De Bortoli

Now in its fourth generation of family ownership, De Bortoli has grown into a major Australian wine producer with vineyards spanning six premium regions including the Yarra Valley, Hunter Valley, Rutherglen, and Heathcote. Their Noble One dessert wine put them on the international map, but the company produces everything from everyday drinking wines to premium single-vineyard bottles.

Their alcohol-free offering comes under The Very Cautious One label. The range includes a Shiraz and a Gewurztraminer Riesling blend, both made using vacuum distillation technology that removes alcohol at low temperatures to preserve flavour. The Shiraz shows ruby red colour with blackberry and plum notes, while the white blend delivers aromatic, crisp refreshment typical of both grape varieties.

The name captures something of the wine industry's careful approach to the AF category. Major producers have been slow to enter, wary of diluting their core business or producing something substandard. De Bortoli's decision to apply proper winemaking credentials to alcohol-free production represents exactly the kind of serious entry the category needs from established names.

In the UK, The Very Cautious One is available through Ocado and specialist alcohol-free retailers. The backing of a fourth-generation Australian winery gives the range a credibility that most AF wine labels can't match.