Industry & Beverage Trends

A beverage director at a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York recently made a decision that would have seemed radical five years ago. She removed the house sparkling water from the aperitif service and replaced it with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Not as an afterthought. Not tucked at the bottom of the drinks list. She gave it a proper pour, a proper glass, and a proper introduction. The brand she chose was Kolonne Null. That decision reflects something much larger happening across premi …

In a quiet dining room in Midtown Manhattan, a sommelier sets down a bottle of Spanish wine at a table of four. The label is elegant. The pour is deep ruby — rich with the promise of Merlot. One guest looks up and asks, “Is this the zero-proof option?” The sommelier nods. What follows is not compromise. It is craft. That scene — once unimaginable in fine dining — is now playing out across the United States. And at the center of it, with growing frequency, is Luss …