in mindful, health-conscious consumption, and while it’s lagged behind the more successful beer and spirits categories, demand for no-and-low wine is on the rise. But what do drinkers expect from a less intoxicating tipple?
Stuart Elkington is the founder of leading no- and low-alcohol drinks distributor Dry Drinker, whose portfolio consists of over 200 products, including 60 wines and sparkling wines. He boasts more than 25 years of experience working in the drinks industry, from UK brewery chains to fine wine merchants in Singapore.
Lulie Halstead is the co-founder and CEO of leading wine consumer research and insights firm Wine Intelligence. She is an established marketing academic and a frequent speaker at many international wine industry and academic conferences around the world. She holds a master’s degree in marketing from Kingston Business School and is a certified member of the Market Research Society.
Christine Parkinson is the founder of no- and low-alcohol drinks category consultancy firm Brimful Drinks. She is widely known for her work as group head of wine for the Hakkasan Group and has won numerous awards including IWSC Lifetime Achievement, Imbibe Industry Legend, IWC Sake Contributor, WSET Educator of the Year, and the Wine & Spirits Ambassador Catey.
Duncan Shouler is the chief winemaker at Giesen. His experience at boutique wineries, large commercial operations, and every winery in between has shaped his winemaking approach. He always aims to incorporate small, hands-on winemaking techniques and philosophies, even when he’s making accessible, good-value wines.
Dr. Jacopo Mazzeo is a freelance wine and drinks journalist and consultant.
He regularly contributes to leading trade and consumer publications including Wine Enthusiast, Whisky Magazine, Decanter, Meininger, Club Oenologique, Harper's, Pix Wine, and Good Beer Hunting. He consults on consumer trends and marketing strategy and offers copywriting services to drinks firms and agencies. Jacopo is a former sommelier, he judges international wine, beer, and spirits competitions, and sat twice on the board of directors of the British Guild of Beer Writers. Before he embraced full-time journalism, he studied musicology at the University of Bologna and took a PhD at the University of Southampton.