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A Napa based startup called ALTR is piloting new technology designed to strip alcohol out of wine. While brewers don’t intend these alcohol-free drink options for people who’re sober, the momentum behind it points to something useful for anyone staying alcohol free at social events like dinners, weddings and other events where wine remains the default.
ALTR Can Support Long-Term Sobriety
ALTR’s system, called Velvet Blade, uses a membrane based process the company says preserves aroma and flavor while removing alcohol and is currently being tested at a Napa winery. The company has drawn backing from investors including Suntory Global Spirits and several venture firms, which signals real money is chasing better ways to make wine with less alcohol in it.
Here is the important distinction for anyone in recovery. ALTR’s current pilot is aimed at producing low alcohol wine, not alcohol-free wine. A reduced alcohol pour still contains alcohol and isn’t an appropriate substitute for genuine sobriety. What matters for someone staying sober while having a full social calendar is the broader trend this pilot reflects.
As more capital and engineering effort goes into removing alcohol from wine, the same underlying momentum has already pushed truly alcohol-free wines, beers and spirits, the kind with 0% alcohol, further into the mainstream over the past several years.
That matters in a very practical way. A wedding toast, a work dinner or a holiday table where everyone else drinks wine comprises the exact kind of moment when staying sober feels isolating. A wider, better tasting selection of genuinely alcohol-free wine gives someone in recovery a real option to hold a glass and participate in the ritual without touching alcohol at all.
Engaging with AA Recovery
Many people in AA and other 12-step programs already navigate social occasions built around alcohol. Having a credible, appealing alcohol-free option on the table can make those moments easier without changing anything about a person’s commitment to sobriety.
Indeed, AA members and anyone else staying free of liquor will recognize the practical challenge of showing up sober to an event centered on drinking.
Stay Sober with Practical Tips
- Bring your own alcohol-free wine or sparkling option to events where you’re unsure of the drink selection.
- Check the label. “Low alcohol” and “alcohol free” aren’t the same thing, and only zero percent products are appropriate if you’re staying fully sober.
- Track your sober streak with the Sober App to help you notice patterns around which events or seasons feel harder to navigate.
- Lean on your support network, whether that’s a sponsor, an AA meeting or a friend who also doesn’t drink, when a social event feels like a tough one.
AA Meetings Remain Viable
If an upcoming event has you thinking about your sobriety, consider an AA meeting as a good place to talk it through beforehand. Our listings include AA meetings nationwide, including online meetings for anyone who wants support without leaving home.
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Terri Beth Miller is a writer, editor, and educator with a PhD in English language and literature from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. In her role as Senior Managing Editor at Rehab Media Group, she is dedicated to the creation of high-quality content that informs, inspires, and empowers readers to build their best lives.
View ProfilePeter W.Y. Lee is a writer and historian of American history. His primary focus is on the Cold War era. His academic work examines the relationship between youth and popular culture and its impact on U.S. society during the twentieth century.
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