Quenching pregnancy cravings with Totally Alcohol-free drinks
/Antoine Tedesco investigates alcohol-free drink options to satisfy those pregnancy cravings
I’ve recently learned from pregnant family and friends, that quenching pregnancy cravings can be a daunting task, especially for those craving a drink.
A chorus of comments could be heard at every dinner or a celebration:
“I just can’t quench my thirst!”
“I’d love a glass of wine right now.”
“A mixed drink would hit the spot.”
Wanting a drink while pregnant is not an easy solve. Although there are a lot of non-alcoholic drinks out there, there’s a difference between zero alcohol and non-alcoholic which can have up to 0.5% alcohol. This is something that’s important to a lot of pregnant women. So, this intrepid writer went out looking for ways to help satisfy the cravings of those so near and dear to his heart. After a few weeks of searching online for some unique completely alcohol-free options, two exciting choices in the alcohol-free lineup may offer some relief to those expecting: Wilfred’s Non-Alcoholic Aperitif and Prima Pavé.
Wilfred’s is an aperitif made from a blend of natural rosemary, bittersweet oranges, rhubarb, and clove. This British blend makes it hard to tell the difference between one that contains alcohol, and one that does not. How did they do it?
For Wilfred’s founder Chris Wilfred, it started in his kitchen after being frustrated with the non-alcoholic options available in the market, so he decided something had to be done. “I was inspired by the flavours from my travels around the world. I sourced every botanical I could find, from rare Japanese hibiscus to the aromatic English rose,” he says. “My journey eventually led me back to the authentic flavours I associated most with home – freshly picked rosemary from my mother’s garden, and the bitter oranges in my father’s homemade marmalade.”
Wilfred’s Founder Chris Hughes (L) with AmAnda Thomson, NOUGHTY and BaX BOTANICS FOUNDER.
Creating Wilfred’s was “exceptionally difficult,” for Wilfred because alcohol is a great extractor of flavour and the team at Wilfred’s had to use more natural ingredients than an average alcoholic aperitif to create a unique AF drink. He was inspired to reinvent a drink for a new era of drinkers. “I unwittingly found myself reinventing the spritz,” he says.
You can mix Wilfred’s the way you would use a traditional aperitif – the complex flavour profile is distinctive and delicious. It’s hard to not want to mix yourself a drink once you taste the bittersweet notes, like the Zero Proof Negroni, the Ginger London Mule or the signature Wilfred’s Spritz: tonic, plenty of ice and a slice of orange.
If you’re looking for something to pair with these delicious mocktails, keep it simple. Crostini with a charcuterie board of cured meats, soft cheeses, and some veggies is always delicious. The bittersweet essence of Wilfred’s also pairs nicely with savoury tarts, smoked salmon blini, shrimp and seafood salads. Also quite nice to sip with a fruit plate to close off the meal. Oh, and salty potato chips (trust the reviewer!)
If mixed drinks aren’t your thing, Prima Pavé, an award-winning line of alcohol-free sparkling wines handcrafted in Italy might be what you’re craving. The Blanc de Blancs, Rosé Brut, and the Rosé Dolce each showcase the terroir and flavours of Italian grapes, and do not disappoint.
“Our collection of alcohol-free sparkling wines begin as finely crafted alcoholic wines, going through the full fermentation process, and are then dealcoholized to 0.0% ABV,” says Prima Pavé Founder, Dejou Marano, who started the company during her first pregnancy. “We’re not taking low quality, bulk alcoholic wine and then going through dealcoholization. We stand firmly in our belief that you’re not going to achieve a finished product that is stellar, if you cut corners along the way. Even today we continue to hear that it’s near impossible to produce quality, alcohol-free wines, but obviously we disagree, and our loyal consumers would also disagree with that.”
The Blanc de Blancs’ notes of peach, green apple and elderflower pair nicely fish, seafood, and a simple cacio e pepe pasta. Lychee and tangerine are the first flavours you get with the Rosé Brut, which lends to a perfect pairing with spicy shrimp, roasted salmon, and a deliciously simple pizza margherita. The Rosé Dolce imparts notes of strawberry jam, blood orange with a hint of rose. It worked nicely with sharp cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, and the spicy notes of a vindaloo, and Korean dishes.
“Wine should tell a story and take you on a journey, and when we gather around the table for good food and drink, we are expressing our deeply human need for connection, community, and nourishment. “The presence of alcohol has nothing to do with that experience,” says Marano,. “It was my first and only pregnancy and I was creating a new life, but also because I was giving birth to a new business, a new product, a new class of alcohol-free wine.”
From day one, the team at Prima Pave wanted to create an alcohol-free wine, but it was extremely difficult to achieve a quality 0.0% product. No tricking palates with chemical flavourings or other additives. It all started from selecting the right grapes, then the vinification process, then the dealcoholization process, and then the bottling process.
“There are very specific technologies used to dealcoholize wine, and from the start, you have to choose which method is best for what you want to achieve,” said Marano. “We did not choose the cheapest or fastest method, instead choosing to dealcoholize the slow and low way to preserve the inherent characteristics of the grape varietal and the wine itself.”
As the trimesters come and go, and the (birth) day approaches, hopefully these alcohol-free selections can quench pregnancy and postpartum cravings.
Antoine Tedesco, Contributor, Alcohol-free Beer & Cider
Antoine brings his love of food and life to Some Good Clean Fun’s beer and cider reviews. From journalism to government to charities and non-profits, Antoine’s passion is telling compelling and impactful stories. He loves anything that makes his taste buds smile and his ears dance.
