The sobriety movement is also gaining ground in South Africa, so much so that many brands have developed alcohol-free versions of their beverages. From beer and wine to gin and bubbly, more people are choosing to not have alcohol.
When Bonang Matheba launched House of BNG, her Methode Cap Classique range, there were calls for her to launch a non-alcoholic version. She has heard the calls and has confirmed that they are working on a non-alcoholic House of BNG.
So while we wait, these are the brands that have the best non-alcoholic bubbly in the country:
Zari Sparkling Grape
Shareen Parker and Silvana Dantu released their non-alcoholic bubbly in 2017 after realising there was a move towards sobriety.
“People don’t get drunk on street corners anymore... so they want an alternative, but want it to be elegant. Zari is a sophisticated alternative to alcoholic bubbly, so you can still party with your friends without alcohol.” Zari comes in Noble Ruby Red and Royale Gold White.
Woolworths
It was by chance that I came across Woolies’ brand of non-alcoholic bubbly. I bought the Rosé and the Brut Muscat and decided to let my champagne- drinking friends to give them a test drive. It was instant approval. The brand has five variants.
The bubblies are made using local Muscat grape berries early in the season to ensure lower sugar levels.
Van Loveren Papillon
They are two options - the Papillon Non-alcoholic Blush and the Papillon Non-alcoholic Sparkling White. The blush is a rosé and has a taste of fruity, fresh berries and is produced from red Muscadel grapes. The sparkling white is made from white Muscadel grapes.