When You’d Normally Pour a Wine: A Guide to Grown-Up Alternatives

There’s a certain moment in the day - a mood, really - when the wine glass starts calling your name.

Maybe it’s 5:17pm and you just closed your laptop. Maybe you’ve survived dinner with a toddler who threw lasagne at the ceiling. Or maybe it’s Sunday night, and you want to feel like you’ve done something indulgent that doesn’t involve your inbox.

But what if you want the vibe without the vino?

Whether you're sober curious, cutting back, or just craving a new kind of nightcap, here’s your guide to grown-up alternatives that hit the same emotional notes - without the hangover.

1. You Want: A Ritual
Try: Replacing the glass, not the moment

The real magic isn’t in the wine - it’s in the pause. That small act of opening, pouring, sipping… it’s a sensory wind-down.

Psychologists call it habit loops - our brains crave the ritual more than the substance.
Source: The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Try:

• A beautiful glass (yes, even if it’s water)

• A non-alcoholic option that still feels grown-up (hello, Margarita Muse)

• A candle, a playlist, and 10 minutes to breathe

Same pause, better reward.

2. You Want: To Unwind
Try: Terpenes for the nervous system

Alcohol is a blunt tool. It numbs - but it also disrupts sleep, raises cortisol later in the night, and can leave you more wired than relaxed the next day.

Source: Sleep Foundation - Alcohol and Sleep

Instead, try ingredients that support your body’s natural calming pathways. Our UnWind blend uses terpenes like linalool (found in lavender) and myrcene (from hops and mango) to gently calm your nervous system, without fuzzing your brain.

TL;DR: you can take the edge off without throwing your sleep out the window.

3. You Want: Sophistication
Try: Bitters, botanicals & bubbles

Let’s be honest: orange juice in a wine glass just feels… sad.
What you’re craving isn’t juice. It’s depth. Complexity. Something with a bit of bite.

That’s why our Gin-Like Spirit and Gin-Like & Tonic are crafted with herbal botanicals, citrus notes, and just enough edge to make you go, “Ooh, okay.”

Other great options:

• Alcohol-free vermouth or amaro

• Soda water with bitters and citrus peel

• A splash of vinegar shrub for that tangy bite

You’re not giving something up. You’re choosing something smarter, sharper, and far more satisfying.

4. You Want: The Feels
Try: Function, not fermentation

Alcohol = fermented sugar. Terps & Co = functional plant science.

The buzz you might be chasing? It’s not exclusive to ethanol.
Studies show certain terpenes may activate serotonin and GABA pathways, which regulate mood, ease tension, and support clarity.
Source: Frontiers in Neuroscience – 2020 Review

Think of it as a subtle shift, not a spike. You won’t feel drunk. You’ll just feel better.

5. You Want: A Social Cue
Try: A new kind of “cheers”

Alcohol isn’t just a drink—it’s a cue. It says: I’m off the clock. Let’s celebrate. Let’s connect.

But connection doesn’t have to come in a wine bottle.
Make it a shared moment in a different way:

• Create a mocktail menu for your next dinner party

• Host a taste test of different alcohol-free options

• Make a habit of pouring something nice into a glass just for you, even if it’s sparkling water with rosemary

The point isn’t what’s in the glass. It’s what the glass means.

TL;DR:

• Rituals matter. Replace the drink, not the pause.

• Terpenes like linalool and myrcene support calm without the crash.

• Sophisticated = complex flavour, not high ABV.

• You can feel good without fermented sugar.

• The future of drinking is functional, not fuzzy.

Ready to sip differently? → Explore our grown-up alternatives