ClearMind, Australia’s leading non-alcoholic drinks distributor, has won two gold medals at The Grand Non-Alcoholic Competition, the inaugural non-alcoholic competition at the prestigious Mundus Vini Spring Tasting 2023.
A total of 187 non-alcoholic wines were tasted, the best of which were awarded 21 gold and 54 silver medals. ClearMind’s Nett Reverse Pinot Blanc and Nett Reverse Riesling were both awarded gold medals.
ClearMind has been importing non-alcoholic wines for more than 25 years, but it’s only in the last three years that non-alcoholic beverages have experienced rapidly rising demand as technological improvements have led to better-tasting non-alcoholic options.
The Mundus Vini judges agreed, unanimously declaring that the qualities of non-alcoholic wine have noticeably improved across the board, with more recommendable wines in this segment than ever before.
Frank Hubbard, Managing Director of ClearMind, said although he’s been importing alcohol-free wines, beers and spirits for over 25 years now, often consumers don’t believe alcohol-free alternatives can be satisfying. “We know better than anyone that you won’t believe it’s possible until you taste it for yourself,” he said.
Michael McShane, CEO of Swift + Moore, ClearMind’s Australian partner, said: “The world, it seems, has caught on to what our partners at ClearMind have always believed – that life is there to be enjoyed. ClearMind began because the team wanted to drink wine with their cheese, or at dinner with friends, while still pursuing a healthy lifestyle.
“When ClearMind began in 1995, that might have meant ordering a hundred cases from like minded producers for personal use. Fortunately, that lifestyle has now gone mainstream and both the quality and range of alcohol-free beverages is better than ever. Swift + Moore are proud to continue the legacy and commitment to the sector that our partners commended over 25 years ago.”
These latest awards are in addition to a growing list of recent accolades, including:
- Nett Breakaway Pinot Blanc
Winner Best in Show, non-alcoholic – Pro Wein Dusseldorf, 2023
- Leitz Eins-Zwei-Zero Riesling
Gold medal, VINORDIC Wine Challenge, Sweden, 2022
- Leitz Eins-Zwei-Zero Rose
Gold medal, VINORDIC Wine Challenge, Sweden, 2022
- Leitz Eins-Zwei-Zero Riesling
Gold medal banner at VINORDIC Wine Challenge held in Sweden 2022
- Bergdolt-Reif & Nett winery awarded a Platinum medal from The Decanter in 2022.
- Nett Reverse Weißburgunder entalkoholisiert (Pinot Blanc)
Gold medal for alkoholfrei at ProWein 2023 in Düsseldorf
- Nett Reverse, Breakaway Pinot Blanc
Gold medal for alkoholfrei at ProWein 2023 in Düsseldorf
Best in Show for alkoholfrei at ProWein 2023 in Düsseldorf
In a New York Times interview, Leitz owner Johannes Leitz explained why his Eins-Zwei-Zero wines receive top-tier awards and reviews. He said they are produced from the same Riesling grapes used to make the brand’s popular Eins-Zwei-Dry wines. While other de-alcoholised wines are vacuum distilled at 30 degrees or higher, Leitz vacuum-distils its wine at 28 degrees to preserve as much of the integrity of the wines as possible without overheating it.
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