The Zeno masters

In the shifting landscape of modern indulgence, where mindfulness and celebration intertwine, a new kind of wine experience is emerging, one that honours tradition while embracing the future. It is a wine for the moment when choice meets conscience, where the ritual of the glass is savoured without the need for alcohol’s embrace. This is the world of Zeno, an extraordinary journey of passion, innovation, and virtue.

Born from a desire to craft alcohol free wines that do not compromise on texture, aroma, or depth, Zeno is a beacon for those seeking balance – a harmony of flavour and mindfulness distilled in every bottle.

The company is led by David Hodgson, founder and CEO, who will be speaking at London Packaging Week this October, sharing how sustainable design is helping reshape consumer perceptions of alcohol free drinks.

For David, the journey began on a deeply personal note. After decades immersed in the global wine industry, from The Ritz London to helming European operations at Rosemount Estate Wines, he decided to go alcohol free for his health. ‘I clicked over 50 and thought, I don’t know if I can carry on,’ he reflected. ‘The travel, the trade, the drinking… it just caught up with me. But I missed the wine experience.’ That realisation set him on a course to radically improve the quality of alcohol free wines – not as a substitute, but as a new standard in their own right.

That question led David to research the alcohol free beverage market, where he discovered a disappointing gap. ‘I saw what the brewers and spirits were doing with botanical distillations, but wine was trailing behind. I thought, why can’t someone make decent alcohol free wines for enthusiasts? It was such a compromise. I ordered everything I could find, and there just wasn’t much to taste. The wines were out of balance, weird, and stuck together with sugar.’

David’s quest for quality resonated with Will Willis, who had been involved in early alcohol free wine projects with Freixenet. The two joined forces with their partner winery in Spain and a team including Jane Masters, a master of wine with expertise in chemistry and oenology. Together, they embarked on a three year journey of research and development to craft wines that bring the texture, flavour, and balance wine lovers expect, without compromise.

‘We worked vineyard to glass,’ David explained. ‘We had to break the process down at every step – pH, acidity, tannin structure, aromatics, sugar levels, to find how to maintain the essence of wine through dealcoholisation. Our partner winery in Castilla-La Mancha, with its organic La Carrasca vineyard, gave us the perfect terroir to start from.’

Rejecting the common practice of masking alcohol absence with residual sugar, the Zeno team focused on authenticity and food friendly wines. ‘We don’t want sweet wines that can’t pair with food,’ said David. ‘That was the big challenge. We have ratcheted down residual sugar to as low as 18 g/L, which is probably the lowest you can get in an alcohol free wine while keeping balance and length.’

The company’s commitment to sustainability is deeply embedded not only in its philosophy but also in the very geography of its production. The brand’s partner operations are concentrated within a tight cluster of three locations in Spain: Castilla-La Mancha, La Carrasca vineyard, and the bottling and packaging facilities, all situated in close proximity. This strategic closeness minimises transportation distances and associated carbon emissions, enabling it to maintain a low environmental footprint throughout its supply chain.

Looking ahead, the introduction of cans and ‘Eco SIP’ pouches represents a transformative step for Zeno’s sustainability credentials. These formats significantly reduce packaging waste and enhance transport efficiency, amplifying the brand’s environmental benefits without compromising quality or customer experience.

As David explained, ‘From vineyard to glass, our supply chain has the highest sustainability standards. Having the vineyards and processing facilities close together means less transportation and tighter control over environmental impact. Using lightweight glass helps us save on shipping weight, and the cans and pouches will have a huge effect on our overall sustainability. It is all part of our bigger vision for mindful, virtuous drinking.’

Innovation doesn’t stop at the vineyard or the cellar. Zeno embraces the possibilities of modernity in packaging and presentation, reflecting a brand that is as forward thinking as it is grounded in tradition.

‘These Eco SIP pouches are single serve tasting packs,’ he explained. ‘Inside the branded box is literally a silver pouch, which is well sealed. The individual responsible for this innovation has a patent pending on the filling and packaging techniques.’

When asked about the technical challenges of translating Zeno’s high standards into these new formats, David doesn’t shy away from the complexity. ‘It is not that easy, but you have to be careful and have a good team,’ he admitted. ‘We looked at a number of canning operations and found one in Spain. We didn’t want to transport the bulk wines very far.’ The chosen facility is accredited to BRC, HACCP, and other rigorous standards, ensuring the quality and safety of the final product.

‘We wanted to pressurise the cans to similar higher pressure as our bottled sparkling wines to get a really fine bead and mousse – that luxury look you get in a nice glass of sparkling or Cava,’ David continued. ‘Most canned sparkling wines are done at lower pressure and get big bubbles like soda water. We had to test and get the pressure as high as possible without the cans exploding. It was challenging, but we got there in the end.’

As for the pouches, David emphasises their stability and quality. ‘Over six months of trials, the acidity, sweetness, and structure were all held together perfectly. The technology of the pouches and filling is improving all the time, but the wines themselves didn’t need tweaking.’

David’s passion for pushing boundaries in packaging mirrors Zeno’s broader mission to innovate without compromise.

This October, David will take to the stage at London Packaging Week to share his insights on how design, innovation, and storytelling are shaping the future of the ‘NoLo’ category. His session, part of a broader programme featuring more than 70 expert speakers across the luxury, beauty, drinks, and FMCG industries, will explore the role of packaging in changing perceptions and elevating alcohol-free experiences.

London Packaging Week takes place on October 15 and 16.