JJ LEITZ: DON’T MOCK MY MOCKTAIL – IT´S A TREAT!

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: SANDRA FEHR

By now, we all know the benefits of taking an occasional break from drinking alcohol or, indeed, switching completely to an alcohol-free lifestyle. But contrary to what many believe, this does not mean wine connoisseurs have to cut out any enjoyment for their taste buds. Far from it, in fact! German company JJ Leitz showcases what to drink when you’re not drinking.

Times have changed – together with our lifestyle. JJ Leitz, the daughter company of Weingut Leitz, recognised this early on and has become a globally recognised champion of dealcoholised wines. Pioneering work, which you can definitely taste.

Weingut Leitz: DON’T MOCK MY MOCKTAIL – IT´S A TREAT!

The key aspect when producing excellent non-alcoholic wines is the quality of the base wines. Here, JJ Leitz benefits from being able to go right to the source and use the outstanding wines produced at the Leitz wine estate or from affiliated grape suppliers.

The other crucial element is the modern technique, gently extracting the alcohol under extremely low pressure and temperature. This ensures that the flavour and character of the wines are as close as possible to those of their alcoholic counterparts. “We use stateof-the-art facilities and don’t ever compromise on quality,” Jan Schmidt, the CEO of JJ Leitz, explains. “If it says ‘Leitz’ on the label, ‘Leitz’ is in the bottle.”

Weingut Leitz: DON’T MOCK MY MOCKTAIL – IT´S A TREAT!

The undisputed worldwide favourite is the non-alcoholic Riesling ‘EINS-ZWEI-ZERO’, based on the famous flagship wine of Leitz winery. The modern dealcoholisation process means JJ Leitz achieves ‘real’ zero, effective 0 per cent volume. while still retaining all the natural Riesling flavours. Closely following that in terms of popularity is the ‘ZERO-POINTFIVE’ (0.5 per cent), a premium dealcoholised Pinot Noir which is not to be missed.

Made with the utmost care and attention to detail, it should come as no surprise that Leitz has already received awards, such as Gold at the 2022 VINORDIC Wine Challenge, for the EINS-ZWEI-ZERO Riesling. Leitz truly stands out in the non-alcoholic wine sector, and it can be completely understood by anyone who has sampled a drop, why it has gained such a loyal following. Fancy a glass?