Thomson & Scott Ltd
Thomson & Scott Noughty AF is a bold and playful brand redefining the non-alcoholic wine experience. They offer a range of premium, alcohol-free sparkling wines that deliver full-bodied flavour without compromise. Perfect for those who want to enjoy the taste of wine without the effects of alcohol.
Amanda Thomson
CEO & Founder
How did it all begin?
I was always a big fan of Champagne but I realised that the alcohol itself in Champagne wasn’t doing me any good, along with the hidden sugars and sometimes, other ingredients that weren’t labelled on the bottle.
At the time, there were no premium, quality, alcohol-free alternatives to Champagne. I hunted high and low, but couldn’t find anything that came up to my expectations of what a good Champagne-style wine could taste like without the alcohol. I decided to create my own alcohol-free sparkling wine brand initially, before moving on to non-alcoholic still wine, that was not only elegantly crafted but was also low in sugar and ethically produced. And Noughty was born.
What sets your business apart?
We didn’t set out to convince all consumers to stop drinking alcohol. Instead, looking to the future, people will start to balance their alcohol intake more and more. For example, you may well have business meetings or a fitness challenge and not want to drink (alcoholic) wine during the week. I want people to feel comfortable switching between their traditional wine and our great non-alcoholic version and it give equal enjoyment to the evening.
Also, if you’re having a delicious meal, why should you compromise with sugary soft drinks that don’t feel grown-up or pair well with the food?
What is the concept behind your business or the problem you’re solving?
We are blessed to be working with talented winemakers both in Germany and South Africa. When we developed our portfolio, I was exacting in the way in which the wine tasted. For me, taste is everything. Without that, all you have is the marketing of something that looks and should behave like wine in a wine bottle but ultimately disappoints and drives consumers away from the emerging category.
Now customers they know that there is love and attention being put into producing something that tastes elegant and delicious.
What is your brand vision?
We’ve just brought our latest bottle to market, which is our new still Provence-style rosé wine. This effectively completes the portfolio, as we can now offer two sparkling wines, both Brut and Rosé as Champagne alternatives and three still wines, a red, a white and a rosé.
Effectively this answers consumer requirements when it comes to good wine all year round. We’ve also been heartened to see how engaged the bar industry has been in recognising how delicious our wine can be in cocktails without alcohol.
This is particularly interesting for bars and restaurants who can make the same amount of margin – often more - on a quality non-alcoholic cocktail as they can on an alcoholic one.
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