RAISE A GLASS

Here we are then, another year to look forward to. I bet many of you are underway with Dry January. Best of luck! I won’t lie; I prefer water, cordial or simply a glass of tonic if I don’t want an alcoholic drink. And you can’t beat a cup of tea!

I know many of you want to explore, so let me help. A sparkling palate livener from Belvoir Farm is its new mocktail Non-Alcoholic Yuzu & Lime Mojito (£2.95, for 750ml at Ocado and Waitrose). It is vibrant with lime citrus, the bubbles refresh and the yuzu adds more zest. I’ve enjoyed it both as an eager, thirst-quenching gulp, and as an elegant moreish sip. If you want to convince yourself that you’re having a prosecco, then Nozeco could be the thing. The sparkling no-alcohol bottle of white fizz – Nozeco Sparkling – is £3 at the Co-op, down from £4.15, until January 31. There’s a rosé at Sainsbury, down to £3.75 from £4, until January 24. Mindful drinking is now a category on the People’s Choice Drink Awards’ online Drinks Finder, where I found details of Vallformosa Alcohol Free Cava (from £7.25, online at thealcoholfreeco.co.uk). The cava is a PCDA award-winner, with judges describing it as “lovely, grapey and fresh”. It is made from traditional cava grapes, macabeo, xarel·lo and parellada. Hardy’s Zero Chardonnay

(RRP £4, Tesco, and £5, Morrisons, Ocado) uses the same source of grapes that create the brand’s regular wine. The sip is, well, it’s all right; it tastes more palatable and fruity than the confected, grapey aromas suggest.

This Highball Classic Alcohol-Free G&T (RRP £4.99, 75cl bottle, Laithwaites) hissed with bubble pressure as I turned the screw cap; and a tonic-scented, nicely bitter, refreshing drink tumbled into the glass. There’s been a surge in interest in the no-low category. One new kid on the block is ISH, a Danish non-alcoholic drinks brand, dipping its toe into the UK for the first time. The range, including sparkling wines, spirits, and pre-mixed cocktails is on Amazon, and wisebartender.co.uk.

ISH Mexican Agave Alcohol Free Tequila Spirit (RRP £18.99, 50cl) is, the brand suggests, a perfect base for a no-alcohol margarita. The awardwinning RumISH Alcohol Free Spirit

(RRP £19.19, 50cl) is more my style, as ginger aromas radiate and swirl. Best wishes for 2023!

Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.